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Locked on 06/02/2005 9:39:58 PM PDT by Admin Moderator, reason:
locked for new thread http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1415532/posts |
Posted on 04/14/2005 4:02:23 PM PDT by nwctwx
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Thank you Oorang.
You're welcome. Unfortunately, judging from that photo, he could pass as a native south of the border.
Me too. Wonder if Knak, LiberallyConservative, BritishChick and a couple of others are lurking or have left us.
Actually, he would blend right in right here in the USA.
OTTAWA (CP) - The threat of an airliner being destroyed by a shoulder-fired missile has prompted federal security officials to quietly survey the country's airports to gauge the risk.
Transport Canada teamed up with the U.S. Transportation Security Administration to conduct the "vulnerability assessments" at major Canadian air facilities. The agencies are concerned about possible terrorist use of Man-Portable Air Defence Systems, or MANPADS - small missile launchers long found in conflict zones.
"It's a potential threat, and that's enough for us to take it seriously," said Vanessa Vermette, a Transport Canada spokeswoman.
The international teams began visiting airports early last year and Canadian officials continue to carry out the studies, Vermette said. She declined to reveal what facilities, or how many, were involved.
"We can't really confirm which airports have had assessments because that would just leave it open to which airports have not."
Officials visited Halifax International Airport for briefings and inspections on the MANPADS issue last December, said Gina Connell, a spokeswoman for the city's airport authority.
Citing security reasons, she declined to provide details.
The missile devices, about two metres in length and weighing some 15 kilograms, can be bought on the black market for anywhere from a few hundred dollars for older models to upwards of a quarter-million dollars for newer ones, says a recent U.S. Congressional Research Service report.
It is believed that dozens of aircraft have been hit by the portable weapons.
The U.S. report cites six possible incidents in which large turbojet airliners came under attack. In two cases the planes were destroyed, killing a total of 171 people.
Jacques Duchesneau, president of the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, underscored the concern about MANPADS in a speech last November.
"These weapons can be cheaply obtained, are easily carried and easily concealed."
Duchesneau noted that some suggest commercial aircraft, whose engines give off much less heat than military jets, are much harder for MANPADS to target, and question whether even a direct strike could take out a large plane.
"Honestly, though, I hope we never have to learn the hard way whether this is true," Duchesneau said.
"The fact that this past August two men were arrested and charged in New York State in a plot to purchase a shoulder-fired missile from an undercover agent demonstrates that we must exercise constant vigilance."
The Congressional Research Service report says most believe "no single solution exists" to the emerging problem.
It lists several options, including installation of defensive devices on planes, improving airport security and strengthening efforts to keep the missile launchers from spreading.
Transport Canada has worked with American counterparts on "a number of security initiatives," Vermette said.
"It's very much a knowledge-sharing kind of environment. And they've been doing their own research into things like anti-missile technology."
Canada is also working with other G-8 countries to develop means of countering the potential MANPADS threat.
Vermette declined to say whether any changes had been made to Canadian airports as a result of the evaluations done to date.
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/WarOnTerrorism/2005/05/24/1054138-cp.html
U.S. says Central American alert for al-Qaida suspects was a misunderstanding
MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) - An alert by El Salvador and Nicaragua on the possible presence of two al-Qaida terror suspects was a false alarm, U.S. officials said Tuesday.
"The Department of Homeland Security has no specific intelligence to support this claim, or previous claims that al-Qaida is active in Central America," said spokesman Brian Roehrkasse.
Excerpted
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/WarOnTerrorism/2005/05/24/1054281-ap.html
Mentality appears to be if you do not acknowledge them, they don't exist? I met a Christian Iraqi this past month in a large city who was here with his family to escape that mentality.
The movie Hotel Rwanda was very thought provoking and probably one of the best rentals we've seen in a long long time. Human life is so cheap in some countries and it breaks my heart to know the pain and suffering is neverending and so many innocent people are victims of heartless thugs who have allegiance with the devil himself.
Total agreement!
ON THE NET...
http://www.fbi.gov/mostwant/terrorists/terswedan.jpg
http://www.fbi.gov/mostwant/terrorists/terswedan.htm
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From Google:
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22Sheik+Swedan%22&btnG=Search&hl=en&lr=
smiling....Well, goody, no AQ there, so they are now where? Fill in the blanks ___________.
I never saw the movie, but I watch CBN ever so often and check their web site along with assistnews.net and persecution.org. Totally heartbreaking.
KANDAHAR: Six Afghan soldiers were reportedly killed in a mine blast in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar, a former stronghold of the ousted Taliban government.
Taliban spokesman Latif Hakimi, claiming responsibility for the blast, said six government soldiers including border check-post head Ibrahim were killed. But check-point commander Abdur Raziq, rejected the Taliban claim and said only one of his colleagues had received injuries in the explosion.
Giving details, he revealed the mine was planted by a man, who was seen crossing the border soon after the blast. “We chased him but the militia came to his rescue,” he alleged. Asked about the slaying of check-post head, Raziq replied: “Commander Ibrahim and other colleagues are alive and setting besides me.”
Meanwhile, an unidentified man was killed in a mine blast in the Khost province, police officials said. The man was planting a mine on the main road in Sanargai area of Bak district, 30 kilometer from the Khost City. Khost police chief Brig General Mohammad Ayub said investigations were underway; however, the man could not be identified as his body had been blown into pieces. Meanwhile, two suspected Taliban fighters were killed and a dozen arrested in separate operations in two districts of the southern Uruzgan province.
A top security official said on Tuesday a former commander was among the detainees held in the anti-insurgency crackdowns. Two insurgents were killed in the Dehrao district of Uruzgan, they added.
Kandahar Corps Commander General Muslim Hamid said they were grilling the 10 suspects arrested during the operation.
In another operation in the Charchino district, he said a Taliban commander Mullah Abdul Bari was apprehended along with two colleagues. He claimed a huge quantity of weapons and ammunition was recovered from them. General Muslim said government forces suffered no casualties in the operations, which were carried out on the basis of intelligence reports and tip-offs provided by residents of the two districts.
2008 Olympics in China! Beijing is preparing!
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1123648/posts
"IRAQ link to AlQuaida"
"TREASURY DEPARTMENT RELEASES LIST OF 39 ADDITIONAL SPECIALLY DESIGNATED GLOBAL TERRORISTS ^ | October 12 2001 | US Treasury"
Posted on 04/24/2004 4:43:56 AM PDT by ABrit
Un*$#@)believable!
They're probably wrapped up getting those $3.00 snack packs ready for hungry travelers? (sarcasm)
5 Navy ships leave for Middle East
Water to be diverted from Russia to China?
Off Topic: Daimler-Chrysler to assemble Mercedes in Russia
Some of the "official statements" given are just plain lame IMHO. Are they playing down potential threats or operating in some kind of fog, delusion, or euphoria?
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