Threat Matrix: December 2007

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[nwctwx]

Calculating the Risks in Pakistan

A small group of U.S. military experts and intelligence officials convened in Washington for a classified war game last year, exploring strategies for securing Pakistan's nuclear arsenal if the country's political institutions and military safeguards began to fall apart.

The secret exercise — conducted without official sponsorship from any government agency, apparently due to the sensitivity of its subject — was one of several such games the U.S. government has conducted in recent years examining various options and scenarios for Pakistan's nuclear weapons: How many troops might be required for a military intervention in Pakistan? Could Pakistani nuclear bunkers be isolated by saturating the surrounding areas with tens of thousands of high-powered mines, dropped from the air and packed with anti-tank and anti-personnel munitions? Or might such a move only worsen the security of Pakistan's arsenal?
Full story...

	Musharraf: U.S. Shares Blame for Pakistan and Afghanistan
	Bin Laden's Message to the Europeans
	Messages from bin Laden Since 9-11

Threat Matrix:
December 2007

November 2007

Threat Matrix Index

Theat Matrix Handbook

Theat Matrix 'BOLO'

Invaluable Tips

Preparedness

[Cindy]

Thank you for that TB link; that’s news to me.

A blessed New Year to you, MamaDearest.

[Oorang]

Thanks MamaD; all of those are excellent news.

[Oorang]

Thanks for the update Cindy.

[Cindy]

You’re welcome Oorang.

A blessed New Year to you.

[Cindy]

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

#

Video:

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=87f_1198860424

“Apache’s 30mm Cannon Takes Out Insurgents and their Truck”
(Added December 28, 2007)

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1945549/posts

“Iran’s Elite Military Force Fears Security Threat From Within”
Financial Times UK ^ | December 28, 2007
Posted on 12/29/2007 5:47:18 AM PST by nuconvert

[Oorang]

Thank you very much Cindy. I hope your 2008 is a blessed one as well.

__________________

Update on an apparently ongoing situation in Bulgaria:

Flights Cancelled at Sofia Airport in Last Hours of 2007
31 December 2007, Monday

Several flights to and from the Sofia airport were cancelled on Monday by airlines.

Among the flights cancelled are those from Burgas, Istanbul and Vienna. Planes to Brussels, Amsterdam, London and Paris are also not going to take off.

Passengers could get more information if approaching officials by phone or using the websit of the airport.

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=88957

[Cindy]

http://www.sofiaecho.com/article/flights-to-and-from-sofia-cancelled-for-lack-of-passengers/id_26841/catid_66

NEWS

“FLIGHTS TO AND FROM SOFIA CANCELLED FOR LACK OF PASSENGERS”
10:53 Mon 31 Dec 2007 - Elitsa Savova

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “A number of flights to and from Sofia Airport were cancelled because of a lack of passengers.”

[Cindy]

http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n130508

#

A bit of history — Looking back on 2007:

http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/features/featuredetail.asp?file=decemberfeatures202007.xml

The world in focus (The Times)

Twelve vivid months. It was a year of conflict, tragedy and natural disaster — leavened by extraordinary glimpses of optimism, seemingly superhuman endeavour, and odd moments of humour.

January

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “January 1: Crowds celebrated the new year in Bucharest and Sofia as Romania and Bulgaria officially became members of the European Union. The two countries, which had applied to join as far back as 1995, became the EU’s 26th and 27th member states.”

[Oorang]

Weeel, I suppose....
Seriously, thanks for the info.

[Bobibutu]

All hell may break out in the Horn of Africa soon. Kenya, Somalia, Uganda and may spill over. Something to keep an eye on.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/12/31/wkenya831.xml
Kenya on the brink of civil war
Last Updated: 2:17am GMT 01/01/2008

Adrian Blomfield witnesses the tribal bloodshed and terror around Nakuru

The road from Nairobi to Kisumu, normally a busy artery ferrying goods to Uganda and tourists to the Rift Valley’s flamingo-lined lakes, became an avenue of terror as tribe turned on tribe and neighbour on neighbour.

Kenya election riots leave at least 140 dead
Brandishing bows and arrows, their heads draped in the traditional leaves of war, fighters from the Kalenjin tribe marauded through a Kikuyu village, razing homes and erecting road blocks.

snip ...

[Cindy]

I was going to post the hmmmmmmmmm alert.

We’re on the same page.

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1946622/posts

#

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/139033

07:14 AM
23 Tevet 5768, January 1, ‘08

“Police Arrest Arab Israeli Hacker”

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “(IsraelNN.com) Police have arrested a 17-year-old Arab youth with Israeli citizenship for involvement in an international group of hackers dedicated to damaging Israeli websites. The group of hackers includes members from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Turkey, and other Muslim countries, and police suspect that other Arabs with Israeli citizenship are involved as well. The group has attacked numerous Israeli sites, including websites belonging to political parties and sports forums, causing millions of shekels in damage.”

[Cindy]

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3488901,00.html

“2007: Shin Bet sees drop in terror attacks but more use of rockets”

SNIPPET: “Security forces say that while terror groups were only successful in carrying out one suicide bombing in 2007, they were able to fire over 1,200 Qassam rockets at Israeli targets. Gaza become the focal point of Palestinian terror this year, but organizations there are working tirelessly to aid their counterparts in the West Bank”

Efrat Weiss
Published: 01.01.08, 01:36 / Israel News

[Cindy]

blog:

http://www.thememriblog.org/blog_personal/en/4341.htm
(”Source: ‘Okaz, Saudi Arabia, December 30, 2007”)

“Perpetrators Of 2003, 2004 Riyadh Bombings Indicted; Trial To Follow”

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “The Saudi Interior Ministry recently completed the investigation of Al-Qaeda suicide bombings in Riyadh in 2003 and 2004, in which dozens of Saudi civilians were killed and hundreds wounded.”

Posted at: 2007-12-31

[Cindy]

http://threatswatch.org/rapidrecon/2007/12/narcoterrorism-lurks-south-of/

“Narco-Terrorism Lurks South of the Border”
By Jay Fraser on December 31, 2007 at 10:30 PM

[Cindy]

Resource Link:

http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/submit_tip_form.htm

Snippet: “Do you have a tip for DEA? Please fill out the following form and a message will be sent to us electronically.”

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1946664/posts
(AFP)

#

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071231/wl_asia_afp/nkoreanuclearweaponsus_071231200905

“US warning to North Korea as nuclear deadline lapses”
Mon Dec 31, 3:26 PM ET

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States warned North Korea Monday of potential economic and political fallout after the Stalinist state failed to meet a year-end deadline to come clean on its nuclear activity.

The State Department said its top envoy on the nuclear issue, Christopher Hill, was expected to hold talks with officials from Japan, South Korea, China and Russia to chart the next steps.

Department spokesman Tom Casey confirmed that North Korea, to no one’s surprise, had failed to deliver a declaration detailing its atomic programs by the December 31 deadline, which was set out under a six-nation agreement.”

[Cindy]

Note: Click on the link below to read the complete text.

#

ICC-CCS.ORG - THE WEEKLY PIRACY REPORT - REPORT SNIPPET - QUOTE:
http://www.icc-ccs.org/prc/piracyreport.php

Weekly Piracy Report
25-31 December 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 25 to 31 December 2007.

ALERT

Chittagong anchorage, Bangladesh
The number of attacks has reduced since 2006. However, the area is still listed as a high risk area and mariners are advised to be cautious especially while approaching the anchorage and while at anchor at Chittagong

Suspicious crafts

Recently reported incidents

28.12.2007: 0100 UTC: 06:20N-003:20E: Lagos anchorage, Nigeria.
Armed robbers boarded a chemical tanker during STS operations. Due to crew involved in cargo operations, anti piracy watches maintained with one crew ford and one aft. The robbers held the aft, anti piracy watch keeper at knifepoint and severely beat him. His hands and legs were tied up. Robbers stole ship’s stores and euipment and escaped in a waiting boat. Injured crew received first aid treatment onboard. Attempts to contact port control local agents for help were futile.

25.12.2007: 0715 UTC: 01:09.1S-117:13.7E: Samarinda anchorage, Indonesia.
Duty crew, onboard a bulk carrier at anchor, noticed robbers on the poop deck. As he shouted to alert the other crew, robbers who had hidden behind the winches attacked him with iron pipes. Realising that all crew had been alerted, the robbers jumped overboard and escaped. Nothing stolen

[Cindy]

Note: The following piracy alert is a quote:

http://www.icc-ccs.org/main/all_piracy_al.php

What is CCS ?

Its Unique Role

How Can CCS Help You ?

Structure

Membership

Contact us

Piracy Alert
28 Nov 2007
Lagos - Nigeria
More...

Weekly Piracy Report
25-31 December 2007

IMB live piracy map

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Lagos - Nigeria
28 November 2007
Masters advised to remain vigilant and question the intentions of all craft approaching their vessels. Pirates dressed in military fatigues and using military launches are boarding vessels and taking hostages. The hostages are later released in exchange for cash and cigarettes.