Posted on 12/17/2006 4:03:30 PM PST by DAVEY CROCKETT
VEVAK learned its methodology from the Soviet KGB and many of the Islamist revolutionaries who supported Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini actually studied at Moscow's Patrice Lumumba Friendship University, the Oxford of terrorism. Documented Iranian alumni include the current Supreme Leader (the faqih) Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, under whose Velayat-e Faqih (Rule of the Islamic Jurisprudent) apparatus it has traditionally operated. Its current head is Cabinet Minister Hojatoleslam Gholam-Hussein Mohseni-Ezhei, a graduate of Qom's Haqqani School, noted for its extremist position advocating violence against enemies and strict clerical control of society and government. The Ministry is very well funded and its charge, like that of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (the Pasdaran) is to guard the revolutionary Islamic Iranian regime at all costs and under all contingencies.
From the KGB playbook, VEVAK learned the art of disinformation. It's not so difficult to learn: tell the truth 80% of the time and lie 20%. Depending on how well a VEVAK agent wants to cover his/her tracks, the ratio may go up to 90/10, but it never drops below the 80/20 mark as such would risk suspicion and possible detection. The regime in Teheran has gone to great lengths to place its agents in locations around the world. Many of these operatives have been educated in the West, including the U.K. and the United States. Iranian government agencies such as embassies, consulates, Islamic cultural centers, and airline offices regularly provide cover for the work of VEVAK agents who dress well and are clean shaven, and move comfortably within our society. In this country, because of the severance of diplomatic relations, the principal site of VEVAK activities begins at the offices of Iran's Permanent Mission to the UN in New York.
Teheran has worked diligently to place its operatives in important think tanks and government agencies in the West. Some of its personnel have been recruited while in prison through torture or more often through bribery, or a combination of both. Others are Islamist revolutionaries that have been set up to look like dissidents - often having been arrested and imprisoned, but released for medical reasons. The clue to detecting the fake dissident is to read carefully what he/she writes, and to ask why this vocal dissident was released from prison when other real dissidents have not been released, indeed have been grievously tortured and executed. Other agents have been placed in this country for over twenty-five years to slowly go through the system and rise to positions of academic prominence due to their knowledge of Farsi and Shia Islam or Islamist fundamentalism.
One of the usual tactics of VEVAK is to co-opt academia to its purposes. Using various forms of bribery, academics are bought to defend the Islamic Republic or slander its enemies. Another method is to assign bright students to train for academic posts as specialists in Iranian or Middle East affairs. Once established, such individuals are often consulted by our government as it tries to get a better idea of how it should deal with Iran. These academics then are in a position to skew the information, suggesting the utility of extended dialogue and negotiation, or the danger and futility of confronting a strong Iran or its proxies such as Hizballah (Hezbollah). These academics serve to shield the regime from an aggressive American or Western policy, and thereby buy more time for the regime to attain its goals, especially in regards to its nuclear weaponry and missile programs.
MOIS likes to use the media, especially electronic media, to its advantage. One of VEVAK's favorite tricks is setting up web sites that look like they are opposition sites but which are actually controlled by the regime. These sites often will be multilingual, including Farsi, German, Arabic French, and English. Some are crafted carefully and are very subtle in how they skew their information (e.g., Iran-Interlink, set up and run by Massoud Khodabandeh and his wife Ann Singleton from Leeds, England); others are less subtle, simply providing the regime's point of view on facts and events in the news (e.g., www.mujahedeen.com or www.mojahedin.ws). This latter group is aimed at the more gullible in our open society and unfortunately such a market exists. However, if one begins to do one's homework, asking careful questions, the material on these fake sites generally does not add up.
