Threat Matrix: June 2007

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[nwctwx]

British Intelligence: Al-Qaida Expanding
-Full Story-

British intelligence officials said they believe that al-Qaida has a secure base in Pakistan's Waziristan region and is planning terrorist operations.

The group is reaching out to Muslims in North Africa, The Telegraph reported. Last year, the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat, an Algerian terrorist group, merged itself into al-Qaida, a move announced by Osama bin Laden's chief lieutenant, Ayman al-Zawahiri, in a tape promising action against the "apostates" in the Algerian government and "the treacherous sons of France."

Al-Qaida is also believed to be planning expansion into Lebanon and Syria, the newspaper report said.

	U.S. Battles al-Qaida in Baghdad
	U.S. Terror Expert Says Nuclear Risk Low
	Is North African Militant New Face of al-Qaida?

Thread Forty-Nine

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[Cindy]

June 4, 2007

http://www.euronews.net/index.php?page=info&article=425833&lng=1

Turkey
04/06 19:34 CET
“Kurdish rebels blamed for deadly Turkey attack”

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “At least seven paramilitary police officers have been killed in eastern Turkey, in an attack blamed on the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party.

A group thought to belong to the separatist PKK drove into a police complex in the province of Tunceli, opened fire and threw a grenade. Security sources say one of the rebels was also killed.”

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “The attack is the second big assault on Turkish forces in two weeks and looks set to exacerbate political and security tensions ahead of parliamentary elections in Turkey next month.”

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=borderpatrol
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=border
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=borders

#

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1845019/posts

~

http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0605/p03s03-ussc.html

“Shooting case has border agents on edge
Morale slides, says union, in wake of prison time for two agents who used deadly force.”

By Daniel Gilbert | Contributor to The Christian Science Monitor
Artesia, N.M.

[Cindy]

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.ice.gov/pi/news/newsreleases/articles/070601harlingen.htm

June 1, 2007

ICE, CBP make joint significant ammunition and assault-rifle seizure
Enforcement activity part of the Rio Grande Valley “BEST” initiative

HARLINGEN, Texas - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Rio Grande Valley Border Enforcement Security Task force (BEST) members and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) yesterday arrested four Mexican men for attempting to smuggle ammunition and high-powered rifles through the Pharr Port of Entry.

Jose Hernandez, 50, and Luis Hernandez, 18, were spotted Wednesday by BEST team members purchasing ammunition from a number of McAllen, Texas, stores. After making their purchases, both drove to an undisclosed nearby location to load the ammunition onto a tractor-trailer driven by Fernando Venegas, 48. A short time later, Venegas also allegedly attempted to smuggle assault rifles as well. During a routine inspection of the vehicle, CBP officers detected discrepancies inside the vehicle’s sleeper cab and discovered more than 3,700 rounds of ammunition and several dozen assault rifles. Venegas was arrested without incident at the port. Also arrested for his involvement in the criminal activity was Pedro Lopez-Lopez.

A federal judge in McAllen yesterday charged all four with violating the Arms Export Control Act, Gun Control Act of 1968, conducting a firearms business without a license, and conspiracy. All four will remain in federal custody until the investigation is completed.

“The arrest of these four suspects demonstrates the BEST team’s dedication to pursue those who pose a threat to public safety and the well being of our communities,” said Janice Ayala, acting special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in San Antonio. “We will continue to target criminal organizations, and ensure compliance with our immigration and customs laws and make certain that our nation’s borders are secure at all times.”

David Higgins, CBP Port Director for Pharr and Hidalgo commended his officers for doing an excellent job. “This is a significant enforcement action and is an example of what we do best.”

The Rio Grande Valley’s BEST task force is a Department of Homeland Security intelligence driven, interagency federal and state and local taskforce composed of special agents and officers from: ICE; CBP; Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General; the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the FBI; Cameron County Sheriff’s Office; the Harlingen Police Department; and other state and local law enforcement agencies.

“BEST” BACKGROUND
The RGV BEST team, now based in the ICE office in Harlingen, Texas, was first established in Laredo, Texas, in July 2005. The BEST Laredo team was formalized by the Department of Homeland Security in response to significantly increased border crime and violence in the south Texas border area, specifically in the adjacent border cities of Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, and Laredo, Texas. This crime increase has been attributed to the ongoing battle between the Gulf and the Sinaloa drug cartels.

The drug cartels’ struggle for power was so marked in its use of violence, extortion and corruption, it resulted in destabilizing the city of Nuevo Laredo. The BEST teams (also located in, El Paso, Arizona and California) target the primary criminal activity or criminal threats identified in their respective areas of responsibilities.

The Laredo BEST team remains focused on eliminating violent crime attributed to cross-border smuggling activity by developing and/or improving existing working partnerships with U.S. agencies (primarily CBP, ATF, DEA, FBI and Laredo PD) and Mexican intelligence and law enforcement agencies (PFP and CISEN), which are all BEST participants.

This international collaboration has already resulted in impressive arrests and contraband seizures, on both sides of the border. The Laredo BEST team has been directly responsible for deporting individuals wanted for murder and horrific acts of violence, on both sides of the border. Additionally, it has resulted in revoking or not issuing visas to individuals suspected or confirmed to be involved in large-scale criminal activity.

Since its inception, the Laredo BEST team has been responsible for 74 criminal arrests, which include seven individuals wanted for murders in Laredo, and three in Mexico. Also, the task force has been responsible for seizing: more than $4 million dollars, 1049 lbs. of marijuana, 355 lbs. of cocaine, 42 assault rifles, 12 live hand grenades and/or improvised explosive devices (IEDs), five shotguns, 25 handguns, eight silencers, significant amounts of gun parts and 1 1/2 pounds of methamphetamines. Additionally, components to make over 100 more IEDs have been seized.

In Mexico, Proyecto Frontera Norte attributes the following statistics to their partnership with ICE: 97 criminal arrests, 69 undocumented immigrants apprehensions, and 111 firearms, 146 magazines, 6838 rounds of ammunition, 44 vehicles, more than 1100 lbs. of marijuana, $34,564 and more than 237,880 pesos seized.

— ICE —

[Cindy]

Note: The following text is a quote:

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.ice.gov/pi/news/newsreleases/articles/070601sa.htm

June 01, 2007

ICE agents arrest mother and 2 daughters for human trafficking

Women allegedly enticed Mexican girls into the U.S. and forced them to work as prostitutes

SAN ANTONIO - A woman and her two daughters were ordered detained without bond this morning for engaging in sex trafficking of children. U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton, Western District of Texas, made the announcement. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) investigated the case.

Isabel Consuelo Ochoa, 59 and her daughters Consuelo Pilar Ochoa, 32 and Maria de Jesus Ochoa, 29, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge John Primomo. The detention hearing followed their May 25 arrest at their home. All three women were charged with Sex Trafficking of Children by Force, Fraud or Coercion. Based on the ongoing investigation and the victims’ statements, it is alleged that the defendants traveled to Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, to recruit young girls to work as prostitutes in the San Antonio area.

After arriving in Mexico, the women allegedly enticed young girls to return with them to the United States claiming they would work as escorts but would not be required to have sex with men. Of the three known victims the Ochoa women recruited, two were illegal immigrants who the defendants paid smugglers to illegally cross into the United States; one victim possessed border-crossing documents. The victims in this case are 15, 17, and 22 years old.

After arriving in the in the United States, the victims were told they would have to work as prostitutes for five years to repay the money the defendants had spent. Allegedly the money was spent on smuggling and other expenses they incurred to prepare the young women to be prostitutes. The victims told ICE agents that they were scared to leave because a male associate of the Ochoa’s had threatened them with a gun; he also stated that he could find them and their families back in Mexico, and he would have them killed.

This is an ongoing ICE investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bill Baumann and Charles Jenkins, Western District of Texas are prosecuting it.

A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until convicted.

— ICE —

[Cindy]

UPDATE to post no. 145:

http://www.turnto23.com/news/13442054/detail.html

Explosion Rocks Mojave Air, Space Port

“Federal Agencies Conducting Criminal Investigation”

POSTED: 5:47 pm PDT June 4, 2007
UPDATED: 6:34 pm PDT June 4, 2007

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. —

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms are assisting the Kern County Sheriff’s Department’s Bomb Squad with the investigation into what caused the explosion.

Investigators said there is no indication the explosion was deliberately set. However, they are treating the explosion site as a crime scene to preserve evidence.”

###

http://www.bakersfield.com/102/story/157176.html

“Mojave explosion not seen to have been set on purpose”
BY JASON KOTOWSKI, Californian staff writer
e-mail: jkotowski@bakersfield.com | Monday, Jun 4 2007 10:30 PM
Last Updated: Monday, Jun 4 2007 10:36 PM

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Some of the explosives destroyed Sunday were being stored for customers, but Langner said the majority of the explosives were owned by the company. He did not have a loss estimate.”

[Cindy]

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

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

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

#

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1843368/posts

“The back door for terrorists”
International Herald Tribune ^ | June 1, 2007 | Richard A. Clarke

Posted on 06/01/2007 3:37:16 PM PDT by OneHun

[Cindy]

http://www.therothshow.com

#

Commentaries:

http://newswithviews.com/Roth/laurie63.htm

“DONT QUESTION THINGS, JUST LOOK THE OTHER WAY”
By Dr. Laurie Roth Ph.D.
June 1, 2007
NewsWithViews.com

~

http://newswithviews.com/Roth/laurie62.htm

“HOW LONG WILL OUR MEDIA & GOVN’T. SLEEP?”
By Dr. Laurie Roth Ph.D.
May 25, 2007
NewsWithViews.com

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1845031/posts

“1967 Middle East War—This week in history.”
BBC ^

Posted on 06/05/2007 1:39:04 AM PDT by Jedi Master Pikachu

[Cindy]

http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=28581

“Allied Assassins?”
By Julia Gorin
FrontPageMagazine.com | June 5, 2007

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “As George W. Bush and Condoleezza Rice court Albania and Albania-to-be (Kosovo) – discussing Albania’s entry into NATO, Kosovo’s independence and any number of other cooperative military, intelligence and economic agreements –
explosives were found Wednesday in two places in downtown Tirana, one close to the U.S. Embassy, days before the U.S. president is due to visit, police said.

A plastic bag containing a few grams of explosives was found at 2 p.m. (1200 GMT) in a courtyard at the economics faculty of Tirana University, about 100 meters (yards) from the U.S. Embassy, according to a police statement. Experts later carried out a controlled explosion.

Half an hour later, a package containing 30 grams (1 ounce) of explosives was found at Mother Teresa Square, near the office of President Alfred Moisiu…Albanian and U.S. intelligence services are collaborating closely ahead of the visit of U.S. President George W. Bush June 10.

Bush is the first U.S. president to visit Albania.”

[Cindy]

http://www.frontpagemagazine.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=28602

“Remembering The Six-Day War”
By David Meir-Levi
FrontPageMagazine.com | June 5, 2007

[Cindy]

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

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

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

###

http://www.washingtontimes.com/world/20070605-121517-7394r.htm

“Taliban uses weapons made in China, Iran”
By Philip Smucker
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
June 5, 2007

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “KABUL, Afghanistan — Sophisticated new weapons, including Chinese anti-aircraft missiles as well as items made in Iran, are reaching Taliban forces in Afghanistan, according to government officials and other sources.”

[Cindy]

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

#

UPDATE:

Note: The following post is a quote:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1845045/posts

Pakistan police arrest 2 in Daniel Pearl murder
Associated Press (excerpt) ^ | June 5, 2007 | Zarar Khan

Posted on 06/05/2007 2:54:51 AM PDT by HAL9000

Excerpt -

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Police said Tuesday they have arrested two men suspected of involvement in the 2002 kidnapping and murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl.
Attaur Rehman and Faisal Bhatti were arrested Monday in Kashmor, a town some 300 miles northeast of Karachi, said Saghir Mugheri, an area police officer.

Mugheri said both men were alleged members of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, a militant organization linked to al-Qaida.

A senior detective among the team investigating Pearl’s case said Rehman was suspected of leading the gang that kidnapped Pearl in Karachi on Jan. 23, 2002.

Rehman, also known as Naim Bukhari, supervised the reporter’s detention in a shack where he was held for several days before he was killed, said the detective, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media.

~ snip ~

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...

[Cindy]

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

#

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1845044/posts

“Yuma Border Patrol has rough Monday”
The Yuma Sun ^ | June 4, 2007 | Nicole E. Squibbs

Posted on 06/05/2007 2:50:35 AM PDT by Baladas

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Yuma area Border Patrol agents had their hands full Monday morning with rock and firebomb throwers, including an arsonist who started a fire in a wheat field, the patrol said. No agents were injured in any of the incidents that occurred near the U.S. Port of Entry at San Luis, Ariz., the patrol said, and the city’s fire department put out the fire before it could spread.

The first incident occurred at 1:20 a.m. about a half-mile east of the port, when agents encountered a group of five suspected illegal immigrants, who turned around and headed back to Mexico when they saw the agents. Once across the border, they began throwing rocks at the agents, who withdrew to a safe distance and contacted Mexican authorities, according to a Border Patrol news release.

Ten minutes later, an agent saw a Molotov cocktail being thrown from Mexico over the international boundary fence about a mile west of the port of entry. It landed about 30 yards from the agent’s truck and burned out. Then, several people in Mexico threw rocks directly at the agent, who drove to a safe location behind the secondary fence and contacted Mexican authorities, the release said.

At 3 a.m., an agent observed the fire burning in the agricultural fields west of San Luis and near County 23rd Street. The San Luis Fire Department was called and extinguished the fire, which was limited to a wheat field.

The patrol believes the fire was set to disrupt Border Patrol operations. The agent followed two individuals’ footprints from the site of the fire back toward Mexico, according to the release.”

[Cindy]

Watching Laura Mansfield on Fox and Friends on Fox News.com

(http://www.lauramansfield.com ; http://www.foxnews.com )

[Cindy]

http://www.truthusa.com/IRAN.html
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=iran
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=ahmadinejad
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=nuclear

#

Note: The following post is a quote:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1845054/posts

Iran: Too late to stop nuke program
ap ^ | 6/5/07 | ap

Posted on 06/05/2007 3:32:22 AM PDT by Flavius

TEHRAN, Iran - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday it was “too late” to stop Iran’s nuclear program and urged the West and the United States to abandon their “arrogant policies” of setting conditions.

Despite pressure, Iran has only become stronger, Ahmadinejad said at a news conference.

The Iranian president also appeared to dismiss ambitions of using the controversial nuclear program for weapons making.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...

[Cindy]

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

###

http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=68&art_id=nw20070604110905544C846018

“Somali pirates kill captured crew member”

June 04 2007 at 01:20PM

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Somali pirates who have been holding a Taiwan-flagged fishing vessel since mid-May killed one of the 16 crew members because the ship’s owners have not paid a ransom, a maritime official said on Monday.”

[Cindy]

QUOTE - SNIPPET - REPORT - THE WEEKLY PIRACY REPORT:

http://www.icc-ccs.org/prc/piracyreport.php

Weekly Piracy Report
30 May-5 June 2007

The following is a summary of the daily reports broadcast by the IMB’s Piracy Reporting Centre to ships in Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean Regions on the SafetyNET service of Inmarsat-C from 30 May to 5 June 2007.

ALERT

Chittagong anchorage, Bangladesh
Forty seven incidents have been reported since 28.01.2006. Pirates are targeting ships preparing to anchor. Ships are advised to take extra precautions.

The 2006 Annual IMB Report on Piracy and Armed Attacks against Ships is now published. Please see the end of this page to order.

Suspicious crafts

18.04.2007: 2320 LT: Entrance Cartagena Colombia.
A container ship, while disembarking her pilot on the port side noticed, on radar, one unlit suspicious boat approaching from the stbd side at high speed. The master alerted the crew. The boat came very close to the vessel (about 10 m from the hull). On seeing the alert crew on ship’s side, the boat retreated and disappeared into the darkness. The master informed the Centre to alert other vessels calling Cartagena, Colombia.

Recently reported incidents

01.06.2007: Evening hrs: Enroute Sharjah to Mombasa.
Pirates in three boats boarded a general cargo ship underway and hijacked it. Coalition forces aircraft noticed the vessel with the three boats in tow heading towards the Somali coast. The ship has been anchored off the coast of Hobyo. Further details are awaited.

31.05.2007: 2243 UTC: Posn 06:50.2S - 039:37.3E, 22 NM off Dar es Salaam Pilot Station, Tanzania.
Pirates, in two boats with ten persons in each boat attempted to board a container ship, drifting, while waiting for pilot to board. Alert crew raised alarm and the attempt was aborted.

30.05.2007: 0400 LT: Posn 01:18.90N - 104:07.70E, Johor Anchorage, Malaysia.
Six robbers armed with knives boarded a container ship and forced their way into the engine room by breaking the padlocks on the doors. They tied up two-duty crew. They stole spare parts and escaped when the alarm was raised.

25.05.07: off the coast of Somalia
An Indian dhow was hijacked while underway from Kismayo to Mogadishu. More details are awaited.

21.04.2007: 1930 LT: Posn 01:25N - 104:20E, 2.5 NM East of Tanjung Punggai, Malaysia.
10 masked pirates armed with pistols and long knives boarded a tanker underway from a speedboat. They stole cash and ships property and escaped. No injury to crew

[Cindy]

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

#

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1845057/posts

“Butcher contracts pig-borne disease”
herald sun ^ | 5/26/07 | From correspondents in Hong Kong

Posted on 06/05/2007 3:46:15 AM PDT by Flavius

#

Note: The following post is a quote:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1845056/posts

China urges vaccination against disease that has killed 18,000 pigs-(we buy food from them)
afp ^ | 6/5/07 | afp

Posted on 06/05/2007 3:39:52 AM PDT by Flavius

BEIJING (AFP) - A disease that has killed 18,000 pigs and helped send pork prices soaring in China is likely to get worse, the government said Tuesday, as it called for a vaccination drive to stem the epidemic.

Over 45,000 pigs have been hit by the highly pathogenic “blue-ear disease” between January and May, even before the peak season of the summer and fall has started, the Ministry of Agriculture said on its websit

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...

#

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1830033/posts

“Epidemic Is Killing Pigs in Southeastern China”
New York Times ^ | May 7, 2007 | Keith Bradsher

Posted on 05/08/2007 1:31:16 AM PDT by Cyropaedia

HONG KONG, May 7

[Cindy]

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_1161.html

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
This information is current as of today, Tue Jun 05 2007 04:04:10 GMT-0700.

Worldwide Caution

April 10, 2007

[Cindy]

PERSECUTION.ORG
http://www.persecution.org