Posted on 12/17/2006 4:03:30 PM PST by DAVEY CROCKETT
Yes, it is the plan.
That is why I keep posting the school news of bombs and incidents.
They are doing the same with them, that they do with the Walmart and even new York, get people accustomed to odd things and they will ignore the real threat.
There was a Walmart in Canada, that got a bomb threat, and the manager had the employees look for the bomb and did not even tell the store full of customers that there had been a threat.
When I see the word Beslan, I get a little crazy, as I have always thought my tilt point, would be killing someone for harming a child.
There are googles in your post, but first, the cats and to clear my mind, of the last ones that I just posted.
And it will come from Cuba.
There are bases in Cuba that can listen to every word said in America, including the military communication lines.
I think that Venezuela is now in the arms manufacturing business.
And the idiot congressmen are on the radio, at this instant, saying they are going to stop President Bush's military plans.
Did you read Founding Fathers post on the school dangers? above this one.
It is knowing the plans of the commies and radical muslims, that makes me think that the President might have a plan, to join Mexico and Canada, so we will have a larger base to fight them off...........LOL, of course, I have been wrong before.
When the bombs do start going off and they will, we may be the ones wanting to cross the border and escape.
NO, I am not happy with the open borders, cleaning out the crooked politicians and leaders that want it wide open, is the first step.
Ping to post 2260
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1769023/posts
Lawmaker Assails Trade Accord: He Says Deal May Lead to Elimination of Borders
Deseret News.com ^ | Wednesday, January 17, 2007 | Bob Bernick Jr.
Posted on 01/17/2007 10:28:39 AM PST by meg88
A freshman conservative legislator says the United States should get out of a North American trade and security agreement before the countries morph into a European Union-type organization that could take away some of the United States' sovereignty.
Rep. Stephen Sandstrom, R-Provo, has introduced HCR7, which asks Congress to withdraw from, or at least take oversight control of, a 2005 agreement that was signed by President Bush and the leaders of Mexico and Canada.
While at first glance the "Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America" may seem harmless, said Sandstrom, it could lead "to the elimination of our borders" in the name of free trade.
"It could well perpetrate our illegal immigrant problem. We could end up like the EU, even have a common currency," he said.
Principled stands should be taken, says Sandstrom. For example, his resolution says that a super, secure highway could be built from Mexico to Canada across the middle of America, leading to all kinds of troubles, especially if the U.S. lost control of how it would operate.
The resolution goes on to say: "Whereas, the gradual creation of such a North American Union from a merger of the United States, Mexico, and Canada would be a direct threat to the United States Constitution and the national independence of the United States and would imply an eventual end to national borders within North America."
"At least the Congress should take a vote on this — it has never gone to it," Sandstrom said.
The agreement could bring far-reaching implications that few people are looking at, he said. "The EU has not been good for some countries in Europe — you have Germany with loose immigration, and that impacting France and England," where they are having problems with their immigrants, he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at deseretnews.com ...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1769005/posts
Ujaama returns to court, accused of violating parole
Seattle Times ^ | Wednesday, January 17, 2007 | MIKE LEWIS
Posted on 01/17/2007 10:03:24 AM PST by Sopater
A Seattle man convicted of supplying Taliban fighters with cash and computers returned to federal court Tuesday to face charges that he violated his parole by traveling overseas with a false Mexican passport.
James Ujaama denied the multiple federal counts that could land him back in prison for two years. Arrested in Belize one month ago, Ujaama had only four months left on his parole stemming from the 2003 conviction.
His attorney, Peter Offenbecher, said he hadn't yet gathered all the information that led to his client's arrest. "I'm investigating the facts to determine the appropriate course of action," he said after the brief court appearance.
Federal prosecutors in the Western District Court charged Ujaama, 41, with four violations of his three-year parole agreement: making false statements to a federal officer; use of a Mexican passport under the assumed name of Jose Luis Ramirez Ramirez; failure to follow a probation officer's order; and leaving the U.S. without permission from a federal court.
Ujaama told U.S. District Magistrate Monica Benton that he understood the new charges against him.
Offenbecher, who represented Ujaama in the original case, declined to answer any additional questions about potential evidence against his client. Ujaama is scheduled to return to federal court Feb. 1 for a hearing on that evidence. Until then, he will be held without bail in the short-term federal jail in SeaTac.
Born as James Earnest Thompson, the Muslim convert originally was arrested in 2002 and charged with attempting to help set up a terrorist training camp near Bly, Ore. One year after the arrest, he pleaded guilty to lesser charges of supplying computer and cash to Taliban.
In exchange for the lesser charges, Ujaama agreed to prison time and the parole restrictions, and to aid federal investigators working on terrorism cases. The deal proved a windfall for the U.S. government, investigators have asserted, as Ujaama provided information linking the Oregon training camps to factional Muslim leader Abu Hamza al-Masri.
In 2004, British authorities arrested Al-Masri in London where he preached in a local mosque.
Ujaama also was questioned about Semi Osman, a Sierra Leone native and former Tacoma resident also suspected of helping to set up the Oregon camp.
On Tuesday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement authorities ordered Osman's deportation. He has served time in federal prison on weapons and sex-abuse convictions.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1768870/posts
IRANIAN ARRESTED IN ERBIL IS WANTED IN AUSTRIA
AKI ^ | 1/17/07
Posted on 01/17/2007 6:19:37 AM PST by Valin
Tehran, 17 Jan. (AKI) - One of the five Iranians arrested last week by the US army in the northern Iraqi city of Erbil is wanted in Austria in connection with the assassination of Kurdish leader Andol Rahman Ghassemlu in 1989. Mahommad Jaafari Sharoudi was one of five Iranian officials detained last week in the Kurdish-controlled city on charges of being connected to a faction of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, the Pasdaran, that funds and arms insurgents in Iraq.
Abdol Rahman Ghassemlu, the historic leader of Iranian Kurds, was killed in an apartment in the outskirts of the Austrian capital Vienna where he was scheduled to meet a delegation sent by then Iranian president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.
However, shortly after the start of the meeting between a delegation of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) and Tehran's delegation, a special unit of the Pasdaran is believed to have stormed the apartment and killed Ghassmlu and his aides.
According to the Austrian police, the killers escaped arrest by hiding in Iran's embassy in Vienna.
Austrian sources claim that Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who was at the time a Pasdaran official, was the logistics' head of the commando group responsible for the Kurdish leader's death while Jaafari Sharoudi was one of the killers.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Jackson_Society
http://www.google.com/search?q=Henry+Jackson+Society&client=netscape-pp&rls=com.netscape:en-US
Press-release nr. 2021 from January 15, 2007
Our interview
Persecution of the independent movements in Russia leads to the lack of
awareness in the west about the situation in the North Caucasus
Alan Mendoza, a Cambridge graduate and Doctor of History, was one of
the first to send a letter in support of the Society for Russian-Chechen
Friendship and to become its member. He is among the founders of the
Henry Jackson Society that seeks to promote ideals of democratic
geopolitics. The founders of the Society are Cambridge intellectuals
characterizing themselves as "neoconservatives".
One of the Henry Jackson Society's concerns in 2006 was to attract the
international community attention to the fact that the nomadic Arabs
inhabiting the province of Khuzestan are being persecuted in Iran. This
people became victims of the Iran-Iraq war. There are no reliable
statistics as to the number of Khuzestani Arabs who have an original culture,
amazing by its polyconfessionalism: there are Shi'a and Sunni Muslim,
Christian and Jewish minorities among them. In period of the Iran-Iraq
war the Hussein's propaganda claimed that Saddam's intentions were to
"liberate" the Arabs of Khuzestan. Despite the fact that most of this
ethnic group defended Iran, the Ahmadinejad's government is persecuting
them now as "traitors".
On 9 January 2007 the Henry Jackson Society published its strategic
briefing on the last year's oppression in various parts of the world. As
it was said about Russia: "Finally, in Russia the slide towards the
authoritarism and a state bullying its neighbours due to its power as an
energy supplier continued, as did violence in the North Caucasus".
During the Christmas holidays Alan Mendoza gave an exclusive interview
to the Russian-Chechen Information Agency.
1. Why have the hopes for democracy and freedom in Russia that came
with the fall of communism 15 years ago been so cruelly disappointed?
I think this is perhaps a result of the chaos that accompanied the
democratic transformation in Russia during the Yeltsin years, and in
particular the economic difficulties of the late 1990s. While there were
sound political reasons for the swift transformation of the economy (ie
primarily to forestall the ability of communists to return to power in
charge of a command economy), the manner in which this was achieved did
democracy no favors. It was as if the state had ceded control of the
economy to an oligarchy instead, and the oligarchs were regarded as only
being interested in defending their own concessions rather than those of
the people. This opened the door for acceptance of a more authoritarian
leader as at least in the case of the latter, ordinary Russians could
justify increased political control as being in the state's interests
(and therefore indirectly theirs) as opposed to the interests of a few
wealthy people. To this mix can be added feelings of a loss of
national pride in the 1990s owing to Russia's comparative
international weakness. Once a leader emerged who could provide more political and
economic stability (the latter owing to the unexpected windfall from
natural resources), as well as provide a greater punch on the
international stage, it was perhaps of little surprise that those buffeted by the
headwinds of the 1990s took to him rather better than expected. From
our perspective in the west, it seems that Russians have been happy to
trade freedoms for stability in this regard.
2. Does democracy have a future in Russia and is there any peculiar
special path for democracy in Russia to develop?
I am tempted to answer this question with "we will know in 2008". A lot
depends on the attitude Putin now takes towards the ending of his
presidency. If he decides to remain in power by changing the constitution,
then the outlook for Russian democracy will remain bleak. If there is a
transfer of power, no matter how stage managed, there is always the
possibility that a more democratic path will be chosen. After all, Putin
broke with his backers soon after being chosen - his successor may adopt
a similar approach. Russia is in need of a visionary and if such a
visionary can be found or emerges then democracy may yet prosper given the
more stable and economically provident position Russia finds itself in
today.
3. How can international democrats influence the behavior of a
government bent on suppressing basic freedoms?
In two main ways:
1) Lobbying their own governments to raise such issues with Russia at
every appropriate level and indicate displeasure at such tactics. This
might include such measures for example as campaigning to end Russia's
membership of the G8 unless it improves its human rights and democracy
record.
