Threat Matrix: May 2007

Previous Thread ^

[nwctwx]

U.S. Seeks Closing of Visa Loophole for Britons
-Full Story-

Omar Khyam, the ringleader of the thwarted London bomb plot who was sentenced to life imprisonment on Monday, showed the potential for disaffected young men to be lured as terrorists, a threat that British officials said they would have to contend with for a generation.

But the 25-year-old Mr. Khyam, a Briton of Pakistani descent, also personifies a larger and more immediate concern: as a British citizen, he could have entered the United States without a visa, like many of an estimated 800,000 other Britons of Pakistani origin.

American officials, citing the number of terror plots in Britain involving Britons with ties to Pakistan, expressed concern over the visa loophole. In recent months, the homeland security secretary, Michael Chertoff, has opened talks with the government here on how to curb the access of British citizens of Pakistani origin to the United States.

	How the Plot Came Together
	Briefing on Release of 2006 Country Reports on Terrorism
	Iran to Tell Coalition Forces to Leave Iraq at Summit in Egypt

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[Cindy]

Thanks to a special freepmailer for pointing to this article:

Off Topic, but fyi:

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=local&id=5352065

“Salem Reactors Off-Line”

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “LOWER ALLOWAYS CREEK TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) - May 30, 2007 - Two of the three reactors at the Salem nuclear power plant were off-line Wednesday following two unrelated incidents over the past several days.”

[Cindy]

Thanks to F15 Eagle for the ping to this thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1842444/posts

“Border Patrol Agent shoots and kills suspected immigrant smuggler”
NBC 7/39 San Diego, Fox 6 San Diego (broadcast only)

Posted on 05/31/2007 6:49:54 AM PDT by Squeako

[Cindy]

Thanks to F15 Eagle for the ping to this thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1842599/posts

“MUSHARRAF IN TROUBLED WATERS”
MSNBC.Com ^ | Posted: Thursday, May 31, 2007 7:39 AM | By NBC News’ Fakhar ur-Rehman and Carol Grisanti in Islamabad

Posted on 05/31/2007 10:26:24 AM PDT by F15Eagle

[Cindy]

Note: The following thread is a quote:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1842473/posts

Malaysia’s Lina Joy loses Islam conversion case
Boston.Com - World News ^ | May 30, 2007 | By Jalil Hamid and Syed Azman

Posted on 05/31/2007 7:34:21 AM PDT by F15Eagle

PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia (Reuters) - Malaysia’s best known Christian convert, Lina Joy, lost a six-year battle on Wednesday to have the word “Islam” removed from her identity card, after the country’s highest court rejected the change.

The ruling threatens to further polarize Malaysian society between non-Muslims who feel that their constitutional right to religious freedom is being eroded, and Muslims who believe that civil courts have no right to meddle in Islamic affairs.

“You can’t at whim and fancy convert from one religion to another,” Federal Court Chief Justice Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim said in delivering judgment in the case, which has stirred religious tensions in the mainly Muslim nation.

(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=france

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1842115/posts?page=10#10

#

Thanks to WestCoastGal for the ping to this post:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1842115/posts

“Observer fears Islamic takeover of France imminent”
OneNewsNow.com ^ | May 30, 2007 | Chad Groening

Posted on 05/30/2007 1:54:49 PM PDT by GFritsch

[Cindy]

http://www.fbi.gov

#

http://counterterrorismblog.org/2007/05/fbi_claims_high_tempo_of_terro.php

“FBI Claims ‘High Tempo of Terrorist Activity’ in U.S.”
By James Gordon Meek
(May 31, 2007)

#

http://counterterrorismblog.org/2007/05/fbi_american_al_qaeda_is_a_too.php

“FBI: American Al Qaeda is a ‘Tool’”
By James Gordon Meek
(May 30, 2007)

[Cindy]

US-CERT.GOV
http://www.us-cert.gov

#

http://www.fbi.gov/cyberinvest/computer_intrusions.htm

“Computer Intrusions
Bots. Worms. Viruses. Spyware. Malware. Hacking.”

[Cindy]

Off-Topic, but fyi:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1842668/posts

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,276720,00.html

“Michigan Man Fined for Using Coffee Shop’s Wi-Fi Network”
Thursday, May 31, 2007
By Sara Bonisteel

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “His troubles began in March, a couple of weeks after he had bought his first laptop computer.

Peterson, a 39-year-old tool maker, volunteer firefighter and secretary of a bagpipe band, wanted to use his 30-minute lunch hour to check e-mails for his bagpipe group.

He got on the Internet by tapping into the local coffee shop’s wireless network, but instead of going inside the shop to use the free Wi-Fi offered to paying customers, he chose to remain in his car and piggyback off the network, which he said didn’t require a password.”

[Cindy]

http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/016701.php

May 31, 2007
“Ticket to an American University or Ticket to Paradise?”

#

http://www.womenswallstreet.com/columns/column.aspx?aid=1222

“Ticket to an American University or Ticket to Paradise?”
The Mysterious Case of Missing Saudi Student Anwar Al——

By Annie Jacobsen
5/29/2007

[all4one]

TB Patient Update:

TB Patient In-Law Works at Lab that Studies TB (5/31/07)

By GREG BLUESTEIN, Associated Press Writer

ATLANTA (AP) - May 31, 2007 - The honeymooner quarantined with a dangerous strain of tuberculosis was identified Thursday as a 31-year-old Atlanta personal injury lawyer whose new father-in-law is a CDC microbiologist specializing in the spread of TB.

Bob Cooksey would not comment on whether he reported his son-in-law, 31-year-old Andrew Speaker, to federal health authorities. He said only that he gave Speaker "fatherly advice" when he learned the young man had contracted the disease.

In a statement issued through the CDC, Cooksey also said that neither he nor his CDC laboratory was the source of the TB bacteria that infected his son-in-law....

The CDC had no immediate comment on how the case came to the attention of federal health authorities....

Link to Full Article

[Cindy]

Interesting.
Thank you all4one.

[Cindy]

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=46232

New Scam Targets Military Spouses

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 31, 2007 – The American Red Cross is warning military spouses about a new identity-theft scam that targets family members of deployed troops.

The Red Cross was alerted of the scam earlier this month, said Devorah Goldburg of the Red Cross.

The scam involves a person with an American accent calling a military spouse, identifying herself as a representative of the Red Cross, and telling the spouse that her husband was hurt in Iraq and was medically evacuated to Germany. The caller then says that doctors can’t start treatment until paperwork is completed, and that to start the paperwork they need the spouse to verify her husband’s social security number and date of birth.

It is hard to determine how many spouses have been targeted by this scam, Goldburg said, as there are many ways for spouses to report problems like this. However, one confirmed report was enough for the Red Cross to act, she said.

“We know that it happened to one person; it was probably going to happen to others, and we wanted to be prudent and alert people,” she said.

American Red Cross representatives typically do not contact military members or dependents directly and almost always go through a commander or first sergeant, according to a Red Cross news release. Military family members are urged not to give out any personal information over the phone if contacted by unknown individuals, including confirmation that their spouse is deployed.

In addition, Red Cross representatives contact military members or dependents directly only in response to an emergency message initiated by a family member, the news release said. The Red Cross does not report any type of casualty information to family members; the Defense Department will contact families directly about family members’ injuries.

It is a federal crime, punishable by up to five years in prison, for a person to fraudulently pretend to be a member of, or an agent for, the American Red Cross for the purpose of soliciting, collecting, or receiving money or material, according to the news release. Any military family member that receives such a call is urged to report it to their local family readiness group or military personnel flight.

[Cindy]

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=46242

Militia Commander’s Capture Highlights Recent Iraq Operations

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 31, 2007 – Iraqi troops captured a militia commander, a U.S. helicopter crew destroyed a heavily armed vehicle, and an Iraqi police chief and more than a dozen associates have been arrested, military officials reported.

Iraqi special operations forces apprehended a commander in radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr’s illegal militia during an early morning raid in Kadamiyah, a central suburb of Baghdad, yesterday.

The suspect allegedly is responsible for providing financial, logistical and political support for insurgent groups and terrorist organizations. He also is suspected of managing operations to murder and intimidate local Iraqis, ordering several attacks on coalition forces, and overseeing the training of insurgent recruits.

No coalition or Iraqi forces were injured in the operation.

Also yesterday, a team of Apache attack helicopter pilots destroyed a heavily armed vehicle south of Radwaniyah.

The Apache team from the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade spotted the vehicle near a canal. The vehicle had a heavy machine gun mount attached to the bed of the truck and reinforced sidewalls with gun ports.

The Apaches fired two Hellfire missiles and destroyed the vehicle. No civilians were injured.

On May 29, the district police chief of Hit, Hamid Ibrahim Jazaa, along with his brother and 14 bodyguards, were apprehended by coalition forces after an investigation into murder, corruption and crimes against the Iraqi people. All are being held in coalition custody.

(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)

[Cindy]

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=46244

Afghan National Police Detain Ghazni Area Taliban Commander

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 31, 2007 – Afghan National Police and Coalition forces captured Haji Salam, a Ghazni area Taliban sub-commander and improvised explosive device expert, during early morning operations in the village of Gawmesak.

Salam reportedly IS responsible for bombings that have killed dozens of Afghan women and children.

In other Afghan operations today, Afghan and coalition forces detained three suspected Taliban militants in a raid on a compound in the Khost district of Khowst province.

Coalition forces believed the compound was housing known Taliban operatives. Residents were found trying to hide Taliban identification cards as the forces approached.

No injuries were reported in either of the operations.

In operations yesterday, Afghan and coalition forces killed six Taliban militants in a firefight in the mountains west of Jalalabad City. One other militant was injured. Four militants were detained for questioning.

(Compiled from Combined Joint Task Force 82 news releases.)

[Cindy]

http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/016695.php

May 31, 2007
“EU to strengthen surveillance of terrorist websites”
(EU OBSERVER)

[Cindy]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6704591.stm

Last Updated: Wednesday, 30 May 2007, 19:10 GMT 20:10 UK

“Wife ‘urged man to die a martyr’”

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Maybe one day I can follow you - if I can’t, I will send our son to you so he can follow his father’s footsteps
Extract from letter read to court”

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “The letter, which was read to the jury, said:

“The moment has come that you and I have to separate for the sake of Allah.

“I am so proud of my husband. I am happy that Allah has granted you the chance to be a martyr.

“I am writing to let you know that you have my support and to remind you to be strong and do not let Satan influence you... to remind you that jihad is now compulsory and we are now obligated to protect Islam, to help our brothers and sisters to fight the kuffar [non-believer].

“I really wish I could go with you because I too feel obligated. I’d like to participate in any way I can.

“Everything happens with the will of Allah. Maybe one day I can follow you. If I can’t, I will send our son to you so he can follow his father’s footsteps.””

[Cindy]

More details...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1842698/posts

“Man fatally shot in struggle with Border Patrol agent”
SD Union Tribune ^

Posted on 05/31/2007 2:08:18 PM PDT by Omega Man II

By Debbi Farr Baker

UNION-TRIBUNE BREAKING NEWS TEAM

1:32 p.m. May 31, 2007

ESCONDIDO

[WestCoastGal]

All residents of San Antonio and Bexar County and those who have no other means of obtaining TB services such as visitors, immigrants and new arrivals. Referrals from private physicians, hospitals and other agencies remain closely coordinated.

http://www.sanantonio.gov/health/tb/index.asp?res=800&ver=true

Local Man May Have Been Exposed To TB

POSTED: 12:46 pm CDT May 31, 2007

SAN ANTONIO — A man was recently hospitalized for possible exposure to tuberculosis, Metropolitan Methodist Hospital officials said Thursday.

But hospital officials stressed there was no evidence to suggest that the man was exposed to the highly-contagious disease.

Tests were conducted on the man and he is recovering at home and is being monitored by local health officials.

**************
Note Just reported on TV that this man has been in contact with at least 500 people. They “think” he does not have the drug resistant strain that the honeymooner did.

Thank you Washington DC for all these new additions to our country doing the work that Americans won't and bringing the diseases back that we eradicated years ago.

[WestCoastGal]

WOW

Just a coincidink I suppose!

And the fact that he “ONLY” gave him fatherly advice instead of facing him with the facts that he could and would infect many people while traveling is shameful.

[Rushmore Rocks]

This man, his family and in-laws obviously have some financial resources. Why in the he** didn’t they charter a private (medically equiped) plane to get him back to this country? I know it’s terribly expensive (been there, done that), but he would not be putting others in jeopardy that way.

And it would have certainly been less expensive than paying all the lawsuits he will surely face.

This “me first” society we are looking at sickens me.