National News

CIA Destroyed Two Tapes Showing Severe Interrogation of Terror Suspects (New York Times; London Guardian; Washington Post) “The Central Intelligence Agency in 2005 destroyed at least two videotapes documenting the interrogation of two Qaeda operatives in the agency’s custody, a step it took in the midst of Congressional and legal scrutiny about its secret detention program, according to current and former government officials,” reports the New York Times. “The videotapes showed agency operatives in 2002 subjecting terrorism suspects—including Abu Zubaydah, the first detainee in C.I.A. custody—to severe interrogation techniques. The tapes were destroyed in part because officers were concerned that video showing harsh interrogation methods could expose agency officials to legal risks, several officials said.” The tapes documented “the use of waterboarding,” according to the Guardian. “A former CIA officer”—John Kiriakou—“who participated in the capture and questioning of [Zubaydah] said … that the harsh technique provided an intelligence breakthrough that ‘probably saved lives,’ but that he now regards the tactic as torture.” The means used to obtain information from Zubaydah “were lawful, safe, and effective,” said CIA Director Mike Hayden. [View Times article] [View Guardian article] [View Post article] [View Hayden statement]

Many U.S. Tribes Unsure About Passport Requirements (MSNBC) “The U.S. Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative in January will require U.S. citizens to present government photo ID, such as a driver’s license, plus proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate, when they enter the United States by land or sea,” reports Reuters. “The measure, which is to be followed by requirements for a passport by June 2009, is causing confusion and anxiety among some Native American tribes that straddle the United States’ borders with Mexico and Canada.… there are around 40 U.S. tribes whose members cross regularly over the northern and southwestern borders … some tribal members say it is still unclear whether enrollment documents issued by their own tribal governments will be acceptable at the borders, and are unsure if they can meet the new travel ID requirements if they are obliged to comply.” [View article]

International News

Did Egypt Fabricate a Terror Group? (BBC) Human Rights Watch (see last week’s website of the week) “has accused the Egyptian government of using torture and false confessions in a high-profile anti-terrorism case,” reports the British Broadcasting Corporation. “Twenty-two alleged members of an unknown Islamist group, the Victorious Sect, were accused of planning attacks on tourism sites and gas pipelines. Human Rights Watch says its research suggests [that] the security forces may have fabricated the group’s name. It reports claims [that] the case was used to justify renewing emergency laws.… ‘Beyond coerced confessions, there appears to be no compelling evidence to support the government’s dramatic claims,’ [Human Rights Watch] says. ‘Indeed, it appears that SSI (state security investigations) may have fabricated the allegations made against at least some and possibly all of them.’” [View article] [View report]

Saudi Arabia Arrests 872 Smugglers, Seizes Explosives and Weapons (International Herald Tribune) “Saudi Arabia has arrested 872 alleged smugglers between July and October and confiscated explosives, weapons, mines and drugs, [the Saudi daily Okaz] newspaper reported,” according to the Associated Press. [View article]

Youngsters Rebuild Sadr’s Disrupted Iraq Insurgency (Washington Post) “The Mahdi Army of Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr [see the Dec. 1, 2006, and Nov. 16, 2007, newsletters] using a new generation of youths, some as young as 15, to expand and tighten its grip across Baghdad, but the ruthlessness of some of these young fighters is alienating Sunnis and Shiites alike,” reports the Washington Post. “The fighters are filling the vacuum of leadership created by a 10-month-old U.S.-led security offensive. Hundreds of senior and mid-level militia members have been arrested, killed or forced into hiding, weakening what was once the second most powerful force in Iraq after the U.S. military. But the militia still rules through fear and intimidation, often under the radar of U.S. troops.” [View article]

Spain Boosts Nuclear Power Plant Security (Expatica) Since February, the Spanish “government and the Nuclear Security Council (CSN) have boosted protection of the country’s [eight] nuclear power plants in the face of the perceived threat from Al Qaeda–related organisations …” reports Expatica. “Madrid has also drawn up a list that includes some 4,000 vital infrastructure locations that could be possible targets for extreme Islamist groups.” [View article]

After Guantanamo, ‘Reintegration’ for Saudis (Washington Post) “About 40 of the more than 100 Guantanamo detainees from Saudi Arabia who have been transferred to [the Saudi capital] Riyadh since last year have been released after participating in” the “Saudi ‘reintegration program,’” reports the Washington Post. The program helps “former Guantanamo prisoners adjust to modern society and learn the meanings of Islam” and to “break the terrorist mind-set by linking former detainees with their families, their communities and a stable lifestyle.” The remaining detainees in Riyadh “are scheduled to be let go in coming months. The Defense Department considered more than 90 percent of the transferred detainees to be terrorist threats to the United States and its allies, but sent them home as part of an agreement that Saudi Arabia would mitigate the threat … Critics are concerned that the arrangement will simply return some extremists to the streets. Defense officials say about 30 of the nearly 480 detainees released from Guantanamo have again taken up terrorist activities.… about 10 Saudis in Guantanamo … are scheduled to be tried by military commissions.” [View article]

Vietnam Arrests Four U.S. Citizens on Suspicion of Terrorism (Reuters) “Four Vietnamese-Americans arrested last month [in Vietnam] were suspected of terrorism,” reports Reuters. But U.S. “Envoy Michael Michalak” was not “told of any charges against the four U.S. citizens.” They were allegedly linked to the “Viet Tan (Vietnam Reform Party), a U.S.-based group opposed to communist rule” and “promoting peaceful democratic change.” [View article]

Israel Still Considers Attack on Iran an Option (London Guardian) Israel is “still considering the option of a military strike against Iran, despite a fresh US intelligence report that concluded Tehran was no longer developing nuclear weapons,” reports the Guardian. “Although Israel argues that it wants to see strong diplomatic pressure put on Iran, it is reluctant to rule out the threat of a unilateral military attack.” [View article]

On Taliban Turf, Long Lines of Ailing Children (New York Times) In the Nawa District of Ghazni Province, Afghanistan, “the population’s health problems are acute,” reports the New York Times. The villagers’ healthcare problems have “been aggravated by the continuing insurgency and the harsh edicts of the Taliban,” who have “‘made it abundantly clear that no outside doctors, no outside medical help, can work in this district,’ [U.S. Army] Captain [Christopher J.] DeMure said.” American medical aid is “the only modern health care many of the villagers had seen in years. Sometimes the [Army’s] medics were able to help,” but “much of what they saw was beyond their reach.… The government and the military plan to travel in the region soon with doctors and assess the problems and try to distribute aid and administer vaccinations,” although “the Taliban’s strength in the district had made greater long-term health care impossible for now.” [View article]

U.S. Gives Up on Cropdusting Afghan Poppies (London Guardian) “The US government has conceded defeat in its attempt to persuade the Afghanistan government to begin the aerial destruction of poppy fields as part of its opium eradication strategy” after “widespread criticism from the Afghan government and other coalition partners, notably the” United Kingdom, reports the Guardian. (See the Aug. 31 newsletter.) “Although attempting to destroy poppy crops from the ground can be dangerous, the Afghan government is against the use of aerial spraying because of fears about the herbicide glyphosate’s effect on the environment, other smaller crops and on health.” [View article]

Australia Defers Air Cargo Screening (Australian) “Australian transport authorities have backed away from key anti-terrorism measures after being advised [that] increased screening of air cargo on passenger flights could jeopardise exports and threaten some industries,” reports the Australian. [View article]

Australians Under Surveillance After Attending Hezbollah Antiwar Rally (Australian) Australian “counter-terrorism authorities are analysing video footage and photographs taken at public meetings attended by Australian Muslims in support of the Shia organisation,” reports the Australian. The men in the images were “waving Hezbollah banners and flags during protests in Melbourne last year against the 34-day war between Israel and Lebanon. More than 50 men, largely of Lebanese heritage, are being monitored by the police, but none has been arrested or interviewed.” [View article]

Hundreds Searched Illegally at English Airport (London Guardian) “Hundreds of passengers at Gatwick airport have been subjected to illegal police ‘stop and searches’, [England’s] Home Office admitted,” according to the Guardian. “… Sussex police made a paperwork error when they applied for special permission to stop people without ‘reasonable grounds’ that a crime is in progress … The 259 people stopped and searched by Sussex police during three weeks in September will receive apologies.” No one was arrested during the searches. [View article]

No Taser Ban for Mounties (Vancouver [British Columbia] Sun) The Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s “public complaints commission” has released an interim report on the use of Tasers; its top recommendation “is that Tasers be classified as ‘impact weapons,’” reports the Sun. “… Tasers are now in the same category as pepper spray.… Re-classifying the Taser would mean it could only be used in situations where a person is being ‘combative’ or poses a risk of ‘death or grievous bodily harm’ to the officer, him or herself, or the public.” [View article] [View report]

Many Muslims See Sufism as Antidote to Extremist Islam (Christian Science Monitor) “Many Muslims … see the [Sufi] spiritual tradition as the potential answer to the extremism that has hijacked the faith and misrepresented it to the world,” reports the Christian Science Monitor. And “thousands in America and millions in the Muslim world have embarked on the spiritual path called Sufism, or the Sufi way.… In the West, Sufism has appealed to seekers attracted by its disciplined spiritual practices as well as its respect for all faiths and emphasis on universal love.… Across the Muslim world, Sufism has been an influential force throughout Islamic history, though it has frequently come under attack by more orthodox Muslims.” (See the book reviews of Islam: A Mosaic, Not a Monolith and Islam: A Short History published earlier this year in the Journal of Homeland Security.) [View article]

United Nations News

Bombing Targets UN in Algeria (New York Times; Time) Two car bombs in Algiers on Tuesday killed 31 people, reports the New York Times. “The first bomb exploded … outside Algeria’s Constitutional Council.” The second bomb destroyed much of the UN building that housed the “United Nations Development Program, the World Food Program, the Population Fund, the International Labor Organization and the Industrial Development Organization.” Furthermore, “the group claiming responsibility for the strikes—al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM)—has signaled its desire to internationalize its jihad,” reports Time. “With Tuesday’s violence marking the first time AQIM has struck foreign targets in a major attack in Algeria, security officials fear it signals a significant broadening of the group’s terror action that will inevitably reach Europe itself.” [View Times article] [View Time article]

Security Council Extends UN Counterterrorism Office Through March The UN Security Council on Monday extended until March 31, 2008, the mandate of the main office tasked with monitoring the efforts of countries to combat terrorism. The initial period of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate, established in 2004, was due to expire on December 31. The directorate assists the Security Council’s Counter-Terrorism Committee in monitoring the implementation of resolution 1373, adopted in 2001, calling on countries to adopt measures to enhance their ability to counter terrorist activities nationally, regionally and globally. [View press release]

State and Local News

Five Dead in Colorado Church Shootings (Washington Post; Denver Post) Matthew Murray, 24, shot and killed four people and left “five others wounded Sunday in the two eruptions of violence 12 hours and 65 miles apart,” reports the Associated Press. “The first attack took place at Youth With a Mission, a training center for missionaries in the Denver suburb of Arvada; the other occurred at the New Life Church in Colorado Springs, where Murray was shot by a security guard, though” an autopsy showed that he died by shooting himself. A diatribe posted Sunday morning “on a website devoted to people who have left religion” was, authorities believe, left by Murray, according to the Denver Post. “With the exception of two minor changes, some rearranging and the final paragraph, the text was originally written as a manifesto by Columbine killer Eric Harris.” The New Life Church’s “four-building complex … resembles a shopping mall and requires similar attention to crowd control and disaster planning,” reports the Washington Post. And “officials at several large churches emphasized that security for a house of worship requires careful calibrating” of safety because of “the kinds of personal strife that can spiral into conflict … And offerings can run into serious cash.” [View AP article] [View Denver Post article] [View Washington Post article]

California ‘Partially Prepared’ for Bio-Trouble (Sacramento [CA] Bee) “An unprecedented study of California’s ability to respond to bioterrorism or a major natural disease outbreak has concluded that local health departments are ‘partially prepared,’ but gaps remain because of staffing shortages and aging infrastructure,” reports the Bee. “The assessment … was conducted over two years by the Health Officers Association of California under a $2 million contract from the state Department of Health Services. More than 700 public health, environmental, hospital, law enforcement and emergency officials were involved.” [View article]

Maryland High School Teaches Homeland Security (USA Today) “The nation’s first comprehensive high school homeland security program, a three-year course to help kids land jobs in the growing anti-terrorism industry, is in its infancy … at Maryland’s Joppatowne High School,” reports USA Today. “… schools and education departments in more than a half-dozen states” are interested. [View article]

Anne Arundel County, MD, Leads in Immigration Law Enforcement (Washington Times) “Anne Arundel County has taken the lead in Maryland on cracking down on illegal aliens,” reports the Washington Times. “County Executive John R. Leopold … has already required Anne Arundel agencies to check the documents of contract workers and is now working with federal immigration officials.… The county has gone ‘above and beyond the normal course of business,’ said James Dinkins, special agent in charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Baltimore field office.” [View article]

DHS News

Chertoff Sets Priorities, Complains of ‘Oversight Run Amok’ (Government Executive) “Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff” on Wednesday named “four key areas that he plans to focus on in the coming year: border security and immigration, secure identity, cybersecurity, and operations,” reports Government Executive. “Chertoff also said the department will spend the next year looking internally to improve the way it functions as a single, unified institution. He said one of the obstacles is excessive congressional oversight. While insisting that he believes monitoring is good for the department, he said DHS is dealing with ‘oversight run amok.’” [View article]

DHS Accepts Virtual Fence (Government Executive) “Amid a strong warning from Congress, the Homeland Security Department last week conditionally accepted delivery of the first phase of a controversial electronic border fence from contractor Boeing Co., and awarded the company a $64 million contract to build the next phase,” reports Government Executive. “… the first phase of the Secure Border Initiative Network (SBInet)” is “a high-tech surveillance system consisting of radars, cameras and ground sensors connected by a wireless satellite network along a 28-mile section in southern Arizona.… known as Project 28.” (See the Sep. 21 newsletter.) “Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, … has been concerned about Boeing’s efforts to fix technical problems with the fence, including systems integration, rain-activating radars and a lag time in displaying video images from field cameras.… Thompson was not convinced Boeing had fixed the bugs or if the fence was worth the investment.” Homeland Security Secretary Michael “Chertoff said he believes Project 28 ‘adds some value to the Border Patrol mission.’” [View article]

New this week in the Journal of Homeland Security In “Establishing a Comprehensive Antifraud Plan for FEMA,” Quin Lucie argues that FEMA has no scalable, integrated plan to combat fraudulent disaster assistance claims and the external misuse, waste, and abuse of its property during disaster operations and while providing assistance. Reductions in the fraudulent and improper payments under just the Individual Assistance Program for a disaster the size of Hurricane Katrina (approximately 2.5 million applications for individual assistance) could save FEMA and U.S. taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.

Other Federal News

FTA Safety and Security Action Plan The Federal Transit Administration has published a new plan that lays the foundation for activities it will implement during fiscal year 2008 and for developing and meeting longer-term strategic goals that guide the management of safety, security, and emergency management programs and initiatives. [View plan]

Private-Sector News

Taclane Encryptor Approved for Military and Government Use (Arizona Republic) General Dynamics’ “Taclane-Micro in-line network encryptor has been certified by the National Security Agency for use by the U.S. military and government agencies,” reports the Arizona Republic. “The Taclane-micro encryptor is used to secure top-secret communications and data on commercial, military and government Internet protocol networks.” [View article]

Dual-Benefit Solutions

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Nebraska Fusion Center Will Fight Crime and Disaster (Omaha [NE] World-Herald) “Over the past nine months, Nebraska has begun a new intelligence-gathering effort focusing on terrorism but also on sharing information about other serious crimes and disasters,” reports the World-Herald. “The Nebraska State Patrol is in the early stages of setting up a ‘fusion center’ to … gather intelligence on crime, drugs, threats, terrorism and other hazards such as chemical spills. The center then will share the intelligence with local, state and federal agencies.” [View article]

Satellite System Pinpoints Firefighters in Burning Buildings (Reuters) “A new tracking system to pinpoint people inside smoked-filled buildings has been developed in a move that should slash the risks faced by firefighters,” reports Reuters. The Indoor Positioning System by “French aerospace company Thales … was aimed initially at helping fire services although it could also be used by the police and armed forces.” The U.S. Homeland Security Department is also developing a 3-D Locator system with L-3 Communications Corporation. [View article]

Dual-benefit news archive

New Upcoming Events (After four weeks, events are moved to the Upcoming Events page) Closed-Circuit TV: Developing Privacy Best Practices (December 17-18; Arlington, VA) This public workshop conducted by the Homeland Security Department’s Privacy Office will provide a forum to discuss development of best practices for the use of closed-circuit TV by government agencies. It will explore how the technology can be used in a way that respects the privacy and civil liberties of the American public. [View conference website] [View Focus on Closed-Circuit TV] 2008 Railway Security Forum and Expo (January 28-29; Arlington, VA) Speakers and panels will cover resiliency, emergency preparedness, lessons from tragedy and handling major events, security funding, intelligence sharing, and security for infrastructure, rolling stock, and hazmats. Security technology vendors will host tabletop exhibits. The conference runs concurrently with Maritime & Port Security 2008. [View conference website] Maritime & Port Security 2008 (January 28-29; Arlington, VA) Speakers and panels will cover container security, scanning, seafarers as a link in the maritime security chain, and more. Security technology vendors will host tabletop exhibits. The conference runs concurrently with the 2008 Railway Security Forum and Expo. [View conference website] Supply Chain Security Training Seminar (February 27-29; New Orleans) This seminar is for certified partners of the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism. Registration begins December 17. [View conference website] (March 17-20; Orlando, FL) The Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers’ Defense + Security 2008 conference brings together scientists and engineers from industry, the military, and academia doing cutting-edge work in materials, technology, systems, and devices to present the latest research on imaging, sensors, and displays and sensor data analysis. [View conference website] Preparing Law Enforcement for Emerging Terrorist Threats (March 17-20; San Antonio) Local, state, federal and active military law enforcement officials and prosecutors are invited to attend. Local, state, and federal agents experienced in terrorism investigations and subject matter experts or prosecuting attorneys in terrorism matters from the U.S. attorney’s office will discuss cyber-terrorism; interview and interrogation issues; case studies from agents and prosecutors; intelligence law; terrorism law; civil liberties and terrorism; narco-terrorism; military issues and terrorism; al-Qaeda, Hamas, and Hezbollah; Iraq from a U.S. prosecutor’s perspective; financing terrorism; bioterrorism; investigating terrorism; emerging trends; terrorism beyond U.S. borders; and private-sector concerns. [View conference website] (March 25-29; Baltimore) The conference offers numerous workshops for emergency medical services personnel, covering the latest clinical advances and treatment protocols; many workshops are good for continuing education credits. Exhibits will display the newest EMS equipment. [View conference website]