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://en.rian.ru/trend/birdflu/
Bird flu not confirmed in 3 districts near Moscow
21:22 21/02/2007 Suspected outbreaks of bird flu in three Moscow regions have not been confirmed, the Russian agriculture watchdog said Wednesday.
Ukraine suspends Moscow Region poultry imports over bird flu
20:09 20/02/2007 Ukraine has placed a temporary ban on poultry imports from the Moscow Region over the suspected deadly bird flu virus, the country's veterinary watchdog said Tuesday.
Fowl deaths registered in sixth district near Moscow
12:45 20/02/2007 More fowl deaths have been registered in the southeast of the Moscow Region, the local agriculture ministry said Tuesday.
1 mln birds to be vaccinated from bird flu near Moscow
16:30 19/02/2007 At least a million domestic birds will be vaccinated against avian influenza near Moscow now that the disease has reached areas surrounding the Russian capital, a senior local veterinary official said Monday.
Prosecutors launch probe into bird flu outbreak near Moscow - 1
12:08 19/02/2007
Russia confirms deadly bird flu outbreak outside Moscow - 1
11:09 19/02/2007 The Russian agricultural watchdog confirmed Monday that a bird flu outbreak near Moscow over the weekend involved the deadly H5N1 virus.
Russia confirms deadly bird flu outbreak outside Moscow
10:34 19/02/2007 The Russian agricultural watchdog confirmed Monday that a bird flu outbreak near Moscow over the weekend contained strains of a deadly H5N1 virus.
Third bird flu site detected in Moscow Region - acting governor
17:11 17/02/2007 A third avian flu outbreak has been detected at a private farm in the Moscow Region, the acting governor said Saturday. "A resident of the Podolsk District [south of Moscow] bought a chicken on Moscow's Ptichy pet market, and forty-four birds at his farmstead died as a result," Alexei Panteleyev said.
Poultry products from Moscow region farms safe to eat - watchdog
16:41 17/02/2007 Poultry and eggs produced at farms near Moscow are safe to eat, Russia's animal and plant health watchdog said Saturday. Rosselkhoznadzor's statement came a day after health officials confirmed avian flu as the cause of chicken and turkey deaths at two private farmsteads outside the Russian capital.
H5N1 caused poultry deaths near Moscow - chief epidemiologist
21:55 16/02/2007 Russia's chief epidemiologist and the head of the government's food security watchdog confirmed Friday that the H5N1 strain of bird flu was the cause of poultry deaths in the south of the Moscow Region.
http://en.rian.ru/world/20070220/61003316.html
Missile shield in Europe could lead to cold war - Slovak ex-premier
20/02/2007 13:55 MOSCOW, February 20 (RIA Novosti) - The deployment of elements of the U.S. missile defense system in Central Europe could lead to a deterioration in relations between Russia and NATO, a former prime minister of Slovakia said Tuesday.
Governments of Poland and the Czech Republic reaffirmed Monday their readiness to allow the United States to base elements of its missile shield on their territory.
"The deployment of [missile] bases in the Czech Republic and Poland means that NATO military installations will move closer to the borders with Russia in violation of a verbal promise made by the United States to [ex-Soviet president] Gorbachev at talks ending the "cold war," Jan Carnogursky said.
"These actions could lead to a new "cold war," the Slovak politician said.
Washington plans to install a radar system in the Czech Republic and to deploy missile defense systems in Poland to counter the alleged ballistic missile threat from Iran and North Korea.
But Carnogursky questioned the real purpose of the U.S. plans in Central Europe by saying they will never be transparent.
"When the U.S. missile defense bases start operating in the Czech Republic and Poland nobody except the Americans will know what purpose they are supposed to serve," he said, adding that the move will destroy the balance of power in the region.
Moscow strongly opposes the deployment of a missile shield in its former backyard in Central Europe, describing the plans as a threat to Russian national security.
Army General Yury Baluyevsky, the chief of the Russian General Staff, voiced February 15 a strong warning to the U.S. regarding its missile shield plans by announcing a possibility of Russia unilaterally pulling out of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF).
The INF treaty eliminated nuclear and conventional ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges of 500 to 5,500 kilometers (300 to 3,400 miles). By the treaty's deadline of June 1, 1991, a total of 2,692 such weapons had been destroyed, 846 by the U.S. and 1,846 by the Soviet Union.
Commander in Chief of Russia's strategic missile forces (SMF) Nikolai Solovtsov echoed Baluyevsky's remarks by saying that the SMF will be able to track down elements of the U.S. missile defense system if they are eventually deployed in Central Europe.
"If the governments of Poland and the Czech Republic make such a decision, the Strategic Missile Forces will be able to target these systems," Solovtsov said Monday.
He also said Russia possessed the technology and the capability to resume production of intermediate- and short-range missiles in the near future if the need arises.
other articles
15:55 21/02/2007 U.S. must discuss missile shield with Russia, EU - Kwasniewski
15:46 21/02/2007 Missile shield in Europe will not tackle Iran, N. Korea threat-1
14:18 21/02/2007 Missile defense discussion at Russia-NATO Council stalled - FM
20:53 20/02/2007 U.S. puzzled by Russia's missile shield concerns
16:37 20/02/2007 Russian FM downplays possibility of new cold war
16:03 20/02/2007 Poland needs U.S. base to cede from Russian influence - PM
22:11 19/02/2007 Russia hopes for balanced U.S. decisions on bilateral relations
4 Mormon missionaries abducted in Nigeria released unharmed
http://www.newspress.com/Top/Article/article.jsp?Section=NATIONAL&ID=564967596181815499
4 Mormon missionaries abducted in Nigeria released unharmed
DEBBIE HUMMEL, Associated Press Writer
February 21, 2007 6:17 PM
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Four Mormon missionaries were released unharmed
Wednesday after being held hostage for more than three days by
kidnappers in Nigeria's oil region, church officials said.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints leaders in Nigeria worked
with local and tribal leaders to end the kidnapping, said M. Russell
Ballard, one of the church's governing leaders.
The church gave the kidnappers $810 to cover the expenses of caring for
the men during their capture, Ballard said. He did not characterize the
payment as ransom for their release.
''I think they thought they were taking people connected to the oil
agencies and were hoping for a very handsome ransom,'' Ballard said.
The men, all Nigerian nationals between the ages of 20 and 25, were
kidnapped from their apartment near Port Harcourt Saturday night. On
Wednesday, they were at the home of their church bishop in Port
Harcourt, Ballard said.
Ballard said he did not know who their kidnappers were or under what
conditions they were held.
Scores of foreign workers have been kidnapped in the Niger Delta region
since January. Hostages are generally released unharmed.
The church has 74,055 members in Nigeria and 352 young missionaries
serving there, church officials have said.
AP-WS-02-21-07 2111EST
CHINESE SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES: “LESSONS LEAR NED†AND POTENTIAL MISSIONS
http://jamestown.org/publications_details.php?volume_id=422&issue_id=4012&article_id=2371929
CHINESE SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES: “LESSONS LEARNED†AND POTENTIAL
MISSIONS
By Michael S. Chase
Over the past 10-15 years, China has placed increasing emphasis on the
development and improvement of its special operations forces [1].
According to the 2000 U.S. Department of Defense report on Chinese
military power, “Particularly since the 1991 Persian Gulf conflict,
the
PLA has devoted considerable resources to the development of Special
Operations Forces (SOF).†Moreover, the PLA identified the further
development of these elite units as “an integral element of ground
force
modernization†[2]. In keeping with this assessment, the PLA in the
1990s created a number of new SOF units, with capabilities similar to
U.S. Army Ranger units, as a complement to its existing long-range
reconnaissance forces [3]. This emphasis on enhancing SOF capabilities
was sparked at least in part by Chinese analysis of the role of special
operations in conflicts such as the Falkland Islands War and the Gulf
War. According to PLA strategists, one of the key lessons of these
conflicts was that “special warfare has become an indispensable and
important combat operation in modern campaigns†[4].
The level of priority accorded to improving SOF capabilities seems to
have grown even further over the past few years, as reflected by a
passage in China’s 2006 National Defense White Paper, which
identifies
improving special operations capabilities as one of the Army’s major
military modernization priorities. The white paper states, “The Army
aims at moving from regional defense to trans-regional mobility, and
improving its capabilities in air-ground integrated operations,
long-distance maneuvers, rapid assaults and special operations.†This
increasingly strong interest in special operations capabilities almost
certainly derives from Chinese analysis of the role of special
operations units in the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. It appears
that Chinese analysts have devoted a considerable amount of attention
to
observing and analyzing the performance of U.S. and coalition special
operations forces in both of these conflicts. Indeed, the Academy of
Military Science (AMS) and Central Military Commission (CMC) reportedly
established special research taskforces to analyze the role of special
operations in Operation Enduring Freedom (South China Morning Post,
March 4, 2002).
Chinese analysts argue that the role of SOF in Operation Enduring
Freedom (OEF) and other recent conflicts underscores their increasing
importance in fighting “local wars under informatized conditions.â€
For
example, one recent Chinese article concludes that special operations
forces have emerged from the shadows and moved to the center of the
stage as a result of their central role in recent conflicts. According
to the author of this analysis, SOF achieved "striking results in
battle" in Afghanistan and the status of special operations forces
increased even further following their widespread employment in
Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), during which they conducted a variety of
missions, including special reconnaissance, targeting for air strikes,
direct action in the enemy's rear area, disruption of enemy logistics
and search and rescue, as well as playing a key role in the
“decapitation†strategy and participating directly in major combat
operations [5]. According to the author of this article, the influence
of special operations is no longer relegated to the tactical and
operational levels. On the contrary, the author asserts, SOF units are
capable of directly achieving strategic aims. Consequently, the author
concludes, SOF units have become an important force in high-tech local
wars; they are indispensable to commanders because of their flexibility
and utility, not only in low-intensity conflicts, but also in
mid-to-high intensity warfare. Accordingly, the modernization of SOF
units should receive a very high priority and the development of elite
units should focus on “informatized construction†and realistic
training.
This analysis is consistent with the findings of a number of recent
articles in PLA Daily and other Chinese newspapers, which have
highlighted the role of U.S. and coalition SOF in the war on terror,
especially in Afghanistan and Iraq. Most of these articles reflect a
favorable view of the potential contributions of SOF, but some also
address the challenges of conducting special operations. For example, a
January 2007 article on U.S. air strikes against al-Qaeda operatives in
Somalia stated that opportunities to target the leaders of terrorist
groups have been limited by the difficulties of acquiring actionable
intelligence on the whereabouts of these elusive “high-value
targetsâ€
(People’s Daily, January 14).
Chinese Views on the Characteristics of Special Operations Forces
Chinese assessments of the role of foreign special operations forces in
recent conflicts are an important influence on the development of the
PLA’s own SOF capabilities. Although much of the available Chinese
writing on special operations focuses on assessing foreign experiences,
some publications offer insights into how the PLA plans to apply these
“lessons learned†to its own operations. At a general level, PLA
writings on special operations define SOF units as elite combat units
capable of conducting operations that may achieve strategic results
despite their small numbers. For example, according to a 2002 China
Militia article, the principle characteristic of small, elite special
forces units, which are "very well equipped" (zhuangbei jingliang) and
"highly trained" (xunlian yousu), is that they are "of unimposing
stature but very strong and capable" (duanxiao jinghan) [6].
Some Chinese military publications go into greater detail, analyzing
the
characteristics of SOF and describing the potential roles of PLA
special
operations units in future warfare. Most notable in this regard is The
Science of Campaigns, which defines “campaign special warfareâ€
(zhanyi
tezhong zhan) as a series of combat operations conducted by specially
trained and equipped elite forces employing special tactics [7]. Among
the strengths of SOF units, according to this volume, are their
survivability, self-reliance and flexibility (linghuoxing). SOF groups
range in size from just a handful to a few dozen and serve
multi-functional objectives. They usually operate in the enemy’s
“campaign deep areas,†where they carry out operations that are
integral
to the success of a campaign. They are capable of conducting a variety
of missions, and rapidly changing elements of their missions when
necessary to achieve their general objectives. Chinese writers
emphasize
that the success of special warfare operations depends upon the
elements
of surprise and covertness. It is most difficult for an enemy to defend
against special operations attacks when they are “sudden†and
“covert.â€
This means that to complete their missions successfully, SOF teams must
launch surprise attacks, striking “at unexpected times and locations
with unexpected combat methods and means†[8]. Given these
characteristics, “special warfare is timed mainly to take advantage
of
the darkness of night, bad weather, and the enemy’s negligence.â€
Based on this analysis of the characteristics and capabilities of SOF,
PLA writers discuss a number of potential missions. According to The
Science of Campaigns, for example, SOF can be employed to achieve a
variety of general operational and strategic objectives, including
attacking critical targets and infrastructure, “paralyzing the
enemy’s
combat system,†reducing the enemy’s combat capabilities,
interfering
with the enemy’s combat operations and “creating favorable
conditions
for the main force†[9]. More specifically, SOF missions may include:
conducting strategic reconnaissance and collecting intelligence;
capturing or assassinating key enemy personnel; engaging in harassment
actions; participating in psychological operations; taking part in
information and electronic warfare campaigns and launching direct
attacks on targets such as airbases, ports, bridges, command and
control
facilities, radar sites, critical weapons systems, transportation and
communications hubs and other rear area logistics facilities, bases and
depots. If required, SOF can also provide direct support to main forces
by “concentrating a certain number of special forces to seize key
targets and key points in an enemy’s deep area in order to directly
help
the offensive of the main force†[10]. In addition, other sources
indicate that SOF units may participate in a variety of potential
domestic missions, such as counter-terrorism operations, hostage rescue
and perhaps even responding to “unexpected incidents†such as riots
and
outbreaks of social unrest.
