National News

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Visa Program Lets in 10,000 From Countries Sponsoring Terror (Tucson [AZ] Star) “Nearly 10,000 foreigners from states sponsoring terrorism have obtained permanent residency in the United States in the past seven years,” according to the Associated Press, citing a Government Accountability Office report. “The State Department Bureau of Consular Affairs did not implement a recommendation to bar aliens from those countries … The GAO focused on the issue after the State Department inspector general pointed to the risk in allowing foreigners from countries designated as state sponsors of terrorism to obtain visas under the special diversity-visa program.… a few department officers told GAO investigators that the challenge of verifying applicants’ identities could have security implications.” [View article] [View GAO summary]

Judge Voids Two Patriot Act Provisions (Washington Post) U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken “in Oregon ruled [Wednesday] that two provisions of the USA Patriot Act are unconstitutional,” reports the Washington Post. “… In a case brought by a Portland man who was wrongly detained as a terrorism suspect in 2004,” she “ruled that the Patriot Act violates the Constitution because it ‘permits the executive branch of government to conduct surveillance and searches of American citizens without satisfying the probable cause requirements of the Fourth Amendment.’” [View article]

Cyber-Attack Could Shut Down Power Grid (CNN) “Researchers who launched an experimental cyber attack caused a generator to self-destruct, alarming the government and electrical industry about what might happen if such an attack were carried out on a larger scale, CNN has learned. Sources familiar with the experiment said the same attack scenario could be used against huge generators that produce the country’s electric power.” [View article]

GAO Investigators Find Holes in U.S.-Canada Border (CBC News) “Undercover American investigators” from the Government Accountability Office who carried “large red duffel bags” across the border “at unguarded and unmonitored spots … have concluded that a smuggler could easily carry radioactive material or other contraband from one country to the other,” reports the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. [View article] [View GAO summary]

Lawful Enemy or Not, Guantanamo Prisoner Goes on Trial (BBC) “A US military appeals court ruled that Omar Khadr, a Canadian citizen, is an ‘unlawful enemy combatant’ and can be tried on terror charges,” according to the British Broadcasting Corporation. “The ruling reverses an earlier one by a military judge … Mr Khadr was only 15 when he was captured in Afghanistan five years ago.… detainees facing trial must be designated ‘unlawful enemy combatants’. But … on entering Guantanamo Bay they were officially described only as ‘enemy combatants’. The absence of the word ‘unlawful’ meant that detainee would have to be treated as a prisoner of war and be protected by international law.” The Court of Military Commission Review “has ruled that a military court … is the right venue in which to try Mr Khadr.” [View article]

Anthrax Letters Look Like the Work of Egyptian Islamic Jihad (Global Politician) “The tactic of lethal letters delivered by the US Post Office … was not merely the modus operandi of the militant islamists inspired by Abdel-Rahman, it was their signature,” writes Ross Getman in Global Politician. “The islamists sent letter bombs in late December 1996 from Alexandria, Egypt to newspaper offices in New York City and Washington, D.C. and people in symbolic positions. Musical Christmas cards apparently postmarked in Alexandria, Egypt on December 21, 1996 contained improvised explosive devices.… Sound familiar? Two bombs were also sent to Leavenworth, where a key [World Trade Center] 1993 defendant was imprisoned, addressed to ‘Parole Officer.’ (The position does not exist). The FBI suspected the Vanguards of Conquest, a mysterious group led by Egyptian Islamic Jihad head Ayman Zawahiri.” [View article]

Disaster Response Must Plan for the Unexpected (Federal Computer Week) “Emergency preparedness requires training for almost every possible situation,” reports Federal Computer Week, reporting on a panel discussion this month sponsored by the Bethesda, MD, chapter of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association International. “But many DHS officials say that even thorough training might not be sufficient.… To prepare for unpredictability, agencies must ensure that employees are trained to handle glitches and unexpected problems … DHS is developing processes for training workers to respond to rapidly changing events … a major component of disaster preparedness is coordinating with state and local governments. Although disasters typically are localized events, the federal response can be stymied by lack of local knowledge and obsolete information technology systems.” [View article]

International News

Iraqi Tribal Leader and Citizens Vow to Fight al-Qaeda (Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Khaleej Times; Blackanthem Military News) “Iraqi tribal leader Ahmed Abu Risha” vows that “the revolt his brother”—Shaikh Abdul Sattar Abu Risha—“started against Al Qaeda in Anbar province will not falter despite” Abdul’s death in “a bombing claimed by Al Qaeda,” reports Reuters. (See the Sept. 14 newsletter.) “… Many believe Ahmed played an instrumental role in helping his brother lead the battle against Al Qaeda in Iraq.” At least “1,200 Iraqi males from in and around Tarmiyah [Iraq] stood in line for hours to join Iraqi Security Forces, local sheiks and Coalition Forces in the fight against al-Qaeda and other insurgent militias in Tarmiyah Sept. 12,” reports the Multi-National Division–North Public Affairs Office. “Local sheiks and [coalition forces] reached out to the Iraqi people, asking the citizens of the small town of Tarmiyah to volunteer to defend their homes and neighborhoods against the terrorist insurgency in their town”—“this concept … has been dubbed an ‘awakening,’ or the mental realization that the terrorists offer nothing but fear and injustice.” [View Reuters article] [View Multi-National Division article]

Suicide Attack Kills 21 at Gathering Intended to Reconcile Iraqi Factions (Washington Post) “A suicide bomber attacked a reconciliation gathering of Shiite and Sunni tribal leaders, provincial officials and security commanders” at a Shiite mosque in “Baqubah [Iraq] on Monday, killing at least 21 people, including the city’s police chief,” reports the Washington Post. The attack took place “during the current holy month of Ramadan.… The bombing apparently was intended to disrupt U.S. efforts to foster reconciliation between tribal groups and turn them against al-Qaeda in Iraq, a predominantly Iraqi insurgent group.” [View article]

Blackwater Stays on the Job in Iraq (Google News) “Iraq said on Monday it will await the outcome of an investigation into the killing of 10 people during a shootout involving US security firm Blackwater before taking any action against the company,” reports Agence France-Presse. “… After the incident,” Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki “called for the company to be replaced [see last week’s newsletter], but the US embassy said Blackwater was now back on the streets of Iraq.” [View article]

Israelis Seize North Korean Nuclear Material in Syrian Raid (London Times) “Israeli commandos seized nuclear material of North Korean origin during a daring raid on a secret military site in Syria before Israel bombed it this month,” reports the London Times. “… The attack was launched with American approval on September 6 after Washington was shown evidence the material was nuclear related … samples taken from Syria for testing had been identified as North Korean. This raised fears that Syria might have joined North Korea and Iran in seeking to acquire nuclear weapons.” [View article]

Worldwide Effort to Secure Bomb-Grade Uranium (Los Angeles Times) “It takes 55 pounds of highly enriched uranium to build a nuclear bomb,” reports the Los Angeles Times. “… Over the last three years, two U.S. nuclear weapons experts have quietly crisscrossed the globe, racing to secure bomb-grade uranium before terrorists can lay their hands on a single kilogram.… the effort by the National Nuclear Security Administration” tries “to persuade foreign scientists and government officials to give up their highly enriched uranium fuel.” [View article]

UK Will Rank Applicants for Immigration (Forbes) “Britain will rank potential immigrants according to what they offer the country, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Monday, promising to streamline his country’s clunky immigration system,” reports the Associated Press. “… Earlier this year, Britain announced plans to adopt a system similar to Australia’s point-based plan, which gives the highest priority to immigrants with the most badly needed skills.… The new system … will not apply to refugees or asylum cases.” [View article]

Georgia Accuses Russia of Terror Campaign (BBC) “Georgia’s President Mikhail Saakashvili has accused Russia of leading ‘terror’ missions on his country’s territory,” reports the British Broadcasting Corporation. “In a speech to the United Nations, he said a man killed by Georgian forces in the breakaway Abkhazia region last week had turned out to be a Russian colonel.… Georgia accuses Russia of trying to destabilise it and of backing Abkhazia’s bid for independence.” [View article]

Briton Convicted of Letter-Bomb Campaign (BBC) “A primary school caretaker [Miles Cooper] has been found guilty of carrying out a letter bomb campaign in which eight people were injured,” reports the British Broadcasting Corporation. “… Seven letter bombs were sent to addresses in England and Wales earlier this year, five of which exploded.” [View article]

Terrorist Funding Tracked to West Africa (Johannesburg, South Africa, Mail and Guardian; AllAfrica) “Militants are exploiting weak law enforcement in West Africa to raise funds from rackets ranging from people smuggling to drug trafficking and even fake Viagra,” reports the Mail and Guardian. “While blacklisted groups like al-Qaeda and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) have not attacked targets in West Africa, intelligence sources say their members and supporters are using the region to finance activities elsewhere.” But “more than a dozen West African nations” are working with the United Nations on “a more targeted and regional approach to building their ability to fight terrorism both within their borders and across the region,” reports the Banjul, Gambia, Daily Observer. [View Mail and Guardian article] [View Daily Observer article]

Hamas Cash Tracked to Israeli Bank (Reuters) “Israeli authorities tracking Hamas’s funds said they made an unexpected discovery last month—cash from one of Israel’s biggest banks had found its way to a security force loyal to the Palestinian Islamists in Gaza,” reports Reuters. “… Israel’s largest commercial bank, Bank Hapoalim, said on Tuesday it would stop providing Israeli shekel notes and coins to Gaza. Hapoalim attributed the move to last week’s declaration by Israel that Gaza, where Hamas seized control in June, is an ‘enemy entity.’” [View article]

U.S. Won’t Extradite Kidnap Suspects to Germany (Washington Post) “U.S. authorities have told Germany that they will not extradite 13 purported CIA agents sought in the alleged kidnapping of a German citizen,” the German Justice Ministry said September 22, according to the Associated Press. (See the Feb. 2 newsletter.) “A Justice Ministry spokeswoman said the Bush administration told Berlin it would not hand over the group and said the ministry had, as a result, decided against giving Washington Munich prosecutors’ formal request for their arrest.” [View article]

Spain and U.S. Sign Permanent Antiterror Pact (Times of India) “Spain said on [Sept. 23] it had signed a ‘permanent cooperation agreement’ with the United States to boost the fight against terrorism and prevent attacks,” reports the Times of India. “The agreement ‘will lead to the reinforcement of capacity in both nations to prevent terrorist attacks and also to hunt people suspected of terrorism,’ the Spanish interior ministry said.” The “countries will ‘exchange information’ about people suspected to have links to terrorist organisations. The agreement stipulates a ‘permanent cooperation’ between Spain’s national anti-terrorism agency, CNCA, and the US Terrorist Screening Centre.” [View article]

Japan Will Help UN Set Quake Standards for Nuclear Plants (Tokyo Asahi Shimbun) “Japan’s Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) will work with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to create a global quake-resistance standard for nuclear power plants,” reports the Asahi Shimbun. “The NISA will provide input based on the heavy damage to the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant caused by the earthquake that rocked the Chuetsu region of Niigata Prefecture on July 16.” (See the July 20 newsletter.) [View article]

Quick Test for Bird Flu (BBC) “Scientists in Singapore say they have created a hand-held device that can detect the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus within 30 minutes,” reports the British Broadcasting Corporation. “They say it is able to isolate, purify and amplify the viral DNA from throat swab samples and then identify it. The hope is that the kit could help contain any outbreak much easier, as other available tests take at least several hours to produce results.” [View article]

DHS News

Unisys Blamed in DHS Data Breaches (Washington Post) “The FBI is investigating a major information technology firm with a $1.7 billion Department of Homeland Security contract after it allegedly failed to detect cyber break-ins traced to a Chinese-language Web site and then tried to cover up its deficiencies,” reports the Washington Post. Unisys Corp. “in 2002 won a $1 billion deal to build, secure and manage the information technology networks for the Transportation Security Administration and DHS headquarters. In 2005, the company was awarded a $750 million follow-on contract.… according to evidence gathered by the House Homeland Security Committee, Unisys’s failure to properly install and monitor the devices meant that DHS was not aware for at least three months of cyber-intrusions that began in June 2006. Through October of that year, [committee chairman Bennie] Thompson said, 150 DHS computers … were compromised by hackers.” Unisys “also allegedly falsely certified that the network had been protected to cover up its lax oversight, according to the committee.” [View article]

Deputy Secretary Jackson Resigns (New York Newsday) “Deputy Homeland Security Secretary Michael P. Jackson, who oversees the agency’s day-to-day operations,” announced Monday “that he will resign Oct. 26.… ‘for financial reasons,’” reports Newsday. “… Jackson makes $168,000 a year in a job he has held since March 2005.” His 2½-year tenure made him “the longest serving Deputy Secretary,” noted Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. [View article] [View press release]

TSA’s 3-1-1 Rule Explained (New York Times) Under the Transportation Security Administration’s 3-1-1 rule, “passengers are allowed to carry liquids and gels in individual 3-ounce containers, all packed in a transparent quart-size zip-lock bag—one baggie per passenger,” writes New York Times “On the Road” columnist Joe Sharkey. “The formula, [TSA chief Kip] Hawley explained, allows passengers to carry on liquids and gels in reasonable quantities, while relieving screeners of the necessity of determining what is actually in each little container. Exhaustive lab and field tests, he said, showed that restricting liquids and gels this way negates the potential for an evildoer to take enough material on board in a big enough container to create a working bomb.” But suppose “‘I’ve got a bunch of 3-ounce bottles, and my three friends have a bunch of 3-ounce bottles. And once we get past security, we buy a large, overpriced bottle of water, empty it, and voilà!’ said one reader, the ingredients are mixed into the big bottle and a bomb is born.” Not so, said Hawley: with homemade explosives, “‘you have to be very precise in the mixing … 3-1-1 eliminates the ability to assemble the ingredients in a laboratory’ … On a plane, mixing up a bomb in a suitable container ‘isn’t like mixing a beverage.’” [View article] [View 3-1-1 rule]

Customs Intercepts Miniature Horse U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport last week intercepted a miniature horse manifested as a passenger’s pet. “For bio-security reasons,” the horse remained in custody overnight. [View press release]

$8 Million in Academic Grants for Radiological and Nuclear Detection The Domestic Nuclear Detection Office and the National Science Foundation last week announced $8 million in grant awards to 23 academic institutions for the Academic Research Initiative, which will foster frontier research in radiological and nuclear detection and build the nation’s intellectual capital in nuclear sciences and engineering. [View press release]

Other Federal News

FBI Reorganizes Effort to Uncover Terror Groups’ Global Ties (Washington Post) “The FBI has begun the most comprehensive realignments of its counterterrorism division in six years so it can better detect the growing global collaborations by terrorists and dismantle larger terrorist enterprises …” reports the Washington Post. “The bureau will merge its two international terrorism units—one for Osama bin Laden’s followers and the other for more established groups such as Hezbollah—into a new structure that borrows both from Britain’s MI5 domestic intelligence agency and the bureau’s own successful efforts against organized-crime families … The new approach is meant to channel raw intelligence and threat information through ‘desk officers’ with expertise on specific world regions or terrorist groups, allowing those experts to spot trends and set investigative strategies for field agents and joint terrorism task forces that collaborate with local law enforcement.” [View article]