Let's examine a few examples of VEVAK's work in the United States. In late October, 2005, VEVAK sent three of its agents to Washington to stage a press event in which the principal Iranian resistance movement, the Mojahedin-e Khalq (MeK), was to be slandered. Veteran VEVAK agent Karim Haqi flew from Amsterdam to Canada where he was joined by VEVAK's Ottawa agents Amir-Hossein Kord Rostami and Mahin (Parvin-Mahrokh) Haji, and the three flew from Toronto to Washington. Fortunately the resistance had been tracking these three, informed the FBI of their presence in Washington, and when the three tried to hold a press conference, the resistance had people assigned to ask pointed questions of them so that they ended the interview prematurely and fled back to Canada.
Abolghasem Bayyenet is a member of the Iranian government. He serves as a trade expert for the Ministry of Commerce. But his background of study and service in the Foreign Ministry indicates that Bayyenet is more than just an economist or a suave and savvy businessman. In an article published in Global Politician on April 23, 2006, entitled Is Regime Change Possible in Iran?, Bayyenet leads his audience to think that he is a neutral observer, concerned lest the United States make an error in its assessment of Iran similar to the errors of intelligence and judgment that led to our 2003 invasion of Iraq, with its less than successful outcome. However, his carefully crafted bottom line is that the people of Iran are not going to support regime change and that hardliner President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad actually has achieved greater popularity than his predecessors because of his concern for the problems of the poor and his fight for economic and social justice. To the naive, Bayyenet makes Ahmadinejad sound positively saintly. Conveniently overlooked is the occurrence of over four thousand acts of protest, strikes, anti-regime rallies, riots, and even political assassinations by the people of Iran against the government in the year since Ahmadinejad assumed office. So too, the following facts are ignored: the sizeable flight of capital, the increase in unemployment, and the rising two-figure rate of inflation, all within this last year. Bayyenet is a regime apologist, and when one is familiar with the facts, his arguments ring very hollow. However, his English skills are excellent, and so the naОve might be beguiled by his commentary.
Mohsen Sazegara is VEVAK's reformed revolutionary. A student supporter of Khomeini before the 1979 revolution, Sazegara joined the imam on his return from exile and served in the government for a decade before supposedly growing disillusioned.
He formed several reformist newspapers but ran afoul of the hardliners in 2003 and was arrested and imprisoned by VEVAK. Following hunger strikes, Sazegara was released for health reasons and permitted to seek treatment abroad. Although critical of the government and particularly of Ahmadinejad and KhameneМ, Sazegara is yet more critical of opposition groups, leaving the impression that he favors internal regime change but sees no one to lead such a movement for the foreseeable future. His bottom line: no one is capable of doing what needs to be done, so we must bide our time. Very slick, but his shadow shows his likely remaining ties to the MOIS.
http://www.ocnus.net/artman/publish/article_27144.shtml
http://www.pendletoday.co.uk/viewarticle2.aspx?sectionid=8&ArticleID=2048262
Day two of the proceedings
A FORMER Pendle British National Party election candidate from Colne and a Nelson dentist stockpiled explosive chemicals in advance of a civil war in Britain, a court heard.
David Jackson and Robert Cottage
David Jackson and Robert Cottage
Ex-BNP candidate Robert Cottage (49) wrote of killing Tony Blair and Pendle Liberal Democrat Lord Greaves, and bought dangerous chemicals with friend David Jackson (62), Manchester Crown Court heard.
He also downloaded the 300-page Anarchy Cookbook a manual on how to make bombs, the court was told.
Cottage, a bus driver who transported disabled children to school, began buying hundreds of pounds' worth of chemicals from the Internet, including hydrochloric acid, hydrogen peroxide, ammonia and methanol, as well as tinned food which he stored in his home in Talbot Street, Colne.
He told friends he would like to shoot Prime Minister Tony Blair and local peer and councillor Lord Greaves.
When police raided his home on September 28th, they discovered crossbows, air pistols, ammunition and ball bearings stashed in suitcases. At Jackson's home in Trent Road, Nelson, they later found a bow, arrows and nuclear protection suits.
Opening the case for the prosecution, Louise Blackwell QC told how the situation came to light when Cottage's wife, Kerena, who suffered mental health problems, visited a social worker and told of her concerns.
Mrs Cottage was unable to give evidence in person due to her health but a statement she gave to police was read in court, saying her husband held strong views on immigration and his membership of the BNP had driven "a wedge" between them.
Mrs Cottage, married for two years, continued: "I have seen a change in Rob since he became involved with the BNP four years ago. Rob was becoming very radical in his views and opinions."
Cottage was described as a "very religious" man who would regularly quote and read from the Bible. He would also listen to radio programmes on conspiracy theories.
Jackson, who works as a dentist in Lancaster and Cumbria, met Cottage at BNP meetings, said Mrs Cottage.
The men deny charges of conspiracy to cause an explosion.
Cottage has admitted possession of explosives but Jackson denies an identical charge.
The trial is proceeding today.
The trial was initially halted yesterday morning after it emerged one of the jurors knew a defendant. The jury was discharged and the case adjourned while a new panel was found.
See Friday's paper for more details of the case ...
14 February 2007
http://www.pendletoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=8&ArticleID=2050503
'Guidebook on how to make bombs'
A HOST of instruments covered in chemical traces were discovered at the home of a former British National Party election candidate accused of plotting to make bombs, a court hear.
David Jackson and Robert Cottage
David Jackson and Robert Cottage
Containers and improvised tools were recovered from the home of Robert Cottage (49), each with traces of chemicals including nitrates, chlorine and ammonia, Manchester Crown Court heard.
The court has heard Cottage began stockpiling food and chemicals which could be made into explosives as he feared the country was on the brink of civil war.
The discovery was made when officers searched his home in Talbot Street, Colne, on September 28th last year. They found a red tub, green woollen gloves, a cardboard box and kitchen tongs with sponge taped to each end and a pipette resembling a turkey baster, all bearing chemical residues, the court heard.
Cottage, who failed to be elected as a BNP candidate in local elections, has confessed to a charge of possession of explosives but denied conspiracy to cause explosions.
A second man, dentist David Jackson (62), denies a count of possession of explosives and conspiracy to cause an explosion.
The court heard yesterday how Cottage had downloaded a manual on how to make bombs from the Internet and also told friends he wished to assassinate Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Officers also found two boxes of ball bearings which the prosecution claims could be used as shrapnel for explosive devices.
Cottage had several crossbows and air pistols stored in the home he shared with his wife Kerena (29), who suffered from mental problems and whose conversation with a social worker sparked the investigation.
Giving evidence for the prosecution, explosives expert Sarah Wilson told how she had examined chemical traces on the tools and explained how the ingredients could have been used to fashion home-made explosives.
The court heard the handbook detailed how to make a variety of anti-personnel bombs including letter bombs, home-made napalm and 'touch bombs'.
Under cross-examination by Alistair Webster QC, it emerged touch explosives were very weak and could not be used to injure people. It was suitable for "schoolboy pranks" and was similar in strength to toy "cap-gun" explosions, said Jackson's lawyer Andrew Nuttall.
Touch explosive was the only substance for which all the ingredients were present at the house.
Ms Wilson conceded seven of the chemicals found at Cottage's home were either "pointless" or unnecessary in the production of explosives.
Of all the chemical containers recovered during the raid, only one had been opened - hydrogen peroxide - and this had several other household uses including the sterilisation of false teeth, said Mr Webster.
Ms Wilson admitted the chemicals found on the kitchen items would have been left if the items had only been in contact with sugar solution.
(Proceeding.)
Don't miss tomorrow's Nelson Leader for the full details from the trial, how the police traced the two men and what they discovered at their home ...
15 February 2007
['youths' again, in UK]
http://www.pendletoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=13&ArticleID=2035802
Libray Yobs Told: 'Enough Is Enough'
YOUTHS who terrorised a librarian have been told: "Enough is enough".
Police will enforce banning orders imposed by Lancashire County Council on six youngsters who abused and threatened a lone female worker at Trawden Library.
Three of the offenders are from the village and three are from Colne. None can be named because they are all under 17 years of age.
Colne's rural beat manager, PC Mark Whitehead, said: "A series of complaints have been made about anti-social behaviour by juveniles who attend Trawden Youth Club. The club doesn't start until 7 p.m., but a group of young people got into the habit of meeting up and hanging around the library for an hour beforehand.
"It got to the stage where the county council had to send a minder down because she was suffering verbal abuse and threats. It was totally out of order and uncalled for, and I won't stand for it.
"All the youths involved have been spoken to by officers before. I have spoken to all their parents. I asked them to make sure they know what their children are up to when they leave the house.
"There are now three choices. Firstly, the children can amend their behaviour. If they don't, they will get a fixed penalty notice with a fine of between £30 and £80, which the parents would have to pay.
"The other option is to arrest them and put them before the court. I would have absolutely no hesitation in doing that, and they would then end up with a criminal record.
"This is another example of police taking a tough stance against anti-social behaviour."
09 February 2007
An interesting blog, Israel and related to terror posts:
http://www.solomonia.com/blog/
http://us.f532.mail.yahoo.com/ym/ShowLetter?Idx=86&Search=&YY=17822&y5beta=yes&y5beta=yes&order=down&sort=date&pos=1
http://www.latimes.com:80/technology/la-me-muslim15feb15,1,6051208.story
FBI launches probe of vandalism on Islamic group's website
A hacker broke into an Islamic group's website and posted a message
against
Muslims.
By H.G. Reza, Times Staff Writer
February 15, 2007
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20070213_02
Last modified on: 2/13/2007 10:28:38 AM
LTTE and cross border terrorism: threat to entire world
By Malin Abeyatunga, Melbourne, Australia
From day one, LTTE has been involved in human cargo smuggling, illicit drug and narcotics operations, smuggling of arms to raise funds for their outfit. This has not been limited to Sri Lanka or its closest neighbours, but widely operated through their front organizations right around the world the latest being sea piracy, breaching all maritime laws and conventions.
LTTE's first cross border terrorist act was the assassination of Indian Premier Rajiv Gandhi on his own soil. Indian Courts found Prabhakaran and Pottuamman guilty of murdering Rajiv Gandhi. USA has recently under FIB Sting Operations, arrested 4 LTTEers and two Indonesians who were helping LTTE to procure arms in USA. Two Indonesians on the arms procurement operations have pleaded guilty and 4 LTTEers are awaiting judgement. It was also reported that FBI has trailed a deposit of $700,000 by LTTE as a down payment to procure arms. It is also a well known fact that LTTE agents in USA have attempted to bribe some congressmen to procure arms illegally.
On the other side of the world, there have been cases in India and most recently in Qatar. Indian Police recently arrested some arm dealers affiliated to LTTE from Tamil Nadu attempting to ship 6 tons of steel balls to manufacture claymore mines. Following this arrest, another arrest has been made by Mumbai Police, of LTTE attempting to ship equipment including 65 Japanese digital cameras for spying, 500 ball bearings, 21 camera lenses, 300 FM radio sets and other accessories valued at India Rs, 15 million. Four people were arrested including three from Tamil Nadu according to Indian media reports.
LTTE's most common form of terror is to hound any one who opposes the LTTE in any part of the world and kill them. They have planted hit-men in many countries to carry out these assassinations. Last week in Qatar, 5 LTTE cadres were sentenced to death for bludgeoning to death another Tamil who had been a Karuna supporter. LTTE like Al Qaeda has already proved that they are terrorists sans borders. These assassinations of LTTE opponents outside Sri Lanka clearly demonstrate that LTTE has its tentacles of terrorism spread over many countries and not only a threat to Sri Lanka but to the whole civilized world. It is also a well known fact that LTTE has links with Al-Qaeda.
A report by an advisor to US Government states that The Al Qaeda-LTTE relationship was formed in 1991. LTTE is also linked to Maoists in Nepal and many other secessionists groups in India.