Implications for a China-Taiwan Conflict
Although PLA writers generally refrain from discussing potential SOF
missions in Taiwan scenarios, the more general analysis they provide
sheds some light on how China would likely employ its special
operations
capabilities in a cross-Strait conflict. Indeed, these writings suggest
that Chinese SOF would likely conduct a broad range of direct action,
strategic reconnaissance and other special missions in the event of a
conflict with Taiwan. Similarly, the U.S. Department of Defense
assesses
that specific missions assigned to PLA SOF units in Taiwan contingency
operations would likely include “conducting reconnaissance and
surveillance; locating or destroying C4I assets, transport nodes, and
logistics depots; capturing or destroying airfields and ports; and
destroying air defense facilities†(DoD Report on PRC Military Power
,
2000).
In a Taiwan conflict, PLA special operations units would probably play
a
particularly important role in strategic reconnaissance and battle
damage assessment (BDA) missions by supplementing China’s growing
space-based and airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance
(ISR) capabilities. For example, SOF units could provide targeting data
for precision strikes against critical military targets such as
Taiwan’s
major airbases or other government and military facilities. They could
also assess the effectiveness of attacks on such targets. Moreover,
Chinese media reports indicate that SOF units would conduct strategic
reconnaissance missions perhaps as far away as “several hundred or
thousand kilometers,†which suggests that PLA SOF might also attempt
to
conduct such missions against U.S. military bases in the region [11].
Potential direct action missions would include attacks on Taiwan’s
airbases, command and control facilities, ISR assets, and key logistics
and transportation targets such as major highways and bridges. PLA SOF
could also support the efforts of main forces by seizing control of
ports or airfields to facilitate their arrival on the island.
Whether independently conducting strategic reconnaissance and direct
action missions or supporting main forces, PLA SOF would almost
certainly play an important role in almost any type of military
operation against Taiwan, ranging from a limited, coercive use of force
to a full-scale amphibious invasion. In particular, special operations
might be an especially critical factor in a decapitation strategy
scenario, in which the PLA would attempt to overthrow Taiwan’s
democratically elected government by capturing or killing senior
civilian officials and paralyze the military by degrading the ability
of
commanders to communicate with forces in the field [12]. As part of a
decapitation strike, analysts in Taiwan have speculated that the PLA
would launch missile strikes or carry out special operations attacks
against the Presidential Palace in Taipei and other important
national-level command and control facilities to eliminate
pro-independence leaders and paralyze the armed forces (Taipei Times,
October 5, 2004). In such a scenario, SOF units would probably
infiltrate Taiwan long before the initiation of hostilities and then
undertake missions, such as seizing key leadership facilities,
attacking
key communications nodes and supporting psychological and information
operations. Although this would seem like a very high-risk strategy for
the PLA, and one with a significant probability of failure, the threat
of a potential decapitation strike cannot be ruled out entirely.
Indeed,
Taiwan has used scenarios involving PLA decapitation strikes in some of
its recent military exercises (Taipei Times, April 13, 2005).
Conclusion
Chinese analysts have carefully studied the role of foreign SOF in
military operations from the Falkland Islands War to the U.S.-led
invasion of Iraq in 2003. Based on China’s analysis of U.S., British,
and other foreign special operations in recent years, Chinese
strategists envision SOF playing a variety of roles—conducting
strategic
reconnaissance and direct action missions, participating in
psychological and information operations and possibly supporting main
forces—in future military conflicts. Although often implied rather
than
stated explicitly in Chinese writings, this almost certainly includes
Taiwan contingencies. There are many uncertainties regarding actual
Chinese special operations capabilities, but even if PLA SOF units are
not on par with the world’s leading special operations units, they
could
nevertheless pose a serious threat to Taiwan—and perhaps to U.S.
forces
as well—in a variety of conflict scenarios, ranging from a coercive
campaign intended to achieve limited political objectives to a
full-scale invasion attempt. Preparing to counter the Chinese SOF
threat
thus represents a growing challenge for planners and policymakers in
Taiwan and the United States.
Notes
1. For an excellent overview of the organizational history of Chinese
special forces, which also discusses the PLAN Marines, PLAAF airborne
troops and the PAP’s special armed police units, see Qu Xiaohua, Liu
Zhanyong, and Shi Jun, Achieving Victory through Surprise: Special
Warfare [Chuqi zhisheng: tezhong zhan], Hebei, China: Hebei Science and
Technology Press, 2000.
2. Office of the Secretary of Defense, Annual Report to Congress on the
Military Power of the People’s Republic of China, 2000, Washington,
DC:
U.S. Department of Defense, June 2000, from hereinafter referred to
in-text as “DoD Report on PRC Military Power, 2000.â€
3. Dennis J. Blasko, The Chinese Army Today: Tradition and
Transformation for the 21st Century, New York: Routledge, 2006, p. 21.
4. Wang Houqing and Zhang Xingye, ed., The Science of Campaigns
[Zhanyixue], Beijing, China: National Defense University Press, 2000,
pp. 213-214.
5. Gu Fengshan, "The 'Shadow War' Takes the 'Stage,'" ('Yingzi
zhanzheng' zouxiang 'qiantai') Military Salon (Junshi Shalong),
September 14, 2004, available online at
http://www.chinamil.com.cn/site1/jsslpdjs/2004-09/14/content_132406.htm.
6. Feng Lang, "Scanning the World's Counterterrorism Special Forces
Units," (Saomiao shijie fankongbu tezhong budui), China Militia
(Zhongguo Minbing), 2:209 (2002),
http://www.chinamil.com.cn/item/zgmb/200202/txt/32.htm.
7. Wang and Zhang, ed., The Science of Campaigns. The authors describe
special warfare as a form of “precision†(jingque) attack that is
carried out by small groups of highly trained operators.
8. Ibid., pp. 214-216.
9. Ibid., pp. 214-216.
10. Ibid., pp. 216-218.
11. “Walking into Special Forces’ Drill Ground,†Shanghai
Liberation
Daily [Shanghai Jiefang Ribao], May 30, 2001, in FBIS.
12. Jui-Kuang Lee, “Year 2005-2010: Evaluation of China’s
Implementation
of Decapitation Warfare Against Taiwan,†Taiwan Defense Affairs
(Guofang
zhengce pinglun), 4:3 (Spring 2004).
Zaman: EU hesitantly remembers Chechen victims
Zaman
EU hesitantly remembers Chechen victims
Being forcefully criticized for forgetting the tragedy in Chechnya, the
EU once more allocated financial aid to the victims of the conflict.
In a statement made by the EU Commission Wednesday, it announced
another
€17.5 million would be allocated to the war-torn northern Caucasus
region of Chechnya.
The EU has been constantly criticized by human rights organizations for
forgetting the plight of Chechens in the wake of Sept. 11. Though the
EU
is now the biggest donor of humanitarian aid, pundits says it once more
vindicated that EU is “an economic giant but a political dwarf.â€
Though
the statement details the difficulties faced by the Chechens, it
carefully avoids any political implications as to the responsible of
the
tragedy.
The recipients of the aid will include internally displaced persons
(IDPs) and vulnerable groups in Chechnya, as well as IDPs in Ingushetia
and Dagestan, and Chechen refugees in Azerbaijan and Georgia.
“Although the conflict in Chechnya has receded, humanitarian needs
remain acute.†said the statement. Some 180,000 people, almost one
quarter of the population, continue to be internally displaced.
Many of
them are returnees who have come back from Ingushetia over the past few
years but could not go home because their houses were destroyed during
the conflict. Living conditions, particularly in Grozny, remain
extremely difficult. Outside Chechnya, around 20,000 people are still
displaced in Ingushetia and some 7,000 in Dagestan. In addition, some
2,800 refugees currently reside in Azerbaijan, as well as 1,800 in
Georgia, most of them are living in dire conditions.
The statement described regional insecurity as high in the region.
“Insecurity in Chechnya has decreased but remains high nonetheless,
with
some military and guerrilla-type operations still going on, especially
in the South. The civilian population continues to suffer harshly in a
conflict characterised by widespread human rights violations,â€
declared
the statement. Since the beginning of the current conflict in fall 1999
and including this new decision, the European Commission has provided
around €220 million in humanitarian aid for this crisis, making the
EU
the largest donor in the region.
22.02.2007
SELÇUK GÜLTAŞLI
BRUSSELS
http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=103556&bolum=102
Russian rights groups to boycott conference in Chechen capital
The Associated Press
Published: February 21, 2007
MOSCOW: Leading Russian rights activists said Wednesday they would
boycott a human rights conference scheduled to be held in the Chechen
capital Grozny next week, saying attending would give legitimacy to
the region's Kremlin-backed government.
A letter signed by Lyudmila Alexeyeva, Lev Ponomaryov and other
prominent Russian defenders said they made the decision because the
conference was to be hosted, in part, by acting Chechen President
Ramzan Kadyrov, whose paramilitary militias are suspected of
involvement in widespread civilian abductions, possible torture and
other human rights abuses.
The conference, they said, was aimed at "using the authority of many
rights defenders, the rights movement and the idea of human rights in
Russia and the international arena to strengthen the legitimacy of the
Chechen Republic's illegitimate regime."
The activists said Chechnya's only legitimately elected president was
Aslan Maskhadov, who was killed in 2005.
Ponomaryov told The Associated Press said the letter was signed by
only five activists, but said they spoke on behalf of many more
organizations.
"We do not want to take part in the conference because otherwise it
would have been legitimization of Kadyrov's totalitarian regime," he
told AP. "We wish he could offer some actions, real actions in
respecting human rights, not just words. We do not want his
declarations, but we would like to see effective routine cooperation.
However, instead we see abductions, tortures and other violations."
Allison Gill, Moscow director for the U.S.-based group Human Rights
Watch, said many of the invitees to the conference were given very
short notice. She said many groups, Russian and international, were
looking to seriously discuss human rights in Chechnya with the
authorities, but under the right circumstances.
The conference appears to be part of the Kremlin effort to show that
the situation in Chechnya has improved after more than a dozen years
of fighting between separatist rebels and federal and regional
authorities.
Large-scale fighting has all but ended, though militants continue to
stage small-scale, hit-and-run ambushes on Russian forces and their
local allies. Russian forces have scored a number of victories,
killing top separatist leaders.
Last week, President Vladimir Putin dismissed Alu Alkhanov as
president of the war-battered republic, naming Kadyrov as acting
president. The region's parliament is widely expected to confirm him
as president, despite government intentions to put forward two
competing candidates.
While serving as prime minister for the region, Kadyrov has led a
largely federally funded campaign to rebuild Grozny as well as
cultivating wide personal visibility, including banners that praise
him draping buildings — a practice that Alkhanov last week strongly
criticized.
Kadyrov's militia group — known as Kadyrovtsy — is widely alleged to
abduct and abuse suspected rebels and civilians believed to be
connected to them. After the murder in October of journalist Anna
Politkovskaya, who had reported critically on Chechnya, speculation
rose that the killing was connected with her investigation of
Kadyrov's administration.
Kadyrov denied any connection, saying "I don't kill women."
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/chechnya-sl/
http://ecuador-rising.blogspot.com/2007/02/ecuador-stands-up-to-us.html
Ecuador Rising - Hatarinchej
The people of Ecuador are rising up to refound their country as a pluri-national homeland for all. This inspiring movement, with Ecuador's indigenous peoples at its heart, is part of the revolution spreading across the Americas, laying the groundwork for a new, fairer, world. Ecuador Rising aims to bring news and analysis of events unfolding in Ecuador to english speakers.
[This site wants our base in Ecuador closed, shows how commies feel...granny]
http://search.news.yahoo.com/search/news/?fr=yalerts-keyword&c=&p=bomb+OR+explosive+device&ei=utf-8
1. Bomb squad called to Claymont after device unearthed Open this result in new window
The News Journal - Feb 20 3:47 PM
The New Castle County police bomb squad was called to the 200 block of New York Avenue in Claymont this morning after a survey crew unearthed what appeared to be a military explosive in the front yard of a home. Cpl. Trinidad Navarro said police were called at 9:39 a.m. after the crew found the ordnance. Initial police reports indicated the device looked like a grenade, but Navarro said late ...
Save
2. Bomb squad investigates suspicious device in SE PDX Open this result in new window
KGW Portland - Feb 21 1:23 PM
A police bomb squad was investigating a suspicious device found in Southeast Portland just before noon Wednesday. The device or suspicious package was spotted near the intersection of SE 12th Avenue and Hawthorne Blvd.
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3. Tri-Cities woman searches for person who planted bomb in her driveway Open this result in new window
Bristol Herald Courier - Feb 21 1:33 PM
A Tri-Cities area woman is determined to find the person who set off a bomb in her driveway. It happened seven months ago on Forsyth Dr. in Elizabethton, TN. Police are calling what went off in Helen Ludrosky’s driveway an Improvised Explosive Device.
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4. Explosive situation remains unsolved Open this result in new window
Bristol Herald Courier - Feb 21 8:33 AM
An explosive situation in the Tri-Cities remains unsolved, but a Tri-Cities woman is determined to find the person who set off a bomb in her driveway.
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5. Pipe bomb found in Evansville home Open this result in new window
Casper Star-Tribune - 44 minutes ago
Police found a pipe bomb in the home of an Evansville man last week, but he won't face charges related to the device, Evansville Police Chief Zack Gentile said Wednesday.
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6. 875th troops injured in Iraqi bomb attack Open this result in new window
Jonesboro Sun - Feb 21 7:46 AM
Two soldiers serving in Iraq with the 875th Engineer Battalion of Jonesboro were injured Monday afternoon when an improved explosive device detonated near them, a unit official reported Tuesday.
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7. Explosive device found in fatal train fire in India Open this result in new window
Houston Chronicle - Feb 18 6:15 PM
Official says an explosive device was found near a rail track in India where a train fire killed at least 64 people.
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8. Classes cancelled after Davenport bomb threat Open this result in new window
The Des Moines Register - Feb 21 11:50 AM
Davenport police and fire officials allowed staff to return to West High School around 8:30 a.m. after receiving an early morning bomb...
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9. Bomb Scare Shuts Down Businesses, Road Open this result in new window
KOIN News 6 Portland - Feb 21 6:36 PM
PORTLAND - Police have transported a 25-year-old man to a hospital for a mental evaluation after he claimed he planted a bomb in an emergency services center.
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10. Westwood Bomb Open this result in new window
The Enumclaw Courier-Herald - Feb 21 10:08 AM
A bomb rocked the back side of Westwood Elementary School Monday night, causing minor damage but disrupting the Tuesday morning routine for faculty members and approximately 400 students.
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Somalia peacekeeping force approved by UN
http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/070221/2007022125.html
Somalia peacekeeping force approved by UN
Somalia-UN, Politics, 2/21/2007
The UN Security Council vote authorizing an African Union (AU)
peacekeeping mission in Somalia was an important moment for the people
of Somalia, US officials say.
The Security Council February 20 unanimously authorized the AU mission
for an initial period of six months and instructed Secretary-General
Ban
Ki-moon to investigate the possibility of the United Nations taking
over
the operation at a later date. It also instructed the secretary-general
to report back in 60 days with recommendations for the United Nation's
"further engagement in support of peace and security in Somalia."
The United States was a cosponsor of the resolution, along with the
Republic of Congo, Ghana, Panama, Slovakia, South Africa and the United
Kingdom.
In Washington, State Department deputy spokesman Tom Casey called the
vote "an important moment for the people of Somalia."
"It's an opportunity for them after many, many years to have a fully
functioning government, and we certainly want to do what we can to
support that and help ensure peace in that country," Casey said.
The resolution, the State Department spokesman said, provides important
support for the African Union in its effort to mount another
peacekeeping mission in Africa. It shows "the broader support of the
international community," he said.
Casey encouraged nations to step forward and provide troops for the
mission.
The African Union said earlier in the month that Burundi, Ghana,
Malawi,
Nigeria and Uganda have offered a total of about 4,000 troops. Although
the current resolution does not mention the mission's size, the AU
previously endorsed a plan to send 8,000 troops into the east African
nation, which has been torn apart by civil war since 1991.
The new mission, to be known as AMISOM, will provide protection for the
UN-backed Transitional Federal Institutions to help them carry out
government functions and provide security for key infrastructure.
AMISOM
also will support the dialogue and reconciliation process in Somalia by
helping to provide free movement, safe passage and protection for those
involved in the process. The peacekeepers also will provide security
for
humanitarian operations.
The resolution, adopted under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, authorizes
AMISOM "to take all necessary measures as appropriate" to fulfill its
mandate.
The resolution recognizes that AMISOM will help with the initial
stabilization phase and will "evolve into a United Nations operation
that will support the long-term stabilization and post-conflict
restoration of Somalia." AMISOM, the resolution said, will help avoid a
security vacuum and create the conditions for the full withdrawal of
the
Ethiopian troops that helped Somali troops repel Islamist rebels in
December 2006.
The Security Council also eased the arms embargo imposed on the country
in 1992 to allow "weapons and military equipment and technical training
and assistance intended solely for the support of or use by" the
peacekeepers.
Resolution 1744 overrides a December 2006 resolution that authorized an
operation led by a regional group, the Intergovernmental Authority on
Development, which had a more limited mandate.
The United States initiated the December 2006 resolution in an effort
to
stabilize the situation and help start a critical dialogue between the
Transitional Federal Institutions and the Union of Islamic Courts.
Ambassador John Bolton, who was the chief US envoy to the United
Nations
at the time, said that the United States "views the deployment of a
regional force to Somalia as a key element in preventing conflict" and
"a critical element to help resume credible dialogue." The United
States, Bolton said, will work with its African and other partners
toward that end.
[I get this groups newsletter and have posted a couple, nothing very hard hitting that I have seen in them, just reports of the day.
granny]
MT: IWPR office raided in Vladikavkaz
Thursday, February 22, 2007. Issue 3602. Page 2.
NGO Raided in Vladikavkaz
By Nabi Abdullaev
Staff Writer
North Ossetian police seized two computers and documents Wednesday in
the Vladikavkaz office of the Institute of War and Peace Reporting, a
British nongovernmental organization, said IWPR's coordinator in the
North Caucasus, Valery Dzutsev.
The raid came a month after police opened a criminal investigation
into Dzutsev on suspected tax evasion.
The North Ossetian police investigator leading the case, Aslan
Torchinov, said by telephone from Vladikavkaz that he had no comment
on the case.
Dzutsev, who has contributed to The Moscow Times as a freelance
journalist, said that he had paid his taxes and that the case seemed
to be part of a campaign of intimidation.
"The problems with the authorities began a month after the NGO law
went into effect last April," he said.
IWPR, an NGO with a global outreach, has trained journalists in the
Caucasus since the late 1990s. Its Vladikavkaz office opened in 2002,
and Dzutsev has headed it since then. It is now trying to re-register
with authorities as required by the NGO law.
"We are shocked and surprised by this development, and we give our
full support to our coordinator, Valery Dzutsev, who has acted
completely honestly within Russian law," IWPR executive director Tony
Borden said in a statement.
The investigation looks like an attempt to silence both a foreign NGO
training journalists and an information outlet, said Nina Ognianova, a
representative of the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists.
"By using the law as a pretext, authorities are incapacitating the
Vladikavkaz office," she said, referring to seized computers.
IWPR journalists file reports about local issues.
Dzutsev said investigators told him to show up at their office next
week as they will look through the seized documents and computers.
Last year, IWPR's senior editor, Tom de Waal, was denied a Russian
visa without explanation.
http://tonguesoffire.wordpress.com/2007/02/20/venezuela-wants-sub-fleet-for-conflict-with-us/Venezuela Wants Sub Fleet for Conflict with U.S.
Venezuela is spending $3 billion to build nine submarines, a fleet of undersea craft that would be the largest in the region — and ready to be used against the U.S. in event of a conflict between the two countries.
The submarines will be the “diesel-electric variety,” according to a communique issued by Vice Adm. Armband Laguna, quoted this month by Brazil’s leading newspaper, O Estado de Sao Paulo.
They will weigh-in at approximately 1,750 metric tons apiece.
The navy is considering bids from Germany, France, and Russia, which is said to be the odds-on favorite, according to the Washington Times.
Read more here: newsmax.com
http://www.godubai.com/gulftoday/article.asp?AID=52&Section=Middle
Egypt foils Sinai terror plot; 3 held
EGYPT: Egyptian border and security authorities have arrested three
Palestinians in the Sinai region, including one who was wearing an
explosives belt and had crossed from Gaza to Egypt in an underground
tunnel, security officials said on Wednesday.
One of the three, a Palestinian in his early 20s, was caught on Tuesday
as he tried to cross the Gaza-Egypt border in an underground tunnel
near
the Egyptian border city of Rafah.
He had wrapped himself in an explosives belt, said the soldier who
caught him, Mohammed Abdel Wahab.
The arrested man told Egyptian state security officials that he had
been
plotting an attack with other Palestinians in Sinai, said an official
who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the
issue.
Eyewitnesses said heavy Egyptian security forces on Wednesday morning
surrounded a building in Rafah and arrested two other Palestinians.
The security official said the two arrests were linked to the alleged
suicide attack plot.
The building's owner, Mohammed Salem, said one of the Palestinian men
had rented an apartment in the building a week ago and had been joined
Wednesday by the other.
Mines seized
Egyptian police found 240 old anti-tank mines and six artillery shells
stashed in the mountains of central Sinai on Wednesday, a police source
said.
Police suspect the owners planned to empty out the ordnance, left over
from 20th century wars, and smuggle the explosive material to
Palestinian groups in the neighbouring Gaza Strip, added the source,
who
asked not to be named.
No one was present when police arrived and no arrests have been made,
he
added. Israel frequently complains about arms smuggling across the
Egypt-Gaza border. Egypt says it does its best to stop it.
Last week Egyptian police found boxes with around 18,000 bullets hidden
in a tunnel near the border with the Palestinian territories.
Earlier in the month they found rocket-propelled grenades and hand
grenades hidden in the sand on the same border.
LOL, I think that is Vice Presiden Cheney in the photo and he really does have 5,000 Americans as hostage..
I would call this report creative writing...........it did make me smile...
granny
http://fareastcynic.blogspot.com/2007/02/hostage-taking.html
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Hostage Taking.........
SNN (Skippy News Network) News Feed. DATELINE Yokosuka Japan-
5000 American Sailors were held hostage for 6 hours on an aging ship today, by a man with a known reputation for shooting people. This tense stand off was only resolved when ransom demands of applause, a good sound bite, and a helicopter were paid. We take you now to an interview with the head of the Yokosuka police department:
SNN reporter, " Were you concerned about the safety of the hostages?"
YPD Chief, " But of course, this man already has a history of shooting people and is known to have a short temper. We were really concerned for a while."
SNN Reporter, " How did he get so many hostages so quickly?"
YPD Chief, " Well, it appears he had help. Dozens of black suited thugs-wearing earphones, forced the base police to zone off several streets , parking lots, and entrances, to prevent traffic from flowing. Anyone caught walking on the street, in uniform, was immediately whisked away to the USS Kitty Hawk Quarterdeck and forced to stand with herd in hangar bay 1 for hours on end."
SNN Reporter, " Any idea why he came here?"
YPD Chief, " We are not sure. We had hoped to interview the suspect, but after his demands were met, he moved away briskly. There was great concern on our part that one of the hostages might provoke an outburst by asking about some guy named Libby, or some outfit named Halliburton-apparently this hostage taker is known to associate with famous American criminals- but that was fortunately averted."
SNN Reporter, "Where did he go to?"
YPD Chief, " In his ransom demand, he wanted to be taken by helicopter to Tokyo. As he boarded the chopper, one of the hostages heard him muttering something to the effect of, "Sushi? I don't need no stinkin' sushi! Give me some damned Kobe beef!"
SNN Reporter, " So there you have it ladies and gentlemen. A brazen act of hostage taking right under the nose of the Japanese and American authorities here. Even now, with the blockades on the streets removed, traffic is barely returning to normal. Back to you at FEC HQ........"
Labels: Scooter, Shooter, Time wasters
// posted by Skippy-san @ 9:20 PM
I could read these CIA reports all day long. Fascinating to read.
February 22, 2007 Anti-Terrorism News
Iraq faces 'chemical bomb' threat
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/iraq;_ylt=AiCnyIuv9N7gZ51I1B8GsqtX6GMA
Afghanistan: Taliban Commanders Captured
http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English.php?cat=Security&loid=8.0.389002074&par=0
Afghan warlords plan pro-amnesty law demonstration - upper house of
parliament approved the legislation on Tuesday, President Hamid Karzai has
yet to sign
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070222/wl_sthasia_afp/afghanistanrightsjusticeprotest_070222114609;_ylt=AvZL4aofbJZgESK2va7AoXXOVooA
(Taliban) "6,000 Taliban fighters preparing for offensive"
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/subcontinent/2007/February/subcontinent_February824.xml§ion=subcontinent&col=
Pakistan minister a victim of Islamist 'serial killer' - four other
murders linked to Islamist groups
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070222/wl_sthasia_afp/pakistanattackswomenreligion_070222055318;_ylt=Ai5hFeNTBNRheGC0X0z4dHDzPukA
(Pakistan) 'I killed her because she was un-Islamic'
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/I_killed_her_as_she_was_un-Islamic/articleshow/1658062.cms
Pakistan took out terrorist camps with US help: Pakistani ambassador to
the US Durrani
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\02\22\story_22-2-2007_pg7_3
(Pakistan) Al Qaeda operating along Durand Line: US
http://www.dawn.com/2007/02/22/top3.htm
(India) 'Pak covering terror tracks'
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Pak_covering_terror_tracks/articleshow/1653908.cms
(India) Police question suspects in India attack
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070222/ap_on_re_as/india_train_attack_18;_ylt=Atef_RvrT0W3C5YXPWd8KeJA7AkB
(India) Samjhauta blasts: Couple being grilled in Jaipur
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Samjhauta_blasts_Couple_being_grilled_in_Jaipur/articleshow/1656106.cms
(India) Two Hizb-ul Mujahideen terrorists arrested in Jammu and Kashmir
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1934725,000900010002.htm
Somali insurgents threaten suicide attacks
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070222/ap_on_re_af/somalia_11;_ylt=AqAmvEbgbqD.VJ5O0awuJvqQLIUD
(Indonesia) Bali bans movie on bombings
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21271709-1702,00.html
(Indonesia) Bashir denied audience with President
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21269802-1702,00.html
Sinai: Palestinian terrorists on the run - Hundreds of Egyptian police
searching for men believed to have bomb belts
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1171894495335&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
(Israel) Dispatcher of suicide bomber killed - Islamic Jihad seeks
revenge against thwarting of planned suicide attack on Tel Aviv
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1171894482209&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
(Israel) Suicide bomber has a change of heart
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/02/22/wisrael22.xml
(Israel) Sheikh Raed Salah to be investigated for incitement
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1171894494217&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
Syria rearms, moves troops closer to Golan Heights border
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/828935.html
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/828914.html
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070222/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_syria_1;_ylt=AnE1PG1IFeraPbsySND85wELtUsB
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070222/wl_mideast_afp/mideastisraelsyriamilitary_070222094122;_ylt=Ah0edGIDk9BkDwwiUxuG9gbuyucA
Crack in the Axis: Signs of Syrian-Iranian Split?
http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/02/crack_in_the_ax.html
(Iran) UN atomic report may expose Iran to wider sanctions
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/theworld/2007/February/theworld_February676.xml§ion=theworld
Iran: Students hold anti-West rally at embassies - and in support of
Iran Nukes - chanting "Death to the US"
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1171894494142&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
(Canada) Court to rule on Canada's terror laws
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21269011-1702,00.html
(Canada) Senate panel to urge anti-terror law changes
http://www.thestar.com/News/article/184408
(UK July 21 Bomb Trial) Bomb plot trial shown film of balcony arrest
http://www.guardian.co.uk/terrorism/story/0,,2018551,00.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/02/22/ntrial22.xml
Europe and U.S. show split over Palestinian unity government
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/02/22/africa/web.0222diplo.php
(Italy) War on terror brings down Prodi in Italy
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/02/21/news/italy.php
(Spain) Madrid Terror Bombers Possessed an Important Al-Qaeda Manual
http://www.pipelinenews.org/index.cfm?page=vermaat22107.htm
(Spain Madrid Bombing Trial) Accused play down contacts with attack
'materminds'
http://www.expatica.com/actual/article.asp?subchannel_id=81&story_id=36821
(Sri Lanka) Three civilians gunned down in Lanka on truce eve
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/subcontinent/2007/February/subcontinent_February821.xml§ion=subcontinent&col=
Other News:
(UK) Government dismisses Muslim school guidance document
http://education.guardian.co.uk/schools/story/0,,2018191,00.html
(UK) Islamic group says schools fail to respect faith
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/02/22/nmuslim122.xml
(UK) Supermosque for 70,000 'will be blocked'
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/02/18/nmosque18.xml
Pakistan: Polio Epidemic Victims "Martyrs" Says Cleric
http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English.php?cat=Security&loid=8.0.388839554&par=0
Muslim Pakistani clerics oppose polio vaccination
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/subcontinent/2007/February/subcontinent_February828.xml§ion=subcontinent&col=
Pakistan: Religious Parties Oppose Teaching Pre-Islamic History
http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English.php?cat=Religion&loid=8.0.388808616&par=0
Egyptian Court Sentences Blogger Charged With Insulting Islam to 4
Years in Prison
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,253666,00.html
(North Carolina) Activists Say Teacher Allowed Group to Distribute
Anti-Muslim Material
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,253638,00.html
Commentary: Covering for Islam
http://frontpagemagazine.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=27055
Commentary: American Muslims - Changing minds
http://washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20070221-091025-9701r.htm
There is something exciting about reading old papers.
I copied the first Mining Engineer of this county's private files, what a hoot, his real notes and then copies of the glorified mining reports, that went to the shareholders.
On the internet, there are pioneer journals and other papers, even a few of the Wagon Train West logs.
Makes real life, better than fiction.
MASS POISONING, FATAL - CAMBODIA: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org
Date: Wed 21 Feb 2007
From: Dan Silver dgsilver@yahoo.com
Source: Radio Australia [edited]
http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/s1852653.htm
Hundreds of people have been struck down by what Cambodian medical
officials say is a mass poisoning at a former Khmer Rouge stronghold
in the country's northwest.
More than 600 people have been affected in the village of Bos Thom,
some 400 km. northwest of Phnom Penh.
Six people have reportedly gone blind; others have stomach cramps,
fever, and diarrhea after drinking from the area's only source of
water, a local pond.
It is unclear whether the pond became poisonous due to natural causes
or to deliberate contamination.
Around 180 families live in the area, which AFP reports is home to
many former Khmer Rouge fighters.
--
Dan Silver
dgsilver@yahoo.com
[The clinical signs of blindness immediately make one think of methyl
alcohol. However, methyl alcohol does not often produce fever. Fever
and diarrhea may lead us to think more about bacterial or viral
infections. There is not much to go on in the way of understanding
what the poison may have been. Certainly we will hope for some
laboratory confirmation and an authoritative report. - Mod.TG]
[A map of Cambodia is available at:
http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/profile/cambodia.pdf
......................tg/mj/dk
Date: Wed 21 Feb 2007
From: ProMED-mail promed@promedmail.org
Source: CDC.gov [edited]
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/salmonellosis_2007/outbreak_notice.htm
Public health officials in multiple states, with the assistance of
the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and the FDA
(Food and Drug Administration), are investigating a large multistate
outbreak of _Salmonella enterica_ serotype Tennessee infections. An
epidemiologic study comparing foods that ill and well persons said
they ate showed that consumption of Peter Pan peanut butter and Great
Value peanut butter were both statistically associated with illness
and therefore the likely source of the outbreak.
FDA has advised consumers not to eat any Peter Pan peanut butter
purchased since May 2006 and not to eat Great Value peanut butter
with a product code beginning with "2111" purchased since May 2006.
Peter Pan peanut butter is made in a single facility in Georgia.
Great Value peanut butter with a product code beginning with "2111"
is made in the same facility as Peter Pan peanut butter. Great Value
peanut butter made by other manufacturers is not affected.
As of 21 Feb 2007 at 12PM EST, 329 persons infected with the outbreak
strain of _Salmonella_ Tennessee have been reported to CDC from 41
states. Among 249 patients for whom clinical information is
available, 51 (21 percent) were hospitalized. No deaths have been
attributed to this infection. Onset dates, which are known for 224
patients, ranged from 1 Aug 2006 to 2 Feb 2007, and 60 percent of
these illnesses began after 1 Dec 2006.
FDA officials and the peanut butter manufacturer are working
collaboratively to learn more about production of peanut butter to
determine how it may have become contaminated.
The states that have reported cases are Alaska (1 case), Alabama
(10), Arkansas (3), Arizona (5), California (3), Colorado (10),
Connecticut (2), Florida (4), Georgia (18), Iowa (6), Illinois (7),
Indiana (14), Kansas (8), Kentucky (9), Massachusetts (5), Maryland
(2), Maine (1), Michigan (7), Minnesota (5), Missouri (16),
Mississippi (5), Montana (2), Nebraska (2), Nevada (1), New Jersey
(6), New Mexico (1), North Carolina (16), New York (34), Ohio (7),
Oklahoma (10), Oregon (2), Pennsylvania (25), South Carolina (6),
South Dakota (5), Tennessee (18), Texas (14), Virginia (23), Vermont
(4), Washington (4), Wisconsin (6), and West Virginia (2).