NRC and Energy Dept. Have Different Security Requirements for Weapons-Grade Material Although the Energy Department and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission are increasing security for weapons-grade nuclear material, they differ in their assessment of threats, according to the Government Accountability Office. And “even though they did so in the past, since September 11, 2001, [the Energy Department] and NRC have not fully cooperated in sharing classified information.” [View summary]

State and Local News

CDC Missed Worst Texas A&M Biolab Problems (Dallas Morning News) “For three years, inspectors from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found warning signs in Texas A&M University’s biodefense program—everything from unauthorized lab workers with access to dangerous agents to problems with how pathogens were stored. [See the July 6 newsletter.] But the federal agency’s annual inspections, obtained by The Dallas Morning News last week, failed to turn up cases of human illness and exposure to some of the world’s most infectious diseases.” [View article]

Guns, Poison, and Explosives Seized in California (Stockton [CA] Record) “Three San Andreas residents are in jail after a two-week law enforcement operation in which federal and local investigators uncovered a hoard of weapons scattered across three counties that included several illegal military-style weapons and a bomb designed to disperse a cyanide powder,” reports the Record. [View article]

DHS Sues to Block Illinois Law (Chicago Tribune) The Homeland Security Department, “saying that Illinois is complicating [its] efforts to reduce illegal immigration, [has] sued the state to overturn an Illinois law that virtually blocks employers from taking part in a program designed to verify whether new employees are legally entitled to work in the U.S.,” reports the Chicago Tribune. “‘The state of Illinois has now made it illegal to comply with federal law,’ Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said in an interview. ‘That’s not acceptable as a matter of the Constitution, and it’s not acceptable as a matter of our discharging our federal obligation to enforce the immigration laws.’” [View article] [View Chertoff blog]

FBI Investigates Railroad Sabotage in Chicago (Chicago Tribune) “The FBI is investigating who is responsible for pulling at least 12 railroad spikes from a section of track along the busy Metra Electric Line, an act that could have derailed a commuter train and endangered the lives of hundreds of passengers,” reports the Chicago Tribune. “… The missing spikes were first noticed Monday.” The line carries 54,000 passengers on an average weekday. [View article]

World Trade Center ‘Survivor’ Can’t Prove Story (New York Times) Tania Head, who claimed to have escaped the 78th floor of the south tower and “that Dave, her fiancé, and in some versions her husband, had perished in the north tower … has long led tours for the Tribute W.T.C. Visitor Center” and “served as president” of the World Trade Center Survivors’ Network, reports the New York Times. “But no part of her story, it turns out, has been verified.… The board of the Survivors’ Network voted this week to remove her as president and as a director … Officials of the Tribute Center said [Wednesday] that … Ms. Head would no longer do volunteer work for it as a tour guide.” [View article]

As Illegal Immigrants Leave, Towns Rethink Laws Against Them (USA Today; New York Times) “Illegal immigrants living in states and cities that have adopted strict immigration policies are packing up and moving back to their home countries or to neighboring states,” reports USA Today. “… Immigrants say the laws have raised fears of workplace raids and deportation.… Supporters of the laws cheer the departure of illegal immigrants and say the laws are working as intended.… it’s hard to track people who are in the USA illegally. But school officials, real estate agents and church leaders say the movement is unmistakable.” And “a small but growing list of municipalities nationwide … have begun rethinking such laws as their legal and economic consequences have become clearer,” reports the New York Times. “… In the past two years, more than 30 towns nationwide have enacted laws intended to address problems attributed to illegal immigration, from overcrowded housing and schools to overextended police forces. Most of those laws … called for fines and even jail sentences for people who knowingly rented apartments to illegal immigrants or who gave them jobs. In some places, business owners have objected to crackdowns that have driven away immigrant customers. And in many, ordinances have come under legal assault by immigration groups and the American Civil Liberties Union.” [View USA Today article] [View NY Times article]

