Threat Matrix: March 2007

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[Cindy]

Note: The following text is a quote:

https://www.osac.gov/Reports/report.cfm?contentID=65028

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Warden Message: Australia Demonstrations March 17-18
Consular Affairs Bulletins
East Asia / Pacific - Australia
16 Mar 2007

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7 Jan 2007
Sydney Missionary Armed Home Invasion
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Worldwide Caution Public Announcement
U.S. Consulate General Sydney issued the following Warden Message on March 16:

Australian authorities have informed the Consulate that Anti-war protests are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, March 17th and 18th in the following areas:

* Canberra - Sunday, March 18, at 12.30 p.m. at Fountain Court Civic

* Sydney - Saturday, March 17, at 12.00 p.m. rallying at Sydney Town Hall then marching to Belmore Park

* Melbourne - Saturday, March 17, at 12.00 p.m. at the State Library, corner of Swanston and Latrobe Streets

* Perth - Saturday, March 17, at 12.00 p.m. at Perth Cultural Centre - James St, Northbridge

* Brisbane - Saturday, March 17, at 11.00 a.m. - 1.30 p.m. at Queens Park

* Hobart - Saturday, March 17, at 12.30 p.m. at Parliament House lawns

These 'Anniversary of the Invasion of Iraq' protests are usually quite large -especially in Melbourne and Sydney, and previously have been non-violent. Many participants will be focusing their protests against the United States Government.

We wish to remind American citizens that even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and possibly escalate into violence. American citizens are therefore urged to avoid the areas of demonstrations if possible, and to exercise caution if within the vicinity of any demonstrations.

For the latest security information, Americans living and traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs Internet web site at http://travel.state.gov , where the current Worldwide Caution, Public Announcements and Travel Warnings can be found. Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-800-407-4747 toll free in the U.S., or, for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll line on 1-317-472-2328. These numbers are available from 8.00am to 8.00pm Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, except U.S. federal holidays.

[Cindy]

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_3113.html

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PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
This information is current as of today, Sat Mar 17 2007 03:56:15 GMT-0700.

Cricket World Cup

January 25, 2007

[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, Sat Mar 17 2007 03:57:44 GMT-0700.

Worldwide Caution

October 11, 2006

[Cindy]

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

[Cindy]

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1173879099139&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Mar. 16, 2007 11:12 | Updated Mar. 17, 2007 8:27
"UN mission chief attacked in Gaza"
By JPOST.COM STAFF


ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Three masked Palestinian gunmen fired on a vehicle carrying the chief of the UN refugee mission in Gaza and tried to kidnap him, the UN official said.

No one was hurt in the kidnap attempt in northern Gaza, said John Ging, head of the UN Relief and Works Agency in Gaza.

Ging said he, a driver and a security official were traveling in an armored vehicle when the gunmen jumped out of a white Subaru and opened fire.

"They tried to force open the car, but our driver extracted himself from that situation," and sped away as the gunmen continued firing, he said.
"This is a shocking development. We are still considering how to deal with this," Ging said.

The vehicle was clearly marked with the UN insignia and a UN flag, he said. Eleven bullets pierced the car, Ging added.

The incident took place about half a mile (one kilometer) from the Erez crossing into Israel, he said.

No one claimed responsibility."

[Cindy]

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_922.html

Travel Warning
United States Department of State
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Washington, DC 20520

This information is current as of today, Sat Mar 17 2007 04:03:00 GMT-0700.

ISRAEL, THE WEST BANK AND GAZA

January 17, 2007

[Cindy]

JIHAD WATCH.org (AP): "FBI: 'EXTREMISTS' SIGNING UP TO BE SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS" (March 16, 2007)

COUNTERTERRORISM BLOG.org: "NOTE TO FBI: REMEMBER CANADIAN TERROR PLOT & BESLAN SCHOOL MASSACRE" by Michael Cutler (March 17, 2007)

[Cindy]

ON THE NET...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=bus
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=schoolbus
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=busdrivers
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=busdriver

[fanfan]

Ping to post #948.

Thanks Oorang and Cindy.

Canada ping.

Please send me a FReepmail to get on or off this Canada ping list.

[Oorang]

Two arrested at LA Airport for illegal firearm
March 17, 2007 1:44 AM

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Police arrested two people at Los Angeles International Airport after discovering that one of them was carrying a gun without a permit, according to airport police. Two plainclothes security officers, who said they had peace officer authority, were transporting a prisoner out of state Friday morning. The pair entered a screening area and the female officer said she had written authorization to carry a firearm.

Airport police ran a check and found that neither was a police officer. The woman also did not have a permit, according to an airport police statement. Officials declined to release their names.

http://www.newspress.com/Top/Article/article.jsp?Section=LOCAL&ID=564982542668136617

Note to FBI: Remember Canadian Terror Plot & Beslan School Massacre
March 17, 2007
By Michael Cutler

The FBI has alerted law enforcement officials across the United States that they have information that aliens under recent investigations, with ties to extremist organizations have been involved with buying school buses and/or obtaining licenses to drive school buses - but they say that there is nothing to be concerned about!