2) Showing solidarity with Russian democrats and NGOs under threat by
communicating with them, keeping news of their situation in the public
eye, offering support wherever practical, and encouraging financial
investment in their activities. It was notable for example that the recent
'Other Conference' was a major success in this regard. The power of the
internet should be harnessed to this cause.
4. Why has Chechnya been so totally ignored by the international
community and what can be done to bring the conflict under control and to
prevent its further spreading throughout the Northern Caucasus?
This is a very difficult issue and the answer is twofold. The first
response is that the Russians have used the Chechen issue as leverage over
the West, and the suspicion has been that international intervention in
Chechnya would lead to vetoes in the UN on matters of interest to the
international community. Russia has thus skillfully used its veto power
to deflect measures stronger than mere criticism. More importantly, the
Chechen issue has now been subsumed into the debate about the War on
Terror and the fight against Radical Islam that the West now finds itself
in. The Russians have managed to label the Chechens as part of the
Islamist threat, and this has given their campaign in Chechnya (which long
predates this issue) some credibility internationally. Certainly it is
noticeable when we raise issues about Russia in the UK that a common
response is that we cannot push Russia too hard as we share common
security concerns. There is undoubtedly some truth in this now as
well, as Al-Qaeda and its affiliates have used the Chechen situation
as one of its recruiting grounds and causes to fight for on several
occasions. This necessarily confuses the situation on the ground. The more
militant Chechens have also done their cause no good in this regard
through terrorist atrocities such as Beslan. Unfortunately, the lack of
awareness in the west about the state of Chechen politics also means that
Russian attacks on moderate Chechen targets and leaders can go
unpunished as all Chechens can be painted as extremists by the Russians.
The conflict can only be brought under control, and prevented from
spreading further, if the international community can be engaged by
moderate Chechens into understanding the true horrors of life on the ground in
Chechnya. The moderates will however have to renounce their more
extremist counterparts and show that they are willing to work with Russia in
some way, shape or form. This may mean putting independence on the
backburner at present and settling for some form of autonomy instead.
Without this display of moderation which will allow pressure to be put on
Russia by the international community, it is arguably the case that
Russia will be able to point to 'unreasonable' demands and behavior by the
Chechens themselves to continue justifying its actions.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/chechnya-sl/
The Times January 17, 2007
Detectives face stand-off over Litvinenko murder
Tony Halpin in Moscow and Daniel McGrory
Russia's top prosecutor has told Scotland Yard that it must let the Kremlin's investigators question critics of President Putin living in
Britain before British detectives can return to Moscow to finish
investigating the murder of Alexander Litvinenko. Yuri Chaika
delivered his ultimatum as he revealed that detectives have asked to
visit Moscow again to question a number of suspects about the murder
of the former spy.
Mr Chaika, the Russian Prosecutor-General, dramatically raised the
stakes by suggesting that the Kremlin expects to find the killer among
the wealthy Russians given asylum in Britain.
He said: "We don't rule out that the murder may have been committed by
Russian citizens who live abroad."
He added that he suspected that other Russians may have been fatally
poisoned in London. He is asking Scotland Yard to investigate the
sudden deaths in Britain of at least three Russians.
The demands are likely to create a further strain on relations with
Britain, already damaged after Litvinenko made a statement on his
deathbed accusing the Kremlin of ordering his assassination.
While the detectives, who spent a fortnight in Moscow before
Christmas, believe that the killer is in Russia, their counterparts
are expected to point the finger at Mr Putin's enemies sheltering here.
The chief prosecutor made it clear that there was no chance that
British police would be allowed to return to Moscow before his team
have finished their work in Britain.
The Russians have asked to question up to 100 people. A number are
reluctant and have asked British police for firm assurances about
their safety.
Mr Chaika revealed that the main target for his investigators was
Boris Berezovsky, the exiled billionaire who is a critic of the Kremlin and was a friend of Litvinenko.
Pro-government newspapers in Russia have speculated that Mr Berezovsky
was behind the poisoning, an allegation that he has denied.
Last night Alex Goldfarb, a close friend of the tycoon, said that Mr
Berezovsky believed that the Russian investigation was "a farce" and
he was fearful that he could be poisoned while being questioned.
As he has asylum here, he does not have to meet the Russian officers.
"All of this is an exercise in obstruction," Mr Goldfarb said. "He
will speak if the security is provided — if the British guarantee
there is no polonium.
"He understands that the Russians are holding the investigation
hostage. They are trying to create a situation where the British would
not be able get access to the suspects."
Mr Chaika has raised the case of the death in London nine days ago of
Yuri Golubev, a founder of the energy giant Yukos, whose assets were
seized by the Kremlin. Police are sure that Mr Golubev, who was 65,
died of a heart attack.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/chechnya-sl/
http://www.irna.ir/en/news/view/line-17/0701187469000533.htm
Defence minister: Armed forces let enemies no aggression
Tehran, Jan 18, IRNA
Iran-Sudan-Defence
Defence and Armed Forces Logistics Minister General Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar said, "Iran's armed forces are strongly controlling everything in the region and would not allow any aggression by enemies with full readiness."
In a joint press conference with his Sudani counterpart here Wednesday, General Mohammad-Najjar said enemies of Islam and revolution have been trying to launch a psychological war in our society but, of course, will never succeed in their ominous intentions.
