National News

National Guard Was Prepared to Shoot Down Errant Airliner (ABC News) “Armed F-16s from the Wisconsin Air National Guard were on the runway and could have shot down … Northwest Flight 188, from San Diego to Minneapolis,” on October 21, reports ABC News. “Air traffic controllers feared” that it “might have been hijacked after its pilots failed to respond to radio transmissions for more than an hour.… The concern grew as the pilots ignored a command from the Minneapolis approach controllers to begin a descent for landing. The National Counterterrorism Center in Washington was notified, and authorities began to scrutinize the passenger list.” [View article]

Swine Flu Scams Abound on the Internet (Washington Times) “Federal officials have warned promoters of more than 140 products sold over the Internet about fraudulent claims that they can prevent, treat or diagnose swine flu,” reports the Associated Press. “Bogus products include devices and sprays that claim to sterilize the air or surfaces, and dietary supplements claiming to boost the immune system. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it even has found fake Tamiflu being sold online without a prescription.… the problem has grown in recent weeks as vaccine is delayed and real Tamiflu continues to be reserved for only the sickest flu patients.” [View article]

Swine Flu Strains Some Hospitals (USA Today) “As waves of flu patients arrive at their doors,” some hospitals are “doubling their emergency room volume,” reports USA Today. “Just as significant is the effect on intensive care units: A relatively small number of flu patients are requiring intensive care, but some are so ill they will need round-the-clock care for weeks.… the swine flu virus, also known as H1N1, has killed more than 1,000 people nationwide and prompted 20,000 to be hospitalized.… Seasonal flu typically kills about 36,000 people and hospitalizes 200,000.” Hospitals face “a cascade of mild to moderate cases” and “a narrow stream of unusually young patients who need intensive care.… At most hospitals, swine flu has had ‘very little impact on patient care—except in [intensive-care units],’ says Eric Toner of the University of Pittsburgh Center for Biosecurity.” [View article]

Commission Asks Why H1N1 Vaccines Weren’t Available Before School Started (Reuters) The shortage of H1N1 vaccine underscores the severe lack of U.S. preparedness in responding to pandemics, whether natural disease transmission or manmade bioterrorist attacks, according to a new video from the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism. The commission wants “to engage the U.S. public on the need to improve the nation’s capability to produce vaccines and medicines faster and less expensively—and just as safely.” Now “the U.S. government may end up throwing away unused doses of swine flu vaccine if people cannot get it soon enough, the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [Dr. Thomas Frieden] said on Tuesday,” according to Reuters. [View website] [View Reuters article]

International News

Al-Qaeda Group Says It’s Behind Worst Iraq Bombing in Two Years (BBC) “A militant group linked to al-Qaeda has claimed responsibility for two car bombs which killed more than 150 people in Baghdad on Sunday,” reports the British Broadcasting Corporation. “… The massive attack was the deadliest in Iraq since August 2007.” [View article]

Afghans Oppose U.S. Hit List of Drug Traffickers (Washington Post) “A U.S. military hit list of about 50 suspected drug kingpins is drawing fierce opposition from Afghan officials, who say it could undermine their fragile justice system and trigger a backlash against foreign troops,” reports the Washington Post. “The U.S. military and NATO officials have authorized their forces to kill or capture individuals on the list, which was drafted within the past year as part of NATO’s new strategy to combat drug operations that finance the Taliban.” [View article]

UAE Will Get Nuclear Fuel Abroad (Newsweek) The United Arab Emirates, a neighbor of Iran, “plans to spend $40 billion to build an estimated eight nuclear plants over the next several decades and become the first openly nuclear-powered state in the Middle East,” reports Newsweek. “… What’s groundbreaking is that the U.A.E. has promised not to construct its own uranium-enrichment facilities. Instead, it will outsource the entire fuel cycle—from enrichment to reprocessing—to an established nuclear country, probably France.” [View article]

China Tests New Type of Explosives Detectors (Window of China) A new type of explosives detector based on “fluorescent polymer sensing technology” has been installed “at some major stations of the urban rail transport system in Shanghai to help ensure security for the World Expo scheduled for May 1 next year,” reports the Xinhua News Agency. “… The new detectors are more sensitive than experienced police dogs, and would do no harm to operators and those being investigated and produce no pollutants, according to the developers.” [View article]

Cyberterror: Not Yet a Real Threat? “To date, we have not seen a serious cyber attack,” says a new report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “That is only because the political circumstances that would justify such attacks by other militaries have not yet occurred and because most non-state actors have not yet acquired the necessary capabilities.… Cybercrime does not rise to the level of an act of war, even when there is state complicity, nor does espionage—and crime and espionage are the activities that currently dominate cyber conflict.… Cyber incidents in Estonia and Georgia also did not rise to the level of an act of war. These countries came under limited cyber attack as part of larger conflicts with Russia, but in neither case were there casualties, loss of territory, destruction, or serious disruption of critical services. The ‘denial of service’ attacks used against these countries sought to create political pressure and coerce the target governments, but how to respond to such coercion remains an open question, particularly in light of the uncertain attribution and deniability.” (See the Quote of the Week.) [View report (74KB PDF)] [View Focus on Cyber-Warfare]

Sri Lankan Website Owner Released, Terror Charges Dropped (Ottawa Metro News) “A Sri Lankan court on Monday ordered the release of a Web site owner [Vetrivel Jasiharan] who spent 19 months in detention on government accusations of supporting separatist rebels,” reports the Associated Press. “… the state attorney withdrew the charges … Jasiharan’s now-defunct site, Outreachsl.com, discussed the political rights of the country’s ethnic minority Tamils.” [View article]

Singapore Hosts Counterproliferation Exercise (Channel NewsAsia) This week, “Singapore is hosting a multilateral exercise to guard against the spread of weapons of mass destruction,” reports Channel NewsAsia. “… Exercise Deep Sabre II involves 19 countries that are part of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI)—an agreement in place to enhance international cooperation for preventing the spread of dangerous weapons like nuclear arms.” [View article]

United Nations News

UN ‘Hopeful’ After Iran Responds to Uranium Refinement Proposal (BBC) “The International Atomic Energy Agency … said it received Iran’s reply to the [United Nations]–backed proposal” yesterday, reports the British Broadcasting Corporation. “Under the plan, most of Iran’s enriched uranium would be sent abroad to be turned into fuel rods for research use. No details of Iran’s reply have been given but” Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad “said it was ready to co-operate with the proposal.” [View article]

Women Forced to Aid Terrorists Deserve Asylum, Says UN Women who have been forced by terrorists to provide shelter, food, and sexual services should never be denied asylum on the ground that they gave material support to terrorism, according to Martin Scheinin, UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism. [View press release]

DHS News

CBP Expands Public Document Access U.S. Customs and Border Protection last week upgraded its Freedom of Information Act Electronic Reading Room to feature records and documents formerly available only through a Freedom of Information Act request: final opinions and orders rendered in the adjudication of administrative cases, specific agency policy statements, certain administrative staff manuals, and various records disclosed in response to a Freedom of Information Act request [View press release] [View reading room]

DHS Expands IdeaFactory (Federal News Radio) “The Department of Homeland Security is expanding the use of the Transportation Security Administration’s IdeaFactory department-wide,” reports Federal News Radio. “TSA has used the IdeaFactory since 2007 as a way for employees to suggest ideas and changes to programs within the agency.… TSA is now training everyone on how to manage the site and take ideas, vet them and create a program office that supports the IdeaFactory.… ideas from the entire department will circulate, but there will also be opportunities for specific offices or departments to have their own niche areas.” [View article]

DHS Proposes Guidance for Responders to Anthrax Incidents The Homeland Security Department has proposed guidance for protecting the health of emergency responders during an anthrax attack on a major U.S. city. It recommends personal protective equipment and decontamination and hygiene procedures for first responders, public health and medical professionals, skilled support personnel, essential workers in critical infrastructure sectors, certain federal and private-sector employees, and volunteers. [View press release]

Other Federal News

Obama Declares Swine Flu a National Emergency (Washington Times) “The White House has declared the 2009 H1N1 ‘swine flu’ pandemic a national emergency, a designation that will make it easier for medical facilities to handle a surge of patients infected with the potentially deadly virus,” reports the Times. “The president’s action on Saturday is intended to remove bureaucratic roadblocks and make it easier for the sick to seek treatment and medical providers to provide it immediately. It also will allow medical facilities to waive certain standard requirements for Medicare, Medicaid and other federal health insurance programs.” [View article]

NSA to Build $1.5 Billion Cybersecurity Center in Utah (Computerworld) “The National Security Agency … is setting up a new $1.5 billion cybersecurity data center at the Utah National Guard’s Camp Williams near Salt Lake City,” reports Computerworld. “At 1 million square feet, the center will form the hub of the highly-classified Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative … launched during the Bush Administration.” [View article]

Elmo and 13 Governors Promote Flu Prevention on Radio New 30-second radio public-service announcements featuring 13 of America’s governors and Elmo from Sesame Street promote flu prevention messages to parents and children. [View press release]

State and Local News

Rhode Island Tracks Swine Flu by Using Electronic Data (USA Today) Rhode Island “health officials are tracking the spread of swine flu through electronic prescription records, developing what they believe is a model that could help doctors more easily identify and respond to an outbreak of the illness,” reports the Associated Press. “Rhode Island is believed to be the first state to use electronic pharmacy prescription data to track swine flu among its entire population.” [View article]

Two Chicago Men Charged With Supporting Terrorism Two Chicago men—David Coleman Headley and Tahawwur Hussain Rana—have been arrested on federal charges for their alleged roles in conspiracies to provide material support and/or to commit terrorist acts against overseas targets, including facilities and employees of a Danish newspaper that published cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed in 2005. (See the Feb. 3, 2006, newsletter.) [View press release]

Governors Protest Changes to FEMA Grant Programs (Government Executive) “In a letter sent to Homeland Security and White House officials, the [National Governors Association] complained that a recent policy change by the Federal Emergency Management Agency will prevent homeland security grants from being used to support current projects,” reports CongressDaily. “The association believes the change will restrict the ability of state and local governments to sustain critical programs.” [View article]

Dual-Benefit Solutions

Dual-benefit news archive

New Upcoming Events (Events are listed for four weeks; after that, they are still on the Upcoming Events page) World Response Conference on Global Outbreak: H5N1 + H1N1 Flu (November 12-13; Las Vegas) The mission of this conference is to support worldwide public health, business, and consumers in response to pandemic influenza, to advance the global community through prevention, protection, response, and recovery to be prepared for a possible co-occurrence of avian flu and swine flu in the same area. [View conference brochure (590KB PDF)] Higher Education & International Service Conference (November 12-13; Washington, DC) Partners of the Americas, the Brookings Initiative on International Volunteering and Service, and the Building Bridges Coalition Campus Engagement Group will convene colleges and universities, volunteer organizations, policymakers, students, and international community leaders to understand, assess, and influence national policies related to service, study abroad and service learning, citizen diplomacy, and more. [View event website] Dangerous Goods Advisory Council Annual Conference & Hazardous Materials Transportation Exposition (November 18-20; San Antonio) The 31st annual conference brings together specialists, regulators, and those who want to learn in the hazmat and dangerous goods transportation field. Speakers will discuss domestic and international transportation issues, with a special focus on India and China. [View event website] (December 8-11; Singapore) The symposium and conference are an operations-technical forum that aims to foster the interaction of scientists, engineers, physicians, military planners, and other professionals from the governmental, academic, and industrial sectors to share the latest knowledge and experiences with regard to defense against unconventional threats. [View event website] Counter CBRN Operations (February 1-2; London) The conference will present the latest updates from international counterproliferation centers; discuss how best to achieve interoperability during a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear emergency; discuss interagency cooperation in response to major public events; and assess the latest operational case studies. [View event website] CBRN Defense (February 8-10; Washington, DC) Next year’s chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear defense conference will deliver an overview of the requirements, technologies, and programs necessary for mission managers and commanders to counter these threats. [View event website] Homeland Defense and Security Education Summit (February 24-25; Washington, DC) Next year’s theme is “Homeland Security in Transition.” It will focus on validating homeland security and defense education and will discuss the issues most pertinent relevant to security professionals, the return on investment in homeland security and defense education, and current and relevant research. [View event website] (March 1-3; Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates) The conference will feature leading international speakers and experts who will share their insights and know-how with delegates from the Mideast. Speakers will present case studies, research papers, and recommendations on how the region can combat evolving threats before they become serious. [View event website] Biothreat Agent Workshop (March 15-16; Charlotte, NC) The theme of the third annual workshop is “Pathogens to Policy.” Experts from academia, government, and industry will interact and share their ideas and the latest developments, providing a forum where researchers, responders, vendors, and students can discuss advances in the fight against bioterrorism. [View event website] GovSec & U.S. Law (March 23-24; Washington, DC) This conference provides products, strategies, tactics, education, and networking for the professionals whose mission is to secure our nation and their communities. At its core is the convergence of information technology and physical security