I find a couple of sentences in the article I have attached below to be particularly worrisome. Consider this sentence:

"Asked about the alert notice, the FBI's Rich Kolko said, "There are no threats, no plots and no history leading us to believe there is any reason for concern," although law enforcement agencies around the country were asked to watch out for kids' safety."

I would like to know if Mr. Kolko has been reading newspapers. Last summer a terror ring was taken down by the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) in Ontario. I included the text of the New York Times account of the arrests of those suspects below. One of the leaders of that suspected terror cell was a school bus driver. By driving a school bus, an individual who is intent on recruiting young people who might be vulnerable to swaying to the terrorist ideology, has easy "legitimate" day to day contact with many young people with whom he comes in contact a regular basis.

Excerpted

http://counterterrorismblog.org/

[BurbankKarl]

That is a curious story. The charge of impersonating a police officer is more serious charge than carrying a weapon into LAX.

If anyone sees an update, let me know.

[Cindy]

You're welcome fanfan.

[Cindy]

Thanks Oorang
Updates appreciated on the two no-names.

[Cindy]

I looked.
Nothing yet.

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1802385/posts

"Funding Terror"
The New Media Journal ^ | March 17, 2007 | Rachel Ehrenfeld

Posted on 03/17/2007 8:26:43 AM PDT by NewMediaJournal

[Cindy]

HMMMM....Rewriting history....

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

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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1802359/posts


"Black Panther: We Weren't About Violence; Ex-leader Seale says Party Fought Racism"
Madison.com ^ | March 16, 2007 | Katrina Madayag

Posted on 03/17/2007 7:14:44 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin

[cmsgop]

I know a little more on that FBI story. The FBI is very afraid of a Middle School takeover in the US. Why Middle School you ask,simple......; Elementary School kid's are too hard to control and High School and University Kids would fight back.

Now the real scary thing about this is the Police response, At the First sign of a "Takeover" the Police must rush in, in order to be effective. Because the longer you wait the more will die, so right off the bat it's going to have to be a "Hail Mary". I heard the term "If they could save just one kid", Damn Scary Stuff !!!!

[Cindy]

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

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Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/015697.php

[Cindy]

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=32495

"Al Qaeda Stoking Sectarian Violence in Iraq, Gates Says"

By Steven Donald Smith
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 17, 2007

[Cindy]

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=32494

Bush Urges Congress to Pass Emergency War Spending Bill Without Strings

By Steven Donald Smith
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 17, 2007 – It is vital Congress pass an emergency war spending bill as soon as possible and without strings attached, President Bush said during his weekly radio address today.

“In times of war, Congress has no greater obligation than funding our warfighters,” Bush said. “The purpose of this legislation should be to give our troops on the front lines the resources, funds and equipment they need to fight our enemies.

Bush submitted a defense budget request Feb. 5 that includes a $93.4 billion emergency supplemental measure to cover the cost of operations in the war on terror for fiscal 2007. Congress subsequently added several additional spending measures to the bill. Bush said some members of Congress are using the bill as an opportunity to micromanage military commanders and force a precipitous withdrawal from Iraq, while spending billions on domestic projects that have nothing to do with the war on terror.

U.S. troops “urgently” need the emergency funds as they step up the new security strategy in Iraq, he said. The new strategy, under the leadership of Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, is still in its early stages, yet signs of progress are already being seen, Bush said.

“Iraqi and American troops have rounded up more than 700 people affiliated with Shia extremists,” he said. “They've also launched aggressive operations against Sunni extremists. And they've uncovered large caches of weapons that could have been used to kill our troops.”

Bush said the bill Congress is now considering would undermine Petraeus and the troops under his command just as these critical security operations are getting under way. The bill would impose restrictive conditions on the use of war funds and require the withdrawal of U.S. forces by the end of this year if these conditions are not met, he said.

“These restrictions would handcuff our generals in the field by denying them the flexibility they need to adjust their operations to the changing situation on the ground,” Bush said. “And these restrictions would substitute the mandates of Congress for the considered judgment of our military commanders.”

The consequences of imposing an artificial timetable would be disastrous, he added.
Bush said Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said it best when he told Congress setting a fixed date to withdraw would “essentially tell [the enemy] how long they would have to wait until we're gone.”

The scale and scope of insurgent attacks would increase and intensify if U.S. troops were forced to step back from Baghdad before it is more secure, he said. This could in turn cause more violence to spill out across the entire country, and possibly the entire region, he said. “The enemy would emerge from the chaos emboldened with new safe havens, new recruits, new resources, and an even greater determination to harm America,” he said.

Another damaging aspect of the bill would be funding cuts for the Iraqi security forces if Iraqi leaders do not meet rigid conditions, Bush said. “Members of Congress have often said that the Iraqis must step forward and take more responsibility for their own security,” he said. ”Yet members of Congress can't have it both ways: They can't say that the Iraqis must do more and then take away the funds that will help them do so.”

The additional domestic spending components of the bill include, $74 million for peanut storage, $48 million for the Farm Service Agency and $35 million for NASA, Bush said. “These programs do not belong in an emergency war spending bill,” he said.

The president said he would veto a bill that contains such measures. “Many in Congress say they support the troops, and I believe them,” he said. “Now they have a chance to show that support in deed, as well as in word.”