Despite all these connections and cross border terrorist activities, it's appalling to see that the western block of the International community thinks that LTTE is only a domestic threat to Sri Lanka. It's time, like the USA, other countries most importantly UK, EU Countries, Canada and Australia treated LTTE as international terrorists in the same manner as Al Qaeda and other Muslim terrorist groups.
It suffices to mention that LTTE's Prabhakaran, Pottu Amman and recently the Sea Tiger leader Soosai have become the most wanted criminals by Interpol. LTTE is a one-man show headed by tyrant, megolomaniac (worse than Saddam Hussein) Prabhakaran . Ironically, the international community wants Sri Lanka to negotiate with this murderer. Should we?
Courtesy : Society for Peace Unity and Human Rights (SPUR)
http://www.nationalsecurity.lk/fullnews.php?id=4125
Al-Qaeda Follows LTTE Text Book on Terror Faithfully
13 Feb 2007 - 17:32
Glen Jenvey a specialist on international terrorism has drawn the copycat terror tactics of Al Qaeda borrowed from the textbooks of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) a banned terrorist organization by the international community.
In an analysis of the lead given by the LTTE for other terrorists organizations to follow, he has highlighted LTTE as the mastermind that sets the pattern for organization like Al Qaeda to pursue global terrorism.
He has drawn the pattern of terror tactics followed by Al Qaeda after the example was set by the LTTE.
Glen Jenvey focuses on the following acts of terror followed by Al Qaeda after the LTTE has set the examples.
Fact one: The LTTE invented the modern suicide bomber and deployed it into all their rank's against both political, military and civilian targets. You now see Islamic groups copy the LTTE with suicide attack's.
Fact two The LTTE attack shipping off the coast of Sri Lanka blowing ships or piracy. We then saw attacks on the USS Cole off Yemen and then you see piracy off the coast of Somalia a strong hold for Al-Qaeda followers.
Fact three The LTTE attack the World Trade Centre in Sri Lanka you then see attack's by Al-Qaeda on the World Trade Centre in New York, America.
Fact four The LTTE has a women's section deployed into it's rank's. You see Al-Qaeda and Chechen terrorist's who took over the Russian theatre, use black widow women suicide bombers.
Fact five : Attack's on civilians in bus and trains in Sri Lanka where innocent passengers were killed, Al-Qaeda in London bombed public civilian transport in the 7/7 attack's on London transport.
Glen Jenvy is now asking how long the world will tolerate the Masters and the Followers of terrorism.
Here is the full text of Glen Jenevys analysis.
By Glen Jenvey - Specialist Internet Spy
The Global Islamic Media Front's (GIMF) "Voice of the Caliphate Channel" is still broadcasting from Germany. GIMF is an al Qaeda media support group. Beheading video's,Bomb attack's on the streets of Iraq,Killing of western troops can be viewed, the 9/11 hijackers, 7/7 bombers on video, Bin Laden and other senior al-qaeda figures. The site is being advertised on british and other jihadi web-sites and can be viewed here
mms://87.118.96.168:88/firdaws
Yes Bin Laden TV is here another example of a terrorist group following the LTTE who have for years run their own TV and radio services.
When will the world wake up to the fact's that terrorist's groups like al-qaeda are copying the LTTE media wing who for years have spread LTTE propaganda around the world of LTTE attack's and over loaded the western media with claims and images of dead civilians in the same manner Al-qaeda are now doing via their very own Bin Laden TV.
Let us look at the facts:
1. Fact one: The LTTE invented the modern suicide bomber and deployed it into all their rank's against both political, military and civilian targets. You now see Islamic groups copy the LTTE with suicide attack's.
2. Fact two The LTTE attack shipping off the coast of Sri Lanka blowing ships or piracy. We then saw attacks on the USS Cole off Yemen and then you see piracy off the coast of Somalia a strong hold for Al-Qaeda followers.
3. Fact three The LTTE attack the World Trade Centre in Sri Lanka you then see attack's by Al-Qaeda on the World Trade Centre in New York, America.