Concerning recent UNSC resolution and sanctions against Iran, defence minister noted that given the main slogan of the revolution which is "independence", Iranian experts and youths have made country's defence industry indigenous by reliance on God and Iranian knowledge and technology.
He added these sanctions have no effect on the country's progress and we are not worried about it.
About the aims of his Sudanese counterpart visit to Iran, the general said the two countries' leaders intend to promote political, economic, cultural and defence cooperation.
Sudanese National Defence Minister Lieutenant General Abdelrahim Muhammad Hussein, for his part, said the aim of his visit has been consolidation and development of the existing relations between the two countries.
Concerning Sudan's stance on Darfur crisis, the Sudanese general said, "We are totally ready to negotiate with all groups about finding a solution for this problem."
He pointed out that's why " Darfur Agreement" was signed last year between Sudanese government and African Union and 13 others countries including the USA, UK, Sweden, Norway, EU as well as the Arab League.
The Sudanese official condemned UNSC Resolution 1706 on Darfur and said in the resolution they plan to substitute African forces with international forces which is not acceptable to Sudan.
Concerning his visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran, he said, "I have visited Iran's defence industry and facilities and I have noticed that Iran has gained advanced levels of technology which has made me glad."
The Sudanese minister left Tehran for Khartoum later on Wednesday.
News sent: 00:05 Thursday January 18, 2007
Pakistani professor: US assault on Iranian legation a plot
http://www.irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-234/0701176665211105.htm
Pakistani professor: US assault on Iranian legation a plot
Islamabad, Jan 17, IRNA
Iran-US-Ahmar
A Pakistani academic said on Wednesday that the US forces' assault on
Iranian consulate in Iraqi city of Erbil was a plot to sever
Tehran-Baghdad ties.
"The approach by Americans, which is contrary to all the international
regulations, is a new conspiracy against stronger ties between the two
neighbors," said professor of International Relations at Pakistani
University of Karachi Mounes Ahmar in an interview with IRNA here on
Wednesday.
Ahmar said Americans accuse others of launching acts of terror, while
their gesture in Erbil is terrorism in nature.
He stressed that the Iraqi government is mainly responsible for
non-diplomatic behaviors, and it has the obligation to follow up the
case based on the procedures.
He said the Americans had not been in the position to launch the
invasion.
"Iran's consular activities in Erbil followed diplomatic and legal
norms," he added.
He went on to say that Iran should alike the past lodge complaint at
an international tribunal against the assault and hostage taking.
He said Shiites are not alone in opposing military presence of the US
and its allies in Iraq and all the religious and political groups are
against it.
The Karachi University lecturer said western media had been
coordinately piling up pressure on Iran. "Adverse propaganda, false
dissemination of new and hues and cry have been on the rise in a
matter of few days," he added.
Elsewhere in the interview, Ahmar said it seems that by expedition of
20,000 more troops to Iraq, Washington tries to turn he country into a
military garrison against Iran.
He said Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki should deal with the case
seriously so as to prove non-dependence of Iraqi government to
Americans and to foil the plot to promote bilateral ties.
News sent: 21:11 Wednesday January 17, 2007
Vladimir Socor in EDM: Shah-Deniz Gas Buttressing Georgia, Azerbaijan Economically and Politically
Eurasia Daily Monitor
January 17, 2007 -- Volume 4, Issue 12
SHAH-DENIZ GAS BUTTRESSING GEORGIA, AZERBAIJAN ECONOMICALLY AND
POLITICALLY
by Vladimir Socor
At 10 pm local time on January 14, commercial production and the
delivery flow of gas started at the first well of Azerbaijan’s giant
offshore field Shah-Deniz, a BP-led project. In the afternoon of the
following day, the first volumes of gas reached Georgia through the
South
Caucasus Gas Pipeline, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum. The event is deemed
historic in
Georgia and Azerbaijan, decisively buttressing -- in conjunction with
last
year’s opening of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline -- the two
countries’
development and independence from Russia.
The first Shah-Deniz well is currently producing 3.4 million
cubic
meters of gas and 1,300 tons of gas condensate per day, soon to grow to
5.6
billion cubic meters and 2,500 tons per day, respectively. Three more
wells
are expected to raise the output to 6 or 7 billion cubic meters for the
year
2007.
The availability of Shah-Deniz gas finally extricates Georgia
from
Gazprom’s bear hug -- a development originally projected for the
first half
of 2006 (see EDM, March 23, 2006). In late December 2006, an agreement
signed by Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey redistributed the quotas of
gas
from Shah-Deniz for 2007 among the three countries. Turkey lent its
quota of
800 million cubic meters to Georgia. The unit price for this volume is
a
commercial secret, but it has been reported unofficially at $120 per
1,000
cubic meters.
In addition, Georgia is scheduled to receive 250 million cubic
meters
of gas from Shah-Deniz this year under the original supply contract. Of
this
volume, Georgia is entitled to 200 million cubic meters as in-kind
payment
for transit service on its territory and another 50 million cubic
meters at
the preferential price of $62 per 1,000 cubic meters. Furthermore,
Georgia
is buying 3 million cubic meters of gas per day from Azerbaijan under
an
emergency arrangement this winter. In all, these scheduled deliveries
amount
to some 1.1 billion cubic meters for 2007, covering almost two-thirds
of
Georgia’s estimated annual requirements.
Azerbaijan stands to receive 3.8 billion cubic meters of gas from
Shah-Deniz in 2007. The country’s State Oil Company is a shareholder
in the
project and also extracts some 4.5 billion cubic meters annually in the
interior of the country. Itself short of gas in early 2007 after
turning
down Gazprom’s extortionate price, Azerbaijan nevertheless is
providing
Georgia with daily volumes of gas this winter (see above) at an
undisclosed
price, which is believed to be lower than Gazprom’s price of $235 per
1,000
cubic meters. Azerbaijan delivers that gas to Georgia through the
Astara-Gazi Mahomed-Gazakh pipeline, which it rehabilitated in 2005 and
used
for the small but critical volumes of gas that enabled Georgia to
survive
the Russian energy blockade in January-February 2006. Georgian
President
Mikheil Saakashvili credited his Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev with
“political heroism” on December 29, 2006, when Aliyev agreed to
again
deliver emergency supplies this winter to Georgia.
The slight delay of commercial production at Shah-Deniz left
Georgia
with no choice but to accept Gazprom’s extortionate $235 price
temporarily,
for a limited volume of gas. In the closing days of 2006, Georgia’s
energy
regulatory agencies authorized four private companies to sign supply
contracts with Gazprom for January through March 2007. The four
companies
include local gas distributor Itera Georgia, two electricity-generating
companies also with Russian capital, and -- the largest of the four --
the
gas distributor KazTransGaz Tbilisi, recently acquired by a subsidiary
of
Kazakhstan’s state company KazMunayGaz as part of its ambitious
investment
program in Georgia.
With the Gazprom contracts limited to three months, Georgia will
almost certainly have the option to cut back on the imports from
Gazprom
during the remainder of 2007. This is the first year during which
Georgia’s
gas market is being de-monopolized. Gazprom lost Azerbaijan’s market
entirely at the end of 2006 and might lose most of the Georgian market
by
the end of 2007 unless if offers competitive prices.
Although Russia will remain an important supplier of energy to
Georgia
for an open-ended period of time, Georgia has finally overcome its
dependence on Russian energy sources. “What is actually
occurring,”
Economic Development Minister Giorgi Arveladze commented on arrival of
Shah-Deniz gas -- “is that Georgia is becoming a genuinely
independent
country” (Rustavi-2 Television, January 15).
The sentiment in Baku is similar. “’We want to put an end to
this
[vulnerability to Russia],” Azerbaijan’s State Oil Company veteran
vice-president Khoshbakht Yusifzadeh told journalists while “slamming
his
fist on his desk,” under a poster of the Shah-Deniz project that
reads,
“Azerbaijan’s independence is here” (Time Magazine, January
12-18).
(Civil Georgia, Black Sea Press, Kavkaz-Press, Turan, ANS TV,
Interfax, January 14-16; see EDM, December 8, 2006, January 5, 2007)
--Vladimir Socor
All afternoon, KDWN.com radio that is in Las Vegas has talked of a gas leak, one large enough that 5 schools were under lockdown.
a few minutes ago, the news said the line showed evidence that it had bee 'tampered' with.
No other details.
Yesterday, Pahrump, Nv. was without electric, the final report was that 2 pieces of equipment failed.
Pahrump is about 40 or 50 miles north of Las Vegas.
Thanks to Milford421 for this update:
Wal-Mart spokesman: incident not related to shoplifting
By Michael Davis
mdavis@henryherald.com
http://www.henryherald.com/local/local_story_015221711.html
Wal-Mart officials were combing through store surveillance video
Monday to try to find footage of the four men who, reportedly, used
pool chemicals to create an explosive diversion as they fled the
store after shoplifting.
Four black men, reportedly, were seen in the toy department of the
Hudson Bridge Road store just before 11 p.m. Sunday. Police say a
worker there reported having seen one of the men put something in
his pants, before the four walked to the pool supply area of the
store.
Henry County Police Lt. Jason Bolton said the men, allegedly, mixed
a chlorine-based pool cleaner with another chemical when the
employee went to get help, and created an explosion and what workers
described as a gas cloud.
Bolton said four people — three shoppers who were related to each
other, and an employee — were taken to an area hospital for
treatment.
"The whole thing went from a simple misdemeanor, shoplifting case to
a serious felony," Bolton said.
Henry County Fire Capt. Sabrina Puckett said a hazardous materials
team checked the air quality inside the store, before releasing the
scene to a cleanup crew. She said the people taken to the hospital
complained of headaches and eye irritation.
Puckett said fire personnel did not observe any sort of gas cloud
when they arrived.
Michael Mills, a Wal-Mart spokesman, said, however, the incidents
may not be related. He said store loss prevention personnel were
investigating an incident of shoplifting, but did not believe it was
related to the chemical incident. He downplayed reports that there
was an explosion.
"Somebody had combined some pool chemicals in the store and it
created fumes, and as a result of that, an associate and a few
customers were taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure,"
Mills said. "It's our understanding that these were separate
events."