--
ProMED-mail
promed@promedmail.org
[Since the previous CDC report of Thu 15 Feb 2007, 39 more cases have
been linked to the outbreak and 2 more states (Florida with 4 cases
and Nevada with one case) have reported cases. - Mod. LL]
Date: Tue 20 Feb 2007
From: Brent Barrett
salbrent@sbcglobal.net
Source: Toronto Star [edited]
http://www.thestar.com/News/article/184056
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning Canadians about
a frozen creme brulee [a dessert consisting of a rich custard base
topped with a layer of hard caramel] that is suspected to have
poisoned nearly 190 people. The Cranberry Creme Brulee slabs,
manufactured by Selection du Pattisier in Quebec, is suspected to
contain staphylococcal toxin.
The manufacturer says the product was distributed in Quebec, but may
have also found its way onto store shelves across the country.
Selection du Pattisier is recalling the product, and the CFIA is
urging people who may have purchased it not to eat the frozen dessert.
The CFIA says food contaminated with _Staphylococcus aureus_ bacteria
may not look or smell spoiled, and that the toxin is difficult to
destroy at normal cooking temperatures.
The alert pertains to the following lot codes:
Selection du Patissier, frozen Cranberry creme brulee slab, sold in a
7.4 kg. (16.31 lbs) case that contains 2 x 42 pre-marked servings
slabs, bearing item number 00208 and UPC 1 06 22267 00208 4.
The individual slab is identified as a 3.7 kg. (8.15 lbs) package
bearing item number 00208 and UPC 6 22267 00208 7.
--
ProMED-mail
promed@promedmail.org
[The following is extracted from the USA FDA's Bad Bug Book regarding
staphylococcal food poisoning, a disease with an incubation period of
4-8 hours, that generally causes an illness with vomiting and little
fever
http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~mow/chap3.html
"In the diagnosis of staphylococcal foodborne illness, proper
interviews with the victims, and the gathering and analyzing of
epidemiological data, are essential. Incriminated foods should be
collected and examined for staphylococci. The presence of relatively
large numbers of enterotoxigenic staphylococci is good circumstantial
evidence that the food contains toxin. The most conclusive test is
the linking of an illness with a specific food, or, in cases where
multiple vehicles exist, the detection of the toxin in the food
sample(s).
In cases where the food may have been treated to kill the
staphylococci, as in pasteurization or heating, direct microscopic
observation of the food may be an aid in the diagnosis. A number of
serological methods for determining the enterotoxigenicity of _S.
aureus_ isolated from foods, as well as methods for the separation
and detection of toxins in foods, have been developed, and used
successfully, to aid in the diagnosis of the illness. Phage typing
may also be useful when viable staphylococci can be isolated from the
incriminated food, from victims, and from suspected carriers, such as
food handlers.
A toxin dose of less than 1.0 microgram in contaminated food will
produce symptoms of staphylococcal intoxication. This toxin level is
reached when _S. aureus_ populations exceed 100 000 per gram.
Foods that are frequently incriminated in staphylococcal food
poisoning include meat and meat products; poultry and egg products;
salads such as egg, tuna, chicken, potato, and macaroni; bakery
products such as cream-filled pastries, cream pies, and chocolate
eclairs; sandwich fillings; and milk and dairy products. Foods that
require considerable handling during preparation, and that are kept
at slightly elevated temperatures after preparation, are frequently
involved in staphylococcal food poisoning." - Mod.LL]
Israel gripped by Syria war fears
AFP
Thursday, February 22, 2007
by Jacques Pinto
A reported Syrian troop build-up near the Israeli-occupied Golan
Heights has fuelled speculation in Israel about a future conflict, more than
three decades after the two enemies last went to war.
Syrian armed forces appear to be moving closer to the armistice line as
Damascus spearheads an unprecendented armaments drive, shrieked
Israel's Haaretz newspaper from its front page Thursday.
"The Syrian armed forces are being strengthened in a way unprecedented
in recent memory with the help of generous funding from Iran," wrote
military affairs correspondent Zeev Schiff.
Brigadier General Yossi Beidatz, the head of military intelligence
research, has also warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is preparing for
conflict with Israel, possibly through Hezbollah, which fought a 34-day
war with Israel last year.
Haaretz said the main thrust of Syria's armaments drive was missiles
and long-range rockets, with its navy being bolstered by an Iranian
missile similar to one fired by Hezbollah, killing four Israeli sailors last
summer.
Syria is also close to concluding a deal with Russia to procure
thousands of advanced anti-tank missiles, of the sort Hezbollah used to such
lethal effect against Israeli armour last year, Haaretz reported.
"It appears that the Syrians have moved forces closer to the border
(armistice line) with Israel on the Golan Heights," wrote Schiff, noting
similar movements prior to the 1973 Arab-Israeli war.
Three decades ago, a coordinated Egyptian and Syrian assault caught
Israel totally off guard on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar,
triggering its deadliest conflict since independence in 1948.
Syria has test-fired ballistic missiles, such as a Scud-D
surface-to-surface missile, which would put most of Israel within range, Haaretz
reported.
Israel is still smarting from its deadly pounding by more than 4,000
Hezbollah rockets that killed some 40 civilians last summer.
But Defence Minister Amir Peretz was quoted by journalists as telling
military officials to "avoid making unnecessary comments" on Syria and
asking officers to steer clear of a "war of words" with Damascus.
"The situation in the field will be examined according to facts and the
Israel Defence Force will prepare itself accordingly," he was quoted as
saying.
One aide, Amos Gilad, said he saw no immediate danger of war but that
Syrian weapons purchases highlighted the need for Israel to remain
combat-ready.
"The fact that Syria is strengthening its military capabilities does
not mean we're going to be attacked tomorrow but certainly we need to be
prepared," Gilad told public radio.
"There is no danger of war. There is no deployment of forces indicating
that Israel would be threatened by an offensive tomorrow."
A northern command source agreed that Syria had beefed up its troops
along the armistice line as Israel did following the outbreak of war in
Lebanon.
"Since the end of the war, tension has remained high on both sides and
at a much higher level than it was before the war. There is much more
Israeli and Syrian daily military presence along the border today," the
official said.
But a source in the UN force in the Golan Heights charged with
monitoring the armistice denied any Syrian troop build-up and lashed out an
"alarmist Israeli media that repeatedly brings up the topic".
On Wednesday, Israel launched war games on the Golan Heights that
Peretz flatly denied were connected to fears of a new conflict with Syria.
Damascus has repeatedly demanded the return of the Golan, a strategic
plateau which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war
and unilaterally annexed in 1981. It is now home to more than 15,000
settlers.
Peace talks between Israel and Syria collapsed in 2000, in part because
of disputes over the return of the territory.
Copyright © 2007 Agence France Presse. All rights reserved.
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