4. Fact four The LTTE has a women's section deployed into it's rank's. You see Al-Qaeda and Chechen terrorist's who took over the Russian theatre, use black widow women suicide bombers.
5. Fact five : Attack's on civilians in bus and trains in Sri Lanka where innocent passengers were killed, Al-Qaeda in London bombed public civilian transport in the 7/7 attack's on London transport.
The fact's are clear other terrorist groups copy the LTTE in all sorts of way, it's time the world woke up to the international threat from the master's of terrorism the LTTE and started not just banning them but taking notice of the 70 thousand dead in Sri Lanka and thinking could they allow others groups who are clearly copying the LTTE's terrorist methods to commit 70 thousand dead in their own country's which have a bigger population than small island nation of Sri Lanka.
The worlds masters of teaching evil act's against civilians with massive numbers of deaths and casualties is the LTTE the question is when will the west take action against Al-Qaedas teachers and take the LTTE text books of terror away from the rest of the worlds terrorist organizations by closing down the LTTE offices based in many country's around the globe.
Someone has to come up with the idea's for terrorist group's like al-Qaeda to inflict pain on the west, and i would say the groups that inspire the leadership of al-Qaeda with text book terror tactics that work are the LTTE.
Courtesy By: www.Asiantribune.com
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070216/ap_on_re_mi_ea/al_qaida_tape
Al-Qaida releases video of Afghan attack
By JASPER MORTIMER, Associated Press Writer 11 minutes ago
CAIRO, Egypt - Al-Qaida posted a video on the Internet Friday showing what they claimed to be an insurgent attack on a military position of U.S. and Afghan forces in southern
Afghanistan.
The video appears to be an attempt by the terrorist network to disparage U.S. claims that it is winning the war against the Taliban and allied militia in Afghanistan.
It begins with the deputy leader of al-Qaida, Ayman al-Zawahri, ridiculing
President Bush and saying that his claim to have deprived al-Qaida of a safe haven in Afghanistan is a "bare-faced lie," according to a transcript provided by IntelCenter, a U.S. group that tracks extremist messages.
With a narrator speaking in American-accented English, the tape then shows video film of what it claims is an attack on a military position in Arghandab, a district 100 miles northeast of the southern Afghan city of Kandahar.
The authenticity of the scenes shown could not be immediately verified. The video carried the logo of the al-Qaida media production company, as-Sahab, and it was posted on an Islamic Web site known for hosting extremist material.
Al-Qaida appeared to have issued the tape on Thursday with the title "Holocaust of the Americans in the land of Khorasan, the Islamic emirate: Capture of an American post, Arghandab." The name Khorasan refers to Afghanistan.
continued.........
What would have helped our work would have been the name of the antidote.<<<
And that fact should give us all nightmares.
When is it our turn?
Any crook, could sell it to a terrorist.
Good morning, hope your world is smiling.
They start to bring out living hostages, and carry out bodies. Arms and legs waggle involuntarily, and the bodies are half naked
<<<
Why were they half naked?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1786090/posts
Russia threatens Poland over US missile bases
Warsaw Business Journal ^ | 16th February 2007
Posted on 02/16/2007 11:03:08 AM PST by lizol
Russia threatens Poland over US missile bases
If Poland agrees to base parts of the US anti-missile defense system on its territory, Russia may retaliate by installing short- and medium-range missiles in the Kaliningrad enclave, which would effectively tear up the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) signed by Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987, General Youri Balujevsky, the Russian chief of staff, warned yesterday.
The Polish Foreign Ministry declined to comment. It is not clear what Russia's goals are in escalating the dispute over the US decision to install parts of the system in Poland and the Czech Republic. It may be just seeking to strengthen its bargaining position to wrestle other political and military concessions from the US. "The worst thing that Poland could do now would be to say 'Oh we need to drop the idea because Russia said this or that'. Poland needs to make an independent judgment of the implications of basing the anti-missile defense system for its national security," says Peter Brokes, expert at the Heritage Foundation, known for its close links to the Bush administration and its hard-line stance on Russia.
Ping
Guess my mind flew the coop, the last ping message was to this thread on Iran............
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1786112/posts
Yes, theft is normal, there will always be an evil person, in the crowd.
In some small town paper, last week, there was a report of a mortician, who got busted, for always taking the money off the bodies to pay for the funeral.........
As I am one who hates clothes [LOL, and have to wear layers of them in the winter], I can imagine that folks would strip them off, under that medicine.
In the Yuma desert, we found that the illegals, who were walking the 40+ miles across the desert, would start stipping, the first thing they would throw away is their wallets, and then go on stripping one by one, until death got to them, as rescue was rare, in the years that I lived there.
A lady folded her sweater neatly, put her purse on top of it and went on to die in a spot further down the trail.
Real life is never like we hear it is.
When I worked at the court there, our Deputies often went out after the bodies.
At that time Sgt. Ralph Ogden was in charge of the Wellton Substation, he was a young man, still in his 30's and about 6'6" or more tall. He was a good cop.
They say that on search and rescue missions, he picked up the trail and stayed on it, to the end, that he simply went through all that got in his way.
The people of Yuma County are lucky, as 30 years later, he was the County Sheriff.
[is there an update?]
http://www.680news.com/news/local/article.jsp?content=20070215_101547_5232
Lear jet experiencing landing problems in LA
Thursday, February 15, 2007 - 10:15 AM
By: Allison Barnes
Toronto - A lear jet with landing gear troubles is circling the skies near Los Angeles in an attempt to burn off fuel.
CNN reports the N-55 jet was en-route to Palm Springs when the problem began.
The pilot is planning an emergency landing at Ontario, California's international airport.
The jet is capable of carrying 13 passengers.
Burning off fuel makes the jet lighter and easier to land, and reduces the chances of an explosion on impact.
http://www.680news.com/news/local/article.jsp?content=20070215_090425_5344
New credit cards issued to bank customers
Thursday, February 15, 2007 - 09:04 AM
By: 680News staff
Toronto - If you have a credit card with the Bank of Nova Scotia, Bank of Montreal or CIBC, you could be getting a new card in the mail.
The banks say this is just a precaution, in case clients were exposed to fraud following a security breach at the parent company of Winners and HomeSense.
But, some say there are indications Canadian credit card numbers have been stolen and used.
The Consumers' Association of Canada says they have received thousands of complaints and will make one of their own today before a parliamentary committee. The association is demanding banks be more accountable for protecting client privacy.
[now it is the small jets with problems]
Small jet circles ONT with busted landing gear, lands at Chino Airport
Chino Valley firefighters and flight crew at Chino Airport after a safe
emergency landing which was caused by a landing gear problem which was
noticed shortly after takeoff, Thursday morning.
(Wayne Clemons Jr./Correspondent) CHINO - A Learjet with faulty front
landing gear circled LA/Ontario International Airport for more than an
hour
Thursday, before it was able to safely land at Chino Airport.
Neither the pilot nor a passenger on board were injured.
The front wheel of the model 55 Learjet became cocked at a 20- to
45-degree
angle after a 4:45 a.m. take-off from French Valley Airport near
Murrieta in
southwestern Riverside County. The plane was headed to Palm Springs.
When the gear retracted after takeoff, a light went on that indicated a
possible problem with the nose gear or door, Federal Aviation
Administration
spokesman Ian Gregor said.
The pilot flew to ONT and radioed the air traffic control tower asking
controllers there if any problem could be seen on the plane.
They told the pilot that the nose gear was not completely retracted,
Gregor
said.
The pilot flew around ONT for more than an hour to burn off fuel in the
wing
tanks.
At the end of the hour, the pilot had fuel only in the plane's center
tank,
which kept weight toward the back of the plane. That made it easier to
keep
the nose of the plane up before the landing, Gregor said.
The plane landed at Chino Airport about 7:15 a.m.
"He landed and kept the nose up until the last second," he said. "It's
a
picture-perfect landing."
The pilot and passenger's previous training made them well-prepared to
deal
with the situation, Gregor said.
Both the pilot and passenger have air transport pilot ratings and have
practiced similar flight scenarios in simulations, Gregor said.
"That's a high pilot rating," Gregor said.
The names of the pilot and passenger were not available.
The plane was registered to Redlands company International Jet Fleet
Holdings Inc., Gregor said.
"Initially, he reported he wanted to make an emergency landing at
Ontario,"
Gregor said. "At some point he changed his mind and landed at Chino. In
situations like this, being in air traffic control, we try to
accommodate
the pilot as much as possible."
Gregor said the pilot's maintenance company is based at Chino Airport,
which
may have led to the change in direction.
John Frymyer, airport manager for Chino Airport, said at least two or
three
times a year a "nose scare" occurs at Southern California airports.
The incident Thursday didn't cause any problems to operations at ONT or
Chino Airport.
http://www.dailybulletin.com/news/ci_5238552
Airport gates evacuated after man vanishes
Authorities evacuated boarding gates at Oakland International Airport
today
after a man set off a security checkpoint metal detector and vanished,
an
airport spokeswoman reported.
At about 1 p.m., the alarm went off on a magnetometer at the security
checkpoint for Terminal 2, said airport spokeswoman Rosemary Barnes.
"The passenger was not detained and proceeded to the boarding gate
area,"
she said, adding that she did not know why or how the man avoided the
normal
security protocol of being held for further screening.
Airport authorities then searched for the man, searched two flights
that
were boarding but could find no one meeting the man's description,
Barnes
said.
"When they did not locate the individual in a few minutes, they made
the
decision to evacuate the boarding area," sending passengers back to the
public area of both terminals to be re-screened.
The incident was similar to another security breach Jan. 5, in which a
man
darted into Terminal 2's passenger exit, prompting a total evacuation
of
both adjoining terminals.
Just as in that incident, the apparent interloper was not found by any
of
the four entities responsible for airport security, the Oakland Police
Department, Alameda County Sheriff's Department, Transportation
Security
Administration and the airport's privately contracted security
contingent.
"A couple of thousand (passengers) were impacted today," Barnes said.
"There
were very long lines" to get back through security, such
that "queuing was all the way out on the sidewalk areas when the
checkpoints
were shut down."
By 2:30 p.m., both terminals had been cleared and searched and
evacuated
passengers had been re-screened.
Some 25 to 30 flights were expected to be delayed by the incident --
some
for as much as three hours, Barnes said, estimating that the schedule
would
return to normal by about 6 p.m.
http://www.insidebayarea.com/sanmateocountytimes/ci_5234989
Russian aviation regulators suspend charter flights to EU countries
MOSCOW, February 16 (RIA Novosti) - Two state aviation regulators have
suspended the charter and non-regular flights of several Russian air
carriers to the European Union, the Transportation Ministry said
Friday.
The ruling will affect Aero Rent, Tatarstan, Atlant-Soyuz, Aviacon
Zitotrans, Centre Avia, Gazpromavia, LUKoil, Russian Sky and UTair air
carriers.
"In order to prevent serious harm to the image of the Russian
Federation as
a leading global air power and to ensure flight safety, Rostransnadzor
and
Rosaviatsia issued a joint directive suspending the charter and
non-regular
flights of these air carriers to the European Union," the ministry said
in a
statement.
Inspections conducted by the European Commission in 2004-2006 of these
carriers revealed numerous violations of air traffic and safety
regulations
that have yet to be corrected.
The ministry said all the companies had been informed of the results of
the
inspections, but failed to submit plans to state regulators on
correcting
the violations. The companies risk being placed on the so-called EU
aviation
safety "blacklist," established in 2005.
None of the cited Russian air carriers is currently on the EU list of
airlines banned from operating within the European Community.
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20070216/60835789.html
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