The store was evacuated and closed for several hours after the
incident.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/under-investigation/
ID Theft Bill Targets Government Websites
http://www.davickservices.com/New%20Law%20Could%20Stop.htm
ID Theft Bill Targets Government Websites
David Bloys - News for Public Officials
Jan-17-07
Law enforcement agencies have known for years that criminals were using government websites to gather information on victims. Now, proposed legislation could cut criminals off from this rich source of sensitive data.
If someone wants to steal your identity, the thief usually needs only four pieces of information. Your full name. Your address. Your date of birth. And your Social Security number. Who is the biggest collector of this information? Why, the government, of course.
U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) has introduced legislation to stop identity thieves by blocking them at the source.
While some officials have denied their websites are a problem, the evidence continues to mount that criminals are finding everything they need on county and state websites.
In July of 2002 Kevin Moehring pled guilty to using the Hamilton County (OH) website to steal the identity of the general manager of U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati. According to published reports, Social Security numbers and other information gleaned from the county website were used to steal nearly $500,000 from at least 120 victims.
In 2005, Judge Robert H. Alsdorf, KING COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT, Washington wrote, "It is hard to conceive of a broader invasion of privacy than freely disseminating the information to the entire world and rendering it instantaneously accessible to all."
Criminal use of government websites has increased as more and more local agencies are publishing the collections online. Last year, in Arizona, while Maricopa County officials were denying that criminals were using the county website, a 23-year-old methamphetamine user was showing Scottsdale officers how he used the County Recorder's website to easily steal identities.
Also last year, investigators in Utah found that the states own websites may have been used by criminals to steal the identities of children under the age of 13. Similar cases have been reported across the country.
The proposed legislation would prohibit the sale or display of Social Security numbers over the Internet by commercial or government agencies.
Feinstein's Social Security Number Misuse Prevention Act would not only prohibit federal, state and local government agencies from displaying Social Security numbers on public records posted on the Internet, but also bar the bulk sale or display Social Security numbers without an owner's consent.
"If a person's Social Security number is compromised, the path to identity theft is a short one," Feinstein said in a statement. "Thieves can obtain Social Security numbers through public records -- marriage licenses, professional licenses, and countless other public documents -- many of which are available online."
The bill would also block government agencies from selling Social Security numbers in information on CD-ROMs or other electronic media.
Data aggregators frequently buy the records in bulk electronic form from county officials for a fraction of what local citizens must pay. For example, Fort Bend County Clerk Dianne Wilson (TX) sold twenty million images for about two thousand dollars in 2005. Local residents pay a dollar a page for copies of their own documents. Wilson reported that bulk electronic sales of county records were routine for her office.
The proposed laws will hold both government and business responsible for sensitive information entrusted to them. Violations would include both criminal and civil penalties.
A Feinstein spokesman said, "We must ensure that government agencies and businesses take responsibility and protect Americans' Social Security numbers."
According to the Feinstein spokesman, the legislation would also impose some limitations when a business can ask a customer for a Social Security number. In addition, the bill would prevent the employment of inmates for tasks that would give them access to the Social Security numbers of others.
"We must ensure that government agencies and businesses take responsibility and protect Americans' Social Security numbers."
AIA: Russian security experts consider warning on terrorism acts a provocation
http://www.axisglobe.com/news.asp?news=10308
17.01.200713:27 (GMT)
AIA wrote earlier that no indication was given as to which country
issued the warning to Russia of a possible terrorist plot to attack
ground transport and one of the country's subway systems.
A source, close to security services, told the newspaper Vzglyad today
that the warning of a possible attack had been received from an
American secret service «and had been conveyed through [ Russia's
Health and Social Development Minister] Mikhail Zurabov».
Meanwhile Russian security experts have been expressing their doubts
about the plausibility of the warning on threats of terrorism acts in
Russia. In opinion of experts, the information, received from abroad,
requires at least additional check. The experts even consider that the
warning on possible acts of terrorism can be a political provocation,
Vzglyad online edition writes.
Yuri Drozdov, ex-KGB Major-General, head of the Namakon analytical
centre, says that "inflation of the situation is gainfully to the US
and Britain". He claims that "all this reduces efficiency of Russia's
efforts in the foreign policy and in the CIS space. Our foreign
partners should be more benevolent and more reasonable».
January 17, 2007
What is Happening With the FBI?
In a curious series of statements, Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI)
spokesman Bill Carter said this when questioned by Fred Lucas of CNS
News
about contacts between the FBI and the Council on American-Islamic
Relations
(CAIR):
"Law enforcement doesn't operate in a vacuum.the FBI works with them to
investigate civil rights matters and to ask for their cooperation in
fighting the war on terror at home.there are elements in any group that
might be a concern.you could say that about every group. Just because
some
are criminals doesn't mean everyone is a criminal."
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewNation.asp?Page=/Nation/archive/200701/NAT2007011
6a.html
The Future of Islamic Radicalism and Religious Freedom in Central Asia
Washington, DC
January 12, 2007
Event Video
Event Summary
Speaker:
Igor Rotar, Forum 18 News Service
Event Video:
A streaming video recording from the event is available online at http://www.jamestown.org/events_details.php?event_id=23.
