NEW THREAD PING
Thanks much.
Thank you for the new thread, it is perfect.
The prior threads in this series are:
World Terrorism prior threads:
WT Thread #1: [Started on January 1, 2006]
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1550424/posts?page=4809
WT Thread #2: [The communist manifesto, muslim manifesto and list of elected in U.S. who belong to the Socialist party, on the first page of the thread]
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1607641/posts?q=1&&page=4951
Thread #3:
Beginning of Israel/Lebanon War and so much more.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1650751/posts?q=1&&page=4601
Thread #4:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1679491/posts?q=1&&page=1
Thread #5:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1711256/posts?q=1&&page=1
Thread #6:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/1754972/posts?q=1&&page=5151
Thanks to Davey we have a new thread to fill up............
Lots of work to do too.....
Anti-Terrorism News
Update: (Iraq) Female Suicide Bomber strikes Baghdad college; 41 dead
-- witnesses said a woman carried out the attack at the business school
annex to Mustansiriyah University
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/iraq;_ylt=AsLlF3B2W9ICiayaWwBGrG9X6GMA
(Israel) Female suicide bomber caught near Jenin on Feb. 7
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1171894513573&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
Iran: U.S. Is in No Position to Attack
http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=2488947&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.4.1
Pirates hijack UN ship near Somalia
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=87&art_id=nw20070225221636602C662354
Hezbollah regroups in a new mountain stronghold - Hezbollah building
new line of defences in mountains north of Litani river —
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article1438090.ece
Algeria to try deported terror suspects
http://society.guardian.co.uk/asylumseekers/story/0,,2021566,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=1
U.S. Says Raid in Iraq Supports Claim on Iran - Raid on Shiite cache in
Hilla raises questions, but past errors lead to doubt
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/26/world/middleeast/26weapons.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
The Mysterious Mullah Omar - Newsweek: Mullah Omar sending messages to
Taliban commanders and preparing assault
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17313122/site/newsweek/
Iraq official says Iran has stopped meddling - Iraq's national security
adviser, a Shiite, says Iran has stopped interfering in recent weeks
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/02/25/iraq.iran/index.html?section=cnn_latest
Egypt canal fails to drain Sinai militancy - Egypt's Al Salam Canal
fails to stem rising militancy
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0226/p05s01-wome.html
Tehran to host conference on Latin America on Tuesday
http://www2.irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-235/0702244328123846.htm
Tehran to host conference on Latin America on Tuesday
Tehran, Feb 24, IRNA
Iran-Latin America-Conference
Deputy Foreign Minister for Education and Research Affairs Manouchehr
Mohammadi said here Saturday that a day-long conference on Latin
America
will be held in Tehran on Tuesday, February 27.
Speaking to reporters at a press conference, Mohammadi said the purpose
of the conference is to update Iranians with developments in Latin
America.
He said that 65 articles, including 35 domestic and 30 foreign ones,
have been received by the secretariat of the conference for inclusion
in
the conference's topics of discussion.
Of the 65 articles, 40 have been accepted and will be presented in the
conference.
According to the deputy foreign minister, representatives from 10
countries have signified their desire to participate in the confab.
Articles written by experts from Venezuela, Brazil, Cuba, Colombia,
Argentina, Uruguay, Ecuador, Italy, Russia and China will be taken up
in
the conference, it was further learned.
Cuba's minister of external trade will be among participants in the
conference.
An exhibition of documents of cooperation signed between Iran and Latin
American states will be held on the sidelines of the conference.
[unknown url, from a Pilot's newsletter]
VP's plane has minor electrical problem
SINGAPORE - Vice President Dick Cheney's plane left Singapore on Sunday
after a scheduled refueling stop and repairs to a minor mechanical
problem
experienced on an earlier flight from Sydney, officials said.
The plane was on the ground at Singapore's Paya Lebar Air Base for an
hour
and 40 minutes.
A U.S. Embassy spokeswoman said the electrical glitch was fixed while
the
plane was at the military base, although she could not elaborate on
what the
problem was. She spoke on condition of anonymity, in line with embassy
policy.
Cheney did not leave the plane or meet any officials during his brief
stop
in the city-state.
Earlier, a White House spokeswoman said the plane, which left Sydney on
Sunday morning, was "fine" and that the stop in Singapore was
previously
planned.
"There was an electrical problem involving a generator, but no safety
issue," White House spokeswoman Emily Lawrimore said. "The plane is
fine."
Australian Prime Minister John Howard said earlier Sunday that he had
received a report that Cheney's plane was being diverted after it took
off
from Sydney, but that he did not have any details.
Reporters on the plane said a power surge during the flight disabled
the
cabin's electrical outlets and shut down the galley and the inflight
films.
European Union Bans Pakistan International Airlines - Quick Facts
(RTTNews) - The European Union is all set to blacklist Pakistan
International Airlines from flying into the 27 member states. The
European
experts commission met in Brussels agreed that the Pakistan airlines
falls
short of the safety standards of the Union.
Pak flights operate flights to France, Britain, the Netherlands and
Italy
among the European destinations.
NOAA GULFSTREAM-IV HURRICANE SURVEILLANCE JET TAKES ON PACIFIC WINTER
STORMS
TO IMPROVE MODEL FORECASTS
Hawaii Middle School Teacher Will be Member of Flight Crew
Feb. 22, 2007 — In an effort to improve forecasts released 24 to 96
hours
before a winter storm, NOAA deployed its high-altitude Gulfstream-IV
jet
from a temporary base in Honolulu. The jet is acquiring atmospheric
data
from severe winter storms originating over the Pacific Ocean that will
affect the continental United States, Hawaii and Alaska. The flights
are in
support of the winter storms reconnaissance program of the NOAA
National
Centers for Environmental Prediction, part of the NOAA National Weather
Service.
While conducting the winter storms project, the aircraft will fly
extended
patterns over the north Pacific launching dropwindsonde atmospheric
profiling devices to more accurately characterize the environment of
developing winter cyclones and snowstorms. Data from these instruments
will
be screened aboard the aircraft, transmitted to NCEP by satellite
communication, and used in NOAA's most sophisticated forecasting models
to
improve warnings of severe weather events. The G-IV crew also will
measure
concentrations of ozone on each flight for the chemical sciences
division of
the NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory.
"Our NOAA aircraft crew, made up of pilots, flight engineers,
meteorologists
and electronic technicians, is prepared to fly north of Hawaii on a
daily
basis as the winter storms intensify over the Pacific. The storms we
profile
will affect areas from California and the Pacific Northwest to the U.S.
East
Coast," said Jack Parrish, G-IV program manager and flight director.
To provide full coverage of the Pacific jet stream, which affects
weather
patterns over the United States, two Air Force Reserve WC-130J aircraft
will
fly missions out of Anchorage, Alaska, through March 12 in conjunction
with
the NOAA jet.
After passing through quality control measures at NCEP, all
observational
data are carefully analyzed to distill a detailed snapshot of the
atmosphere
at the time of the observations. This analysis is then fed into
sophisticated numerical models of the atmosphere that are used to
project
the current weather into the future. The model forecasts are
disseminated
worldwide and used as a basis for most weather forecasts.
In its seventh year, the WSR program has improved forecast accuracy an
average of 20 percent while accuracy for individual targeted events has
been
increased by as much as 60 percent to 80 percent in 24 to 96 hour
forecasts
during past missions.
Joining NOAA personnel on one of the missions in February will be
Jessica
Schwarz, a seventh grade science and math teacher from West Hawaii
Explorations Middle School in Kona, Hawaii. Participating in the NOAA
Teacher in the Air program, an offshoot of the NOAA Teacher at Sea
program,
she will write logs and lessons that correspond with the G-IV's
research.
Her work will be posted on the NOAA Teacher at Sea Web site.
"I am thrilled to have the unique opportunity to fly with the crew
through
the NOAA Teacher in the Air program," Schwarz said. "By sharing my
knowledge
and experiences I hope to enrich science curriculum while inspiring my
students, some of whom already have aspirations to be a pilot one day."
The G-IV also will be utilized by the NOAA Earth System Research
Laboratory
to investigate the transport of ozone in the vicinity of the Pacific
jet
stream. Ozone is a gas that occurs both in the troposphere, where it
affects
climate and is a pollutant at the Earth's surface, and stratosphere,
where
it is more abundant and absorbs much of the sun's harmful ultraviolet
radiation. Data from ozone-measuring instruments will be combined with
the
dropwindsonde data being gathered during the mission to help
researchers
unravel the jet stream's complex effects on the atmosphere.
That mission should help scientists learn more about factors affecting
the
amount of ozone in the air that eventually arrives at the U.S. West
Coast,
which influences air quality in that region. Measurements have
indicated
that this ozone has been increasing in recent years; the 2007 study
should
provide insights into the natural and human-caused factors that
underlie
those observations.
NOAA's G-IV jet is based at the NOAA Aircraft Operations Center at
MacDill
Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla. AOC is part of the NOAA Marine and
Aviation
Operations, which includes civilians as well as officers of the NOAA
Corps,
the smallest of the nation's seven uniformed services. NOAA Corps
pilots and
civilian meteorologists, flight and electronics engineers and
technicians
are highly trained to operate in adverse weather conditions. NMAO also
administers the NOAA Teacher in the Air and Teacher at Sea programs.
NOAA, an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department, is celebrating 200
years of
science and service to the nation. From the establishment of the Survey
of
the Coast in 1807 by Thomas Jefferson to the formation of the Weather
Bureau
and the Commission of Fish and Fisheries in the 1870s, much of
America's
scientific heritage is rooted in NOAA. NOAA is dedicated to enhancing
economic security and national safety through the prediction and
research of
weather and climate-related events and information service delivery for
transportation, and by providing environmental stewardship of the
nation's
coastal and marine resources. Through the emerging Global Earth
Observation
System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working with its federal partners,
more
than 60 countries and the European Commission to develop a global
monitoring
network that is as integrated as the planet it observes, predicts and
protects.
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2007/s2801.htm
Two men killed in Walton copter crash; cause still unknown
(AP) Federal authorities are continuing their probe into a Walton
County
helicopter crash that killed a 64-year-old pilot and his passenger
Saturday.
Investigators on the scene Sunday from the National Transportation
Safety
Board and the Federal Aviation Administration couldn't determine much
about
what caused the private helicopter to go down on North Cross Lane near
the
Walton-Barrow County line about 3:30 p.m.
But Sgt. Gary Couch with the Walton County Sheriff's Department said
the
problem appeared to be "mechanical failure." Passenger Roy Hubbard, 43,
of
Monroe, died at the scene, Couch said. Rawlins Reeves, a pilot out of
Ruskin, Fla., was pronounced dead after undergoing surgery at Grady
Memorial
Hospital.
"All we know is that they were up flying around," said Butch Wilson, an
NTSB
investigator. "My understanding is that they were doing some
maintenance
test flights, then they crashed."
Investigators plan to pull records Monday to learn more about Reeves'
experience as a pilot, Wilson said.
http://www.ajc.com/services/content/metro/stories/2007/02/25/0225metcopter.h
tml?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=13
[unknown url]
French TV host held by police for violent in-flight outburst
PARIS (AFP) - French TV host Jean-Luc Delarue was detained by police
upon
arriving at Charles de Gaulle airport Sunday for allegedly attacking
cabin
crew on a flight to South Africa earlier this month.
Three Air France in-flight attendants filed complaints saying the
popular
talk-show host, known for his gentle and low-key manner, became
"aggressive
and abusive" on a February 13 flight from Paris to Johannesburg.
Delarue was met Sunday by border police when he got off the plane,
according
to an airport source. His lawyer was also waiting when he arrived.
The TV star, travelling in first class, allegedly insulted, bit and
slapped
one of the flight attendants, according to union representative Pierre
Destugues.
Delarue had been drinking heavily, according to judicial and airport
sources.
Cabin crew had to use handcuffs to restrain the television host and to
prevent him from further disrupting the flight, an Air France official
said.
One of the air hostesses said Delarue also grabbed her breasts.
The local prosecutor in Bobigny, a suburb north of Paris, could press
charges against the talk-show host, in which case he would be convened
to
appear before a criminal court.
The complaints were filed on February 16, three days after the alleged
incident took place.
Delarue is the host of the tabloid talk show "Ca se discute" (Let's
Talk
About It) which touches on such human interest topics as how to deal
with
teenage suicide, choosing a plastic surgeon or how siblings cope in
large
families.
N.Korean diplomatic couriers tear-gassed in Finland
http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyid=2007-02-26T102141Z_01_L26615199_RTRUKOC_0_US-KOREA-NORTH-FINLAND.xml&src=rss
N.Korean diplomatic couriers tear-gassed in Finland
Mon Feb 26, 2007 5:21am ET143
HELSINKI (Reuters) - Finnish police used tear gas to evict two North
Korean diplomatic couriers from a train after they refused to show
their
tickets or identify themselves.
Police briefly held the two after they failed to cooperate with a
ticket
inspector on the Moscow-Helsinki train this month, said the Foreign
Ministry's deputy chief of protocol, Tiina Myllyntausta, on Monday.
"They locked themselves in the compartment and refused to come out.
They
were diplomatic couriers, but according to the police they didn't
identify themselves at all," she said.
continued...........
February 26, 2007 Anti-Terrorism News
(Iraq) Baghdad blast kills 6, wounds top officials - VP and cabinet
minister injured
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070226/wl_nm/iraq_dc_34;_ylt=ApYHJ3t3AY819cDTZhobq11X6GMA
(Iraq/Iran) U.S. forces in Iraq say found more Iran-made weapons
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070226/ts_nm/iraq_iran_weapons_dc_1;_ylt=AkQZsUfEAknP3IugXmpnXIRSw60A
Iraq: Arms cache with Iranian bomb parts seized
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1171894521210&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
(Afghanistan) Suicide bomber kills policeman in Afghanistan - Khost
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070226/wl_asia_afp/afghanistanunrestsuicide_070226080318;_ylt=AmW1YHwgSup9VJ9gljrYPlrOVooA
(Somalia) U.S. warship heads for vessel hijacked off Somalia
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070226/wl_nm/somalia_piracy_dc_3;_ylt=As.DsMBtvJvQMBUXO8Of4r6QLIUD
Somalia: Islamists Willing To Negotiate - According To Al-Jazeera
Report
http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level.php?cat=Security&loid=8.0.389876994&par=0
(Pakistan) US concerned by Al-Qaeda build-up in Pakistan
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070226/ts_afp/usattackspakistan_070226112310;_ylt=Apq.D2OsbywHABUJIsggK0vzPukA
(Pakistan) Do more against Taliban, al Qaeda, Cheney asks Pakistan
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070226/ts_nm/pakistan_usa_cheney_dc_5;_ylt=AvArUwlR0i5Bq8MH3PI6_PvOVooA
(Pakistan) Cheney warns Pakistan to act on terror - warns that aid
could be cut
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/02/26/america/web.0226pakistanCND.php
(Pakistan) Rice: Pakistan must control border area
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070226/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_pakistan_3;_ylt=AuYNWpXwI5BKNwMbWze9T1DOVooA
(Pakistan) "Political Issues" Mar Pakistan's Fight Against Al-Qaeda,
Says Rice
http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level.php?cat=Terrorism&loid=8.0.389795768&par=0
(India/Pakistan) Six bombs were planted on India-Pakistan train
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070226/wl_afp/indiapakistanblast_070226072831;_ylt=AgN6o2yuw.vNkWwUmdXEss5A7AkB
(Iran) Report: "Gulf states to aid attack on Iran" - Kuwaiti newspaper
Al-Siyasa reports Qatar, Oman and the United Arab Emirates have told
the United States that they would not object to Israel using their
airspace - report states NATO negotiating with Turkey to open airspace for
potential attack
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\02\26\story_26-2-2007_pg1_10
(Iran) U.N. Council to consider Iran sanctions
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/nuclear_iran;_ylt=Ak0xdQP_abFTOiyvEs1Xwf1Sw60A
(Iran) Russia 'worried' about Iran attack talk: minister
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070226/wl_mideast_afp/irannuclearpoliticsus_070226114837;_ylt=Ap0H4NHLeOeEzQZ4NLZfvDp_5GIA
(Iran) French minister Nicolas Sarkozy won't support an attack on Iran
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1171894523350&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
(Iran) 'Devastating response' if Iran nukes attacked -- Terrorists say
Tehran providing instructions in case U.S., Israel strike atomic
facilities
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=54427
(UK) Radical cleric Abu Qatada loses appeal against deportation from
Britain - suspected key Al-Qaeda figure to be deported to Jordan
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070226/wl_uk_afp/britainattackscourt_070226114541;_ylt=Ao3OlpHwbWTcUZ8Qwm7AiMkwuecA
(UK) Al-Qa'eda 'plotted to kill Blair in front of Queen'
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/02/26/nalqaeda26.xml
(UK) Jail imams vetted by security services and Muslim books screened
for code
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article1437916.ece
(Spain) 'Brains' of Madrid bombing denies taped phone calls - Rabei
Osman, known as Mohammed the Eqyptian
http://www.expatica.com/actual/article.asp?subchannel_id=81&story_id=36940
Israeli troops besiege Nablus for second day - house-to-house search
for weapons caches and wanted militants
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070226/wl_mideast_afp/mideastconflictwestbank_070226111344;_ylt=AjpI0D2KegAdkSgY5tO4k9YUvioA
(Israel) Report: Palestinian killed in Nablus operations
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1171894522671&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
Hamas chief in Moscow for Palestinian govt talks
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070226/wl_nm/palestinians_russia_dc_1;_ylt=AoQJynjuru3.XClQQxiyuZN_5GIA
Algeria: Eight Suspected Al-Qaeda Militants Arrested
http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level.php?cat=Terrorism&loid=8.0.389918319&par=0
(Tunisia) Al Qaeda Smuggling Operation Busted - Tunisian police believe
AQ operations headquarters moved to Algeria
http://www.strategypage.com/qnd/algeria/articles/20070226.aspx
Egypt: Imam Abu Omar Flouts Media Ban (my title)
http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level.php?cat=Terrorism&loid=8.0.389826614&par=0
(Australia) Terror suspect Hicks turns to Australian court
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070226/ap_on_re_au_an/australia_guantanamo_inmate_1;_ylt=AoGWCJlITaDX9CzUgGkp_RwTv5UB
(Australia) Airport security plans 'on track'
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21290301-1702,00.html
Philippines: 6 Muslim insurgents killed in clash
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1171894520020&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
Philippine communists say rebel leader abducted
http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/CrisesArticle.aspx?storyId=MAN305444
Philippine communist rebels say peace talks consultant abducted
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/02/26/asia/AS-GEN-Philippines-Communist-Rebels.php
New DNA technique provides clue to identity of bomb-makers
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200702260921.htm
(Jordan) Conference on money laundering and terror funding kicks off
http://www.petra.gov.jo/nepras/2007/Feb/25/214000.htm
Commentary: Springtime for Al Qaeda
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ideas_opinions/story/500739p-422256c.html
Other News:
(Australia) Imams to debate Sheik's future - Sheik Taj al-din al-Hilali
compared women to uncovered meat
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21288888-1702,00.html
Pakistan: Mujahadeen Group Calls For Ban On Music In Buses
http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level.php?cat=Security&loid=8.0.389836007&par=0
Iran: 'Space Rocket' Launch for Educational Purposes
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,254623,00.html
Iranian MPs enraged over test accused of mocking Muhammad
http://www.guardian.co.uk/iran/story/0,,2020401,00.html
Saudi royal says U.S. oil independence a myth
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070225/pl_nm/oil_saudi_usa_dc_1;_ylt=Ag4KR9ib7s9h9nD2nBtIWJfn7SkC
Want a Contract With Your Key Logger?
http://www.internetnews.com/security/article.php/3661741
February 23, 2007
Want a Contract With Your Key Logger?
By Andy Patrizio
Malware (define) authors in Russia are now offering service contracts
with their spyware.
Yes you read right: You can now get a service contract to provide
upgrades for spyware, Trojans, rootkits and key loggers, just like you
get with your computers, Oracle databases and CRM software.
You have to marvel at the sheer brass of it all. "The pricing model is
scarily professional," Mark Sunner, chief security analyst at security
firm MessageLabs, told internetnews.com. "You can buy a one-off and get
an update or pay more and get many updates. The whole thing looks like
a
commercial model but is revolving around malware."
The prices start at around $260 for just the software, and can go up to
$3,500 for something guaranteed with updates and containing specific
functionality, such as being able to recognize specific online banks.
Sunner first noticed late last year that Russian spyware and virus
sites
were offering to sell the Bespoke Trojan, which is designed to steal
corporate information and intellectual property. Bespoke had been
around
a while, but now they were offering modifications to target a specific
company and updates if a company's security methods detected it.
He also noted a shift in targets. Large enterprises had been the
traditional targets of Trojans and spyware like Bespoke, but
corporations had better security methods, so small and medium-sized
businesses have become the new targets. Small firms have less money for
security and are therefore easier targets.
Because of this shift in malware to targeted industrial espionage,
there
is a good chance that the spyware will never make it to the labs of
Symantec, McAfee, F-Secure and the others. These aren't viruses
floating
around on the Internet. They are aimed at one particular target, so the
antivirus vendors are less likely to get a sample of the malicious
code,
said Sunner.
This exposes the dirty secret of the antivirus market: it's reactive.
Antivirus software has heuristics, intelligence designed to catch
patterns of behavior to trap unknown viruses. But the problem is,
heuristics often aren't very good.
"They find out about a virus because someone else takes a bullet. The
problem with these targeted attacks is, because they are aimed at only
one company, the chances of it getting onto the radar of the broader
security world is zero," said Sunner.
It's becoming impossible to keep up with the bad guys because they are
always ahead of the antivirus vendors. "The bad guys are gaming that
reactive model very successfully. We've intercepted 20 variants of a
single virus in 24 hours. They have them queued up ready to go, knowing
that reactive model can't keep up with that," said Sunner.
Not helping at all is Russia. There's an absence of legislation to
prevent something like this in the first place, said Sunner. Russia and
other countries, like China, are not participants in worldwide groups
like the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and/or
the International Telecommunications Union, which attempt to fight
malware.
Natalie Lambert, senior analyst for client security and management at
Forrester Research, wasn't surprised at such a development.
"The shift in Internet threats today is moving away from the malicious
that's out to cause harm. It's all about money. So why create harm for
fun when you can make millions of dollars? That's what's happening
now,"
she told internetnews.com.
Since antivirus writers can't protect against a specific, targeted
attack, Lambert said the urgency is for multilayered security. "It
really is a matter of making sure your systems are protected," she
said.
"Antivirus software can only protect you against the known. You need a
multilayer approach, antivirus, anti-spyware, firewalls, host IP
filtering, application control, device control, the works."
Al-Aqsa comments trigger inquiry
Al-Aqsa comments trigger inquiry
He called nearby excavations a crime, and urged uprising
Reuters
Updated: 1:05 p.m. ET Feb 23, 2007
JERUSALEM - Israel is investigating comments made by an Islamic leader
who
led protests against Israeli excavations near Al-Aqsa mosque, Islam's
third-holiest site.
Sheik Raed Salah, leader of the Islamic Movement in northern Israel,
had
called for a new uprising against what he termed an "Israeli crime."
Israeli
police deployed across Jerusalem on Friday but no clashes were
reported.
Israel says the work near Al-Aqsa aims to salvage artifacts before
construction of a pedestrian bridge leading up to a religious compound
sacred to both Muslims and Jews.
But the work has angered Arabs and Muslims who fear it could damage
foundations of the 1,300-year-old mosque in Jerusalem's Old City.
continued.............
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17298663/
http://intellibriefs.blogspot.com/
February 26, 2007
Baloch Desperation to get Persian Attention is Fruitless
The recent escalation of violence against Baloch by the Persian chauvinistic Islamic regime of Iran in which hundreds of Baloch youth have been murdered by the way of either hanging or shooting have set Baloch leadership on the move again. They are desperate to draw world attention towards the misery through which Baloch under Iranian occupation are going now. The media is the most powerful way with the help of which they can pass their message to all human loving people and authorities around the world.
Gedrosia [removed script] Baloch Desperation to get Persian Attention is Fruitless
posted by Naxal Watch
[More details here:]
http://gedrosia.blogspot.com/2007/02/baloch-desperation-to-get-persian.html
http://intellibriefs.blogspot.com/
THE MAN WHO KNOWS MORE ABOUT NATANZ THAN CIA
by B. Raman
In the present debate on the need for a deniable air strike on Isfahan, where Iran produces the uranium hexafluoride gas, and Natanz, where it converts the gas into enriched uranium, the relevant question is not whether Iran has secret plans for acquiring a military nuclear capability.
2. The relevant question is when the uranium enrichment facility at Natanz will go into full steam with at least 3,000 centrifuges functioning smoothly. The present indications are that unless the Iranian nuclear scientists and engineers face unexpected technical problems or Iran suffers the loss of more key scientists and/or engineers due to "mysterious deaths", the plant in Natanz should go into full steam by October 31, 2007. If that happens, the danger of serious environmental damage in the Gulf region as a result of a successful air strike on Natanz---either by Israel or by the US or by both acting in tandem-- could increase immeasurably. The damage could even affect Israel eventually.
3. President Ahmadinejad of Iran is exercising tremendous pressure on his scientists to complete the installation of all the centrifuges and commission the facility as quickly as possible. He is calculating---rightly or wrongly--- that once the plant goes into full steam, the dangers of a deniable air strike by Israel/US will decrease.
4.He is confident---rightly, in my view--- that the US, in view of its experience in Iraq and current predicament there, cannot afford to repeat an Iraq-like invasion of Iran.
5. The option of a direct military invasion and occupation can be ruled out. Israel and the US have only two options against Iran--- a deniable air strike on Natanz and Isfahan or at least on Natanz and covert destabilisation operations with the help of the Sunni organisations of Iran. Destabilisation operations will take a long time to produce results. The air strike on Natanz cannot afford to wait till then.
6. To make Natanz a non-starter, two options are available--- an immediate airstrike, which would be secret and deniable with possibly a simultaneous decapitation of the Iranian Air Force and missile capabilities and/or bringing about a collapse of the computer network of the Natanz facility. If the US and Israel can bring about a collapse of the computer network of the Iranian nuclear establishment as a whole, all the more better.
7. Unless the US and Israel have already been working on the information warfare option, this too would take time. If they make progress in developing a capability for successful information warfare against Iran's nuclear establishment, this option, if successful, can make the uranium enrichment facility non-functional even after it goes into full steam. The prospect of an effective information warfare capability will reduce the pressure for an immediate air strike. If the prospects are poor, the pressure will increase.
8. The US should mobilise the services of the IT whiz-kids and let them loose on the computer network of Iran's nuclear establishment.
9. For a successful air strike, the US and Israel would need precise information about Natanz and Ispahan and a dependable assessment of the likely after-effects. It will be risky to rely on the hearsay of Iranian political exiles. It will need to talk to scientists and engineers, who have been to these places and seen the facilities.
10. It is likely that A.Q.Khan, the Pakistani nuclear scientist, who clandestinely collaborated with Iran with the approval of the Pakistan Army and supplied the centrifuges, is a storehouse of information on Natanz---if not on Ispahan. It is very important that the US gets hold of him and interrogates him thoroughly before finalising its options.
11. Finally a word of caution to President Ahmadinejad: The Egyptian people paid a price for the irrational rhetoric of President Nasser and his inability to think lucidly. The Yugoslav people paid a heavy price for the rhetoric of the Serb leaders and their inability to think lucidly. The people of Iraq paid a heavy price for the rhetoric of President Saddam Hussein and his inability to think lucidly. Please don't make the people of Iran pay a heavy price for your rhetoric and inability to think lucidly.
12. If the crisis over Iran moves towards a point of no return, it could have an impact on India---in terms of its environment and energy security if Iran carries out its threat to block oil supplies through the Straits of Hormuz. The Government of India has two options---keep quiet hoping that the crisis will somehow be contained, if not resolved, or be prepared with a workable crisis management plan. If our leaders are wise, they will choose the second and set in motion a process of brainstorming on crisis anticipation and management.
(The writer is Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director, Institute for Topical Studies, Chennai. E-mail:
http://intellibriefs.blogspot.com/2007/02/how-iranian-qods-force-is-operating-in.html
How the Iranian Qods Force is operating in Iraq
Tuesday, 20 February 2007
NCRI - In a webinar - a conference on the web - organised on ISCC Site (http://www.iraniscc.info) today, Mohammad Mohaddessin, Chair of the NCRI Foreign Affairs Committee spoke about critical aspects of the clerical regime's meddling in Iraq. Following are excerpts of his remarks:
The documents and information I am going to present, shed light on the scope of the Iranian regime’s interference in Iraqi affairs.
One of these documents is the list of 32,000 agents of the mullahs’ regime in Iraq who receive monthly salaries from the Iranian regime. These people are currently in effect paid staff of the Revolutionary Guards’ Qods Force. (IRGC-QF)
continued.............
[the end of the article and heading of next article..]
The Qods force was originally called the Lebanon Corps. It carried out the suicide truck bomb attack on the US Marine Barracks in Beirut in 1983.
The Qods [Jerusalem Force] is the most important agency tasked with the export of terrorism and fundamentalism.
1. In 1990, the Iranian regime consolidated all its intelligence agencies and extraterritorial institutions to form the Qods Force. The most experienced and veteran IRGC commanders were assigned to the Force. Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi, the IRGC's Intelligence Directorate Chief was the Qods Force's first commander. He said our objective is the formation of an "international Islamic Army." Brig. Gen. Qassem Soleimani is the current IRGC commander. The headquarters for the Force is the former site of the U.S. embassy in Tehran.
2. The Qods Force has more than 21,000 Iranian members an thousands on non-Iranian mercenaries, which are active in intelligence gathering and terrorist activities in the Middle East and elsewhere, including in Lebanon, Afghanistan, Iraq, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Bosnia, Jordan, etc. The Force's representatives work in many embassies around the world as diplomats.
3. The Qods Force has 12 directorates. In addition, it has several units called International Affairs Units that pursue developments in other countries. They are: Iraq, Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Lebanon, Syria, Middle East, Russia, Africa, and Europe.
4. In addition to terrorist operations, the Qods Force also trains non-Iranian terrorist forces, including nations from Pakistan, Morocco, Lebanon, Iraq, Palestine and other Middle East countries. The training is provided to groups of 40 to 50 persons. The Force has dozens of garrisons across Iran in which it trains its non-Iranian operatives.
5. Some of the Force's training centers for foreign nationals are as follows:
a. Imam Ali Training base. It is one of the most important training bases and is located north of Tehran, in Alborz Kouh Street.
b. Khomeini Training base. It is located on Khavaran-Semnan highway, before reaching Pakdasht Township. Col. Rezai is the commander of the base, where a large number of foreign forces from Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine are being currently trained.
c. Bahonar base. It is located on Chalous highway, near Karaj Dam. This is also among one of the most important training centers.
d. Qods Training Center in Nahavand. It is located 45km from the town of Nahavand, west of Iran. Foreign forces, including those from Lebanon and Afghanistan are trained here.
e. Qom's Beit ol-Moghadas University in the city of Qom.
f. Training center in Tehran's Farahzad district.
g. Training center on Damavand highway.
h. Hezbollah Base in Varamin, southeast of Tehran.
i. Madani Base in Dezful, (southwest Iran).
j. Bisotoun Base in Kermanshah, (western Iran).
k. Tangeh Kenesht Base in Kermanshah, (western Iran).
l. Ghayour Training Base in Ahwaz (southwest Iran).
6. The Qods Force has six major garrisons along Iran's borders with other countries. They are tasked with following up terrorist operations in the neighboring countries. They are:
a. Ramadan Garrison (First Corps) in Kermanshah (west). Mission: Iraq.
b. Nabi-Akram Garrison (Second Corps) in Zahedan (southeast). Mission: Pakistan.
c. Hamza Garrison (Third Corps) in Orumieh (northwest). Mission: Turkey.
d. Ansar Garrison (Fourth Corps) in Mashad (northeast). Mission: Afghanistan and Pakistan.
7. Terrorist Units.
In addition to the six garrisons, the Force has several other corps, including:
a. The Sixth Corps. Mission: Persian Gulf states.
b. The Seventh Corps. Mission: Lebanon and Syria.
c. The Eighth Corps. Mission: African States.
d. The Ninth Corps. Mission: Europe and the United States.
Qods Force in Iraq
The Qods Force is mainly focused on Iraq at the present. Iraq is the gateway to reach the rest of the Islamic world. The most senior IRGC generals as well as thousands of personnel are based in Ramadan Garrison. Their mission: To dominate Iraq. Large parts of southern Iraq are virtually in the control of the IRGC.
The regime has accomplished this feat by allocating billions of dollars, dispatching thousands of clerics and paying thousands of mercenaries on a monthly basis.
The Qods Force Fajr Garrison in Ahwaz has set up intelligence and reconnaissance squads to collect intelligence on the Coalition forces and identifying them. To this end, Fajr Garrison commanders, including Brig. Gen. Obeidavi, the garrison's commander, Hamid Taghavi, Ramadan Garrison's operations commander, Brig. Gen. Ahmad Forouzandeh, Ramadan Garrison's deputy commander, Brig. Gen. Balalek, Fajr Garrison's operational commander, Col. Heidar Saki, Fajr Garrison's intelligence commander as well as a number of other Fajr intelligence and operations commanders have repeatedly traveled to Al-Amara and Basra to make contact with these squads. They have posed as Iraqis in order not to be identified.
Each reconnaissance squad numbers around 20, each entrusted with a specific task. Some work in the streets as venders. Others are engaged in watch operations near their hideouts. Others have opened shops to collect intelligence and carry out surveillance operations on the Coalition forces. Some teams are engaged in filming. They also pose as ordinary people to get close to Coalition bases.
Some time ago, the Fajr Garrison set up an eavesdropping center in Basra. They intercept the communication between the government, police and Coalition forces. All equipment has come from Iran.
By causing chaos and launching terrorist operations on the Coalition columns in Basra, Al-Amara and Nassiriya, the Qods has prevented the Coalition forces from entering major population centers. The objective is to control the inner cities, both militarily and security wise.
The Fajr Garrison is currently smuggling different weapons' caches to Iraq. They use the Ajirdeh Dam region, Al-Aziz, Al-Holafayeh, Al-Moshrah. They also use the marshes in the south and the Tayeb region. The mostly use boats to do so.
The Fajr Garrison commander Obeidavi visits operatives affiliated with the Qods Force in Iraq on a monthly basis. He usually goes to Basra and Nassiriya.
In a confidential report to the Qods Force in June, the Fajr Garrison informed the Qods Force headquarters that "Iraqi groups affiliated with the Garrison have succeeded in setting up a well-coordinated entity to assassinate prominent Sunni personalities, including members of Iraq's Islamic Party, the Society of Muslim Scholars and other Sunni activists. By assassinating officials of these entities, they have succeeded in paving the way for pro-regime groups in Iraq's politics and facilitated their control of government portfolios."
http://intellibriefs.blogspot.com/2007/02/india-china-russia-alliance-in-making.html
India-China-Russia: alliance in the making?
Guest Column: By Rajiv Sikri
(This article was published by Rediff.com and the author has authorised its republication in SAAG. The views expressed are author's own)
The long-awaited meeting of the Foreign Ministers of India, China and Russia in New Delhi on 14th February was, at one level, merely the latest in a series of trilateral meetings at this level held annually since 2002, generally on the margins of multilateral gatherings. It was, however, only the second stand-alone meeting, the first one having taken place in Vladivostok in June 2005. It was also the first meeting of the three Foreign Ministers after their leaders met in St. Petersburg in July 2006 on the margins of the G-8 summit. The fact that the latest meeting took place in one of the capitals, again a first, gave it comparatively much higher profile and visibility.
Russia has been the keenest proponent, and the driving force, of the concept of closer consultation and cooperation among India , China and Russia . The idea of trilateral cooperation was initiated by then Russian Prime Minister Primakov in 1998. It was Russia that hosted the first Foreign Ministers’ meeting in New York , the first stand-alone meeting at Vladivostok and the leaders’ summit at St. Petersburg . Last week, the Russian Foreign Minister made a special visit to Delhi for the trilateral meeting, which was dovetailed with the Chinese Foreign Minister’s bilateral visit to India .
Russia ’s enthusiasm for trilateral cooperation is easy to understand. From being the co-equal of the United States (in its incarnation as the Soviet Union ), it was contemptuously, if mistakenly, relegated by the West to strategic irrelevance in the post- Cold War era. Yeltsin’s overtures to get Russia accepted by the West into its fold were spurned. Meanwhile, as NATO steadily crept eastwards, to the very borders of Russia, and the US succeeded in getting a foothold in Russia’s strategic neighbourhood, especially Ukraine and Georgia, Russia’s security fears were heightened. From a strategic perspective, Russia realizes that on its own it is not strong enough to challenge the West, specifically the US . China and India are the only countries that are large enough players and sufficiently independent-minded to be potential partners in this strategic balancing act. Russia may also have felt that a triangular relationship involving Russia could facilitate better understanding between India and China . This would minimize possible contradictions in Russia ’s ties with two of its most important partners, and thereby ward off unpleasant choices for Russia .
The New Delhi meeting will compel the US to sit up and take notice. A few years ago, when the US straddled the world like a colossus, these three countries thought it prudent not to provoke the US , with whom the stakes of each of these countries were higher than with one another. Thus, the early trilateral meetings of Foreign Ministers were formal and devoid of substance, with deliberately low-key publicity. As the three countries’ economic and military clout have risen, so has their self-confidence, and their willingness to challenge the US world view, even if this is accompanied by a reiteration of ostensibly reassuring and loud disclaimers that trilateral cooperation is “not directed against the interests of any other country.” Objectively, too, the US remains very important to each of the three countries, and the Foreign Ministers cannot be faulted for their caution. At the same time, President Putin’s extremely significant, blunt address at the Munich security conference earlier this month, China ASAT test, and India ’s conscious efforts to reach out to Iran and Myanmar are signals to the US that all three countries intend to follow an independent foreign policy that serves their respective national interests.
The Joint Statement issued after the New Delhi meeting contains many interesting nuances in this direction. It is noteworthy that its overwhelming emphasis is on the convergence of views on broad strategic issues, rather than on specific areas of trilateral cooperation. In a thinly veiled critique of US global policies and behaviour, the Foreign Ministers, we are told, emphasized the “strong commitment” of the three countries to multilateral diplomacy, and exchanged views on “how international relations are being presently conducted.” Their discussions on developments in Iran , Iraq , Afghanistan , West Asia, and the Korean peninsula, brought out their common approach on these issues, and a global perspective clearly very different from the US world-view. The absence of any specific mention of regional issues in the Joint Statement may be only because the Ministers may have thought it prudent not to directly provoke the US by coming out with an agreed formal formulation on these issues. More areas of strategic convergence are likely to emerge if Russia and China agree to India ’s proposal to host a trilateral seminar, with the participation of not only scholars but officials too, later this year on the “emerging geo-strategic trends.”
In calling for a “more even distribution of development resources and influence,” and the attainment of a “more stable and balanced” multi-polar world order through the instrumentality of the UN, the three countries have, for the first time, collectively signaled that they too, not just the West, must have a say in how the world is governed and how its limited resources are exploited. The disaster in Iraq and the looming confrontation with Iran explain their common concern that cooperation rather than confrontation, with an important role for the UN, should govern approaches to regional and global affairs.
Central Asia also came up for discussion. Although since the mid-20th century the foreign policies of Russia , China and India were broadly oriented in a direction away from Eurasia and towards Europe, East Asia and South Asia respectively rather than towards the continental landmass, today’s changed circumstances compel all three countries to look at developments in Eurasia much more seriously. As continental powers whose respective back doors, so to speak, open in the fragile, volatile and strategically important region of Central Asia, it is perfectly logical that India, China and Russia should be actively exploring avenues of cooperation to ensure that this region remains peaceful and stable. The broad strategic convergence of the policies of these three countries in this region is evident in their participation in the Central Asia-centric Shanghai Cooperation Organization, where Russia and China are members, and India an observer.
Given the institutional weaknesses of the Central Asian states, there are many potential dangers emanating from this region that could threaten the security and stability of all three countries. Separatist tendencies and terrorist activities exist precisely in those regions of India , China and Russia that are contiguous to Central Asia . Faced as all three countries are with terrorist and separatist activities ( Chechnya for Russia , Xinjiang for China , and Kashmir for India ), there was considerable meeting ground on this issue among the three Foreign Ministers. Against this background, they had little difficulty in agreeing that there can be no justification for any act of terrorism irrespective of motivations, as well as in rejecting selective approaches and double standards in countering terrorism. There was agreement in conceptual terms and in the intention to develop practical cooperation in multilateral and regional frameworks and through coordinated trilateral action. It remains to be seen what would be the concrete forms of such cooperation.
In addition, the US military presence in the region, which is likely to be a long-term one, poses an incipient threat to all three countries about which none of them can be sanguine. The formulation in the Joint Statement that Russia and China “would actively facilitate early realization of mutually beneficial contribution of India to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation,” and a recent statement by the Russian Ambassador to India, provide indications that India may soon be invited to become a full member of the Central Asia-centric Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. Were that to happen, it could become a matter of serious strategic concern to the US that tends to regard the SCO as an anti-US alliance.
While many ideas for trilateral cooperation have been discussed among scholars in a number of trilateral academic meetings organized over the last few years, no visible progress on the ground has been made so far. The Ministers identified energy, transport infrastructure, health, and high technology as promising areas for joint cooperation and collaboration. Hopefully, the proposed expert-level meetings, and the Business Meet in India later this year, will come up with practical areas of trilateral economic cooperation.
Energy is an obvious area of mutually beneficial cooperation if the three countries are willing to think creatively and boldly. Energy-deficient, fast-growing and geographically proximate India and China could become long-term reliable markets for energy-surplus Russia , provided Russia takes a strategic decision that its enormous energy resources should be available to fuel the growth of India and China instead of being committed principally to Western markets. The considerable hydropower potential in Siberia and Tibet could be tapped for transmitting electricity via Xinjiang and Tibet to the large Indian market just across the mountains. Overland pipeline projects, if technically and economically feasible, could transport Russian and Caspian oil and gas to markets in India via China , as well as to global markets via India ’s warm water ports. This could be cheaper and also obviate many of the risks associated with exclusive reliance on maritime energy supply routes. China is already exploring alternative routes via Pakistan for transporting Gulf oil to China . It may well find a sea-land route via India more reliable and secure, particularly if there is a reciprocal dependence – India’s on Russian and Central Asian gas transiting China on its way to India, and China’s on Gulf oil transiting India on its way to China. Joint India-China-Russia investments in energy projects in Russia and elsewhere, and swap deals are other possible areas of cooperation.
Another exciting and potentially very significant area of cooperation is high technology. If the three countries pool their assets and synergize their strengths, they could emerge as an alternative nucleus for development of futuristic technologies, and break the current technological dominance of the West. Information technology and biotechnology have already been identified as areas meriting special attention. There is some talk of developing civilian aircraft that could break the duopoly of Boeing and Airbus, and of cooperation in the field of pharmaceuticals that could pose a challenge to the cartel of American and European multinational pharmaceutical companies. Controlling between them about one and a half trillion dollars of foreign exchange, the three countries have also talked of cooperation in financial services.
The New Delhi meeting of the Foreign Ministers of India, China and Russia has put trilateral cooperation firmly on the rails. There will be regular Foreign Ministerial meetings, with the next to be hosted by China . Gone is the tentativeness and hesitation that characterized earlier meetings. The atmospherics of the latest meeting were good, its outcome substantive, and the mood of the participants upbeat and confident. The burgeoning trilateral consultations and cooperation constitute the most serious and credible endeavour to craft a multi-polar world. But there is no strategic alliance – at least not yet. What we are seeing is a demonstration of how in today’s complex global scenario there can be issue-based coalitions of states. It is the fructification of even one or two large projects of the kind indicated above that would hardwire the three countries into a long-term mutual interdependence and lead to a true strategic alliance. For this, conscious strategic decisions will be needed in all countries. Are the leaders of India , China and Russia ready for a radical conceptual breakthrough to take advantage of the new geo-political realities of the 21st century?
Rajiv Sikri is a former member of the Indian Foreign Service who retired recently as Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs. He can be contacted at rajivsikri@gmail.com
posted by Naxal Watch @ 8:13 AM 0
Saudi Arabia sending 350 students to New Zealand
http://news.monstersandcritics.com/middleeast/news/article_1254301.php/Saudi_Arabia_send
ing_350_students_to_New_Zealand
http://news.monstersandcritics.com/middleeast/news/article_1254301.php/Saud
i_Arabia_sending_350_students_to_New_Zealand
Saudi Arabia sending 350 students to New Zealand
Feb 1, 2007, 3:20 GMT
Wellington - Saudi Arabia will send about 350 students to study at New
Zealand's eight universities this year, Tertiary Education Minister
Michael Cullen said on Thursday.
The undergraduate and postgraduate students would come under Saudi
Arabia's King Abdullah expanded scholarships programme for Asia and
Oceania.
They will join more than 500 students from Gulf states, including Saudi
Arabia and Oman, who are currently enrolled in other New Zealand
educational institutions.
Cullen said the expansion of King Abdullah's scholarships programme
would not only boost New Zealand earnings from export education, but
also strengthen cooperation and understanding between New Zealand and
the countries of the Gulf region.
C 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur