Bangladesh president declares state of emergency
January 11, 2007
DHAKA, Bangladesh: Bangladesh's president on Thursday declared a state of emergency following weeks of violent protests and threats by a political alliance to disrupt coming general elections, his press secretary said.
President Iajuddin Ahmed was expected to address the nation shortly on television and radio to explain the step, Press Secretary Mukhlesur Rahman Chowdhury said.
An indefinite nighttime curfew has been imposed for the capital Dhaka and more than 60 other cities and towns beginning Thursday night, state-run TV station reported. The curfew will remain in force each night for six hours starting from 11 p.m. (1700 GMT) until dawn, the station reported quoting an announcement from the president's office.
In proclaiming the emergency the president said proclaimed "grave emergency exists in the country threatening public security and its economy," Chowdhury said.
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OTTAWA (CP) - Key U.S. security agencies warn that terrorists might exploit pictures of sensitive facilities such as airports that can be routinely viewed by the public through Internet feeds. A confidential assessment jointly prepared by the FBI and the U.S. Homeland Security Department says online webcams could be a valuable tool for extremists determined to attack critical targets.
The agencies urge government organizations and private-sector partners to "review the information available on their websites, and balance the public need for information with security concerns." The Jan. 10 assessment, obtained by The Canadian Press, was prompted by a recent Internet posting that provided a link to a live webcam at an Alaska airport.
The assessment says the webcam site allowed the viewer to control the camera, providing the ability to zoom in on the airport terminal and cargo areas. Airport authorities disabled the camera after being notified of the posting. Security officials have focused on bolstering air security since the 9-11 jetliner attacks on New York and Washington.
"The extremist website posting indicates continued terrorist interest in the aviation sector, and suggests that webcams may be a useful planning tool against critical infrastructure targets," says the joint assessment.
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http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/War_Terror/2007/01/11/3301129-cp.html