Overview:
On January 12, The Jamestown Foundation hosted one of Central Asia's best known journalists and war correspondents, Igor Rotar, who gave a stimulating lecture on the realities of Islamic radicalism and religious freedom in Central Asia. Rotar, having covered such topics from the Tajik Civil War to the activities of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan while on the ground in Central Asia, was one of the only journalists to interview the leaders of the Uzbek group Akramiya in Andijan before the 2005 uprising. His dedication and bold reporting of the realities of the region finally caught up to him in August 2005 when he was arrested and released by the Uzbek Immigration Service because of his work.
Rotar's talk analyzed the critical issues affecting Central Asia, which includes China's Xinjiang province:
There are three primary movements that are expanding religious radicalism in the region: Hizb-ut-Tahrir, Akramiya and Wahhabism. Muslim converts to Christianity are not accepted by the population in the region. Southern Kyrgyzstan is becoming increasingly radicalized. Governments in the region consider Wahhabism to be such a threat that they support Sufism as a balancing force. China, however, continues to prohibit Sufism and Sufi literature and is one of the most stringent governments in the region in suppressing it. Despite radicalization trends, most of the population in Central Asia is secular and does not wish to live under an Islamic state. Government repression may increase the popularity of these radical Muslim groups and push them underground.
Summary:
Religious freedom in Central Asia is weak, as those who convert to Christianity from Islam are dealt with harshly by the local populations. In Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and ethnically Uighur areas, converts are apostates; in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, they are considered traitors to the national identity. There are many cases of aggressive harassment toward Muslims who have converted to Christianity. One example Rotar offered was in the summer of 2006, when a mob stormed a protestant church and set fire to its grounds. Rotar examined the historical roots of religious intolerance in the region and pointed out that this intolerance defines nationalism in some of the Central Asian countries.
More concerning to Rotar is the fact that Central Asia is becoming increasingly radicalized. To demonstrate the trends in the region, Rotar noted that 10 years ago in southern Kyrgyzstan, there were very few women who wore the hijab; today, approximately 30 percent of women wear the hijab. The three main forces that are behind this radicalization process are Hizb-ut-Tahrir, Akramiya and Wahhabism.
Hizb-ut-Tahrir, which has been banned in Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan, is one of the most popular Islamic groups in Central Asia. The main goal of the movement is to unify all Muslims under a Caliphate. They aim to achieve this end, however, through peaceful means. They consider Western democracy as an unacceptable form of law.
Akramiya, on the other hand, pursues a form of "Islamic socialism," based upon Akram Yuldashev's 1992 work, "Iymonga yu'l" ("A Path to Faith"). According to Yuldashev's teachings, Muslims today should place priority over organizing their communities to provide social protection for each other and to help fund schools and implement social services. Rotar explained how Akramiya established an investment fund, and this idea spread into southern Kyrgyzstan and into the greater region. Akramiya was not considered a terrorist organization until 2005, when it became involved in the Andijan uprising. Presently, the group's intentions are unclear.
The third radicalizing force in the region is Wahhabism. Rotar explained that Wahhabism found its way into the region after the fall of the Soviet Union, when Muslim students were able to travel to Saudi Arabia where they were schooled in the Saudi Hanbali Madhab school of Islam. This school believes in the strict interpretation of the Quran and of the life of the Prophet Muhammad. Central Asian governments and the Chinese authorities consider Wahhabism a significant threat, and they frequently take action against it. The fear of Wahhabism is one reason why Central Asian governments encourage Sufism: Sufism is a counter to Wahhabism since the two branches of Islam are hostile to each other. China, on the other hand, continues to prohibit Sufism and has done an excellent job of controlling all aspects of Muslim life in Xinjiang.
In conclusion, Rotar emphasized the danger of Central Asia and Xinjiang becoming increasingly radicalized. Religious intolerance is on the rise. The attempts by the governments in the region to repress Islamist radicals may backfire and actually increase local support for these movements. Nevertheless, since the overall region is considerably more secular than Muslim communities in South Asia or the Middle East, Rotar does not see an Islamic revolution occurring in the near future. Instead, the region can expect to see more religious violence and some destabilization.
[my computer will not open this]
http://www.ajcongress.org/site/PageServer?pagename=secret2&JServSessionIdr012=z2omk5t571.app6a
secret bk
Hezbollah, declassified report.............
The Secret Report is too large to access in a single file.
Please click below to read the full report in the following sections:
1. Introduction + Part I
2. Part II (pages 60-96)
3. Part II, (pages 97-137)
4. Part III
5. Appendix 1 (1i-1iv)
6. Appendix 2 (1v)
7. Appendix 3 (2-G)
To see how you can take action, click below:
Button (2)
back_to_top American Jewish Congress © 2006
Al Qaeda Associate with Child Rape Conviction to Be Deported
Jim Kouri
A convicted felon who attempted to establish an Al Qaeda terrorist training facility in Oregon will be deported in the coming days.
Semi Osman, 35, a native of Sierra Leone, was ordered deported by Immigration Judge Kenneth Josephson last Friday. According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportation officers, last week ICE prevailed in its legal effort to obtain a deportation order for this convicted felon who was actively involved in creating a terrorist training camp in south-central Oregon.
A former resident of Tacoma and Bly, Oregon, Osman, first caught the attention of authorities in December 1999 when a police officer stopped his vehicle near because of a malfunctioning brake light.
Two passengers in the vehicle were later identified as members of Al Qaeda who were visiting Oregon with Osman as their host. A federal investigation led to the arrest of Osman on immigration and firearms violations.
He was subsequently convicted of possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. He also entered into a fraudulent marriage to obtain a "green card."
After serving time in federal prison on the firearms charge, Osman was later convicted of sexual abuse of a 10-year-old child and served time in the Walla Walla State Penitentiary. Following his release, he was required to register as a sex offender.
"ICE will not stand by and allow the United States to become a haven for those who put the safety of our citizens at risk," said Dorothy Stefan, Chief Counsel for ICE in Seattle. "Those who are convicted of serious crimes are not welcome in this country."
Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police and he's a staff writer for the New Media Alliance (thenma.org). He's former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed "Crack City" by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New Jersey university and director of security for several major organizations. He's also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country.
Copyright 2007 The Sierra Times
Permission to reprint/republish granted, as long as you include the name of our site, the author, and our URL. www.SierraTimes.com All Sierra Times news reports, and all editorials are © 2003 SierraTimes.com (unless otherwise noted)
SierraTimes.com™ A Subsidiary of J.J. Johnson Enterprises, Inc.
http://www.sierratimes.com/07/01/17/205_188_116_8_23601.htm
Terrorists Training in South America Threaten US National Security
Jim Kouri
As Americans remember the horror of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington more than five years ago, the US borders are practically as porous as ever. Yet Americans get few answers during the heated debate. What many hear are abstractions about tightening border security with no mention of how that is to be achieved.
According to testimony given to the US House of Representatives Armed Services Committee by General Peter Pace, then Vice Chairman, now Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Hamas has joined Hezbollah and Al Qaeda in the Triple Frontier Zone in Latin America where the borders of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay converge.
There the Islamic terror groups train recruits, gather intelligence on targets, launder money and sell drugs. There is evidence that these terrorists and narco-terrorists will soon migrate north into the United States. He cited terrorism reports indicating terrorist groups are active in Canada and Central-South America.
Border Patrol agents began to voice what many believed were legitimate concerns about "armed incursions" into the United States from Mexico-based assailants. They reported that heavily armed Mexican army units and federal police, called Federales, had infiltrated US territory and fired upon them, in some cases because -- federal agents would later discover -- Mexican drug lords had put prices on the heads of American law-enforcement agents serving along the border. Where was the outrage by our political leaders and the mainstream media over this blatant violation of our national sovereignty?
Recently, a number of armed gunmen entered the US from Mexico and caused National Guard troops to retreat. Not only did the President and his administration remain silent about this incursion, but the elite media either ignored the story or minimized its significance.
Most government and news reports of the illegal aliens' confrontation with the Guard troops appear to assume the invading gunmen were Mexican. But with all involved in the investigation of the incident saying they're not certain who these armed men were, how do we know they weren't terrorists conducting a recon mission?
Some security experts had high hopes that President Bush would bring up the border security problem during his many meetings with Mexican President Vincente Fox. It never happened. Quite the opposite occurred. The two leaders discussed ways of relaxing immigration restrictions including a de facto amnesty program.
The GAO conducted a vulnerability test at both borders and their undercover operatives were successful in sneaking radiological material across both. The operation merited a few news stories and was given short shrift even by the liberal-left who seek any opportunity to denigrate the president and government agencies.
Putting aside terrorism, the lack of border security contributes to crime. In Los Angeles, a look at outstanding arrest warrants for homicide reveals that over 90% are for illegal aliens. Examination of all LA felony arrest warrants (murder, rape, armed robbery, etc.) shows that 65% are for illegal aliens, according to the Manhattan Institute.
The Institute estimates that 350 killers managed to escape back into Mexico and the Mexican government refuses to extradite them to the US to stand trial. In another study -- this one by the Government Accountability Office -- a sample group of about 55,000 criminal aliens committed over 700,000 criminal acts.
Meanwhile, our northern border with Canada has many law-enforcement leaders even more concerned. Canadian security experts concede that there are several radical Islamist groups active in their country. In fact, Hezbollah's largest headquarters is located not in the Middle East but in Toronto. One Canadian intelligence officer claims that his country's immigration policy is more lax than US policy and their politicos more liberal when it comes to refusing to restrict illegal aliens from entering Canada.
If these killers aren't afraid to target or kill cops, or are willing to confront National Guard troops, then who in America is really safe from terrorists, murderers, rapists and other offenders; and anyone wishing to address the problem is labeled a racist or xenophobe.
Americans can probably count on one hand the number of congressional leaders who will even debate the issues of illegal immigration or border security honestly. What sense does it make to inspect shipping containers in New York seaports while ignoring the vulnerabilities existing on our borders?
Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police and he's a staff writer for the New Media Alliance (thenma.org). He's former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed "Crack City" by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New Jersey university and director of security for several major organizations. He's also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country.
Copyright 2007 The Sierra Times
Permission to reprint/republish granted, as long as you include the name of our site, the author, and our URL. www.SierraTimes.com All Sierra Times news reports, and all editorials are © 2003 SierraTimes.com (unless otherwise noted)
SierraTimes.com™ A Subsidiary of J.J. Johnson Enterprises, Inc.
http://www.sierratimes.com/07/01/16/205_188_116_8_73659.htm
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