Gunman Captured in Delaware Campus Shootings (Washington Times; Philadelphia Enquirer) Two Delaware State University “students were shot and wounded, one seriously,” on September 21, and “the campus was locked down as police searched for the gunman,” reports the Associated Press. “… The two students were shot before 1 a.m.… University officials informed students about the shooting with phone calls, a notice posted on the campus Web site and notifications in each dormitory. The notice also was posted at off-campus apartments.” On Monday, “police charged an 18-year-old student”—Loyer Braden—“with attempted murder,” reports the Philadelphia Enquirer. “… Classes on the campus of about 3,690 students were canceled [the day of] the shooting.” [View AP article] [View Inquirer article]

MIT Student With Fake Bomb Arrested at Boston Airport (New York Newsday) “A 19-year-old [Massachusetts Institute of Technology] student wearing what appeared to be a bomb, complete with blinking lights on a circuit board, was lucky to be arrested—rather than shot to death—at Boston’s Logan Airport” on September 21, reports Newsday. “Star Simpson, a sophomore in electrical engineering,” was surrounded by Massachusetts State Police with automatic weapons. “Simpson, who said she was wearing an art project so she would stand out at the school’s Career Day, was arrested and charged with disturbing the peace and possessing a hoax device.” [View article]

Customs Finds Tunnel Under Nogales, AZ, Port of Entry U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers on Monday discovered a partially constructed tunnel at the port of entry in Nogales under the traffic lanes leading into Mexico. [View press release]

University of Missouri Campuses Get Enhanced Emergency Alerts (Jefferson City [MO] News Tribune) “The four University of Missouri campuses are expanding their emergency notification systems in the aftermath of the deadly Virginia Tech shootings,” reports the Associated Press. “Under the new system … students, staff and faculty will be able to receive emergency bulletins by phone, e-mail and text and instant messages on their cell phones, pagers, fax machines and portable electronic devices.” [View article]

United Nations News

UN Hopes to Broaden Role in Iraq (BBC) “The UN is ready to broaden its activity in support of Iraq, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon” said in New York last weekend, reports the British Broadcasting Corporation. “Mr Ban said … the time for determined action on Iraq had come, but that a greater UN presence would need better security. The UN withdrew most of its staff in 2003 after a bomb killed its top envoy and 21 others but Iraqi [Prime Minister] Nouri Maliki says he can now guarantee UN security.” [View article]

Sri Lanka Urges Early Agreement on Global Treaty on Terrorism Negotiations over a comprehensive global convention against terrorism have taken far too long and need to wind up, Sri Lanka’s President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, told the United Nations General Assembly Tuesday as he called for greater international vigilance against terrorism and related illegal activities. He said his country knew firsthand of the impact of terrorism and the need to act aggressively to deal with it. [View press release]

Kazakhstan Calls on Other Countries to Renounce Nuclear Arms Nursultan Nazarbayev, the President of Kazakhstan, on Tuesday called on other countries to follow Kazakhstan’s example and renounce nuclear arms. The people of Kazakhstan, he said, endured over 450 blasts at the Semipalatinsk nuclear testing ground. After gaining independence, Kazakhstan shut down the site and renounced its nuclear arsenal, the fourth largest in the world. [View press release]

Estonia Urges Cooperation Against Cyber-Crimes Estonia’s President Toomas Hendrik Ilves on Tuesday told the UN General Assembly that the international community should step up its efforts to defeat cyber-crime with an international convention on the issue and a globally negotiated and comprehensive law of cyberspace. [View press release]

Terrorism and Drugs Threaten Afghan Progress Afghanistan’s economy is posting serious gains, its nascent institutions are taking root, and its health indicators are on the rise, but the twin perils of terrorism and illegal drugs place enormous obstacles to any further improvements, President Hamid Karzai told the General Assembly Tuesday. “The most urgent priority must be an effective, integrated civilian-military strategy and security plan for Afghanistan,” [UN Secretary General] Ban [Ki-Moon] wrote in a report on the country. [View UN Karzai press release] [View UN Ban press release] [View Ban report]

Ahmadinejad Says Nuclear Issue Is Closed Iran’s nuclear activities are a matter only for the International Atomic Energy Agency now and not the Security Council, the country’s president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, told the General Assembly Tuesday. He accused “arrogant powers” of abusing the Security Council to prevent Iran from enjoying its rights and entitlements. [View press release]

Private-Sector News

NY Mercantile Exchange Exemplifies Business Continuity Planning (New York Newsday) “Somewhere in Nassau County [New York], in an undisclosed location, sits a replica of the trading floor of the New York Mercantile Exchange,” reports Newsday. “… this duplicate of the world’s largest energy marketplace is the paradigm for disaster preparedness. The post-9/11 idea is to go beyond gates, guards and guns to create resiliency through redundancy and geographic dispersal—including alternative sites, backup data centers and contingency plans.… The site relies on different power, water and communications grids … the federal government backed off initial proposals for a 200-to-300-mile separation between primary and secondary sites” after “officials concluded that the benefits of geographic concentration … outweighed the risks.” (Nassau County lies about 15 to 30 miles east of Manhattan.) [View article]

Sea-Tac Airport Selects Intergraph for Incident Detection, Assessment, and Response Seattle-Tacoma International Airport will deploy Intergraph’s integrated security solutions as part of a public safety and security system upgrade that will provide officers and first responders with advanced tools for incident assessment, detection, and response. [View press release]

Education The Homeland Security Institute lists these education programs as a service to readers who may be interested; it does not endorse them or their courses. New education listings are posted for four weeks. (October 21-26, Moyock, NC) Mirror Image is an intensive classroom and field training program, designed to realistically simulate terrorist recruiting, training techniques, and operational tactics. Participants will receive insight into the mindset and rationale of terrorists through hands-on experience with the methods and means they use, plus education about the ideologies that motivate them and cultural dimensions that influence their decision making. [View course website] Contingency Planning Management 2007 East (November 13-15; Orlando, FL) This course offers risk management education and opportunities to network with professional peers. Contingency planning management is dedicated to the convergence of business continuity and continuity-of-operations plans, emergency management, and security for preparation of comprehensive and effective plans. [View conference website]

New Upcoming Events (After four weeks, new events will be moved to the Upcoming Events page) Homeland Security and Canada-U.S. Border Trade: Implications for Public Policy and Business Strategy (October 25-26; Windsor, Ontario) The conference will address American and Canadian perspectives regarding homeland security as it relates to Canada-U.S. border trade, review existing efforts to keep the border closed to terrorists and open for trade, and seek to identify economically and politically feasible public policy and private-sector strategies to achieve a viable and sustainable balance between homeland security and economic security for both nations. [View conference website] (November 1-3; Atlantic City, NJ) The conference offers over 40 sessions divided into clearly defined tracks for the emergency medical services administrator, physician, educator, and all basic and advanced life-support providers. The faculty comprises physicians, nurses, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, and other health and safety professionals. [View conference website]

Calls for Papers ER One Institute Emergency Preparedness Conference (March 3-4; Washington, DC) The title of next year’s meeting is “Hospitals on the Frontline. Emergency Preparedness: Today’s Questions and Tomorrow’s Answers.” Topics for abstracts and posters are Information Management, System Recovery and Business Continuity, Behavioral Health Injuries Following Mass-Casualty Events, and Challenges and Innovations in Hospital Response to Mass-Casualty Events. Abstracts must be submitted via email to eroneconference@eroneinstitute.org. For more information, contact Lisa Rizzolo at (202) 877-7453 or Lisa.Rizzolo@medstar.net. The deadline for submissions is October 30. [View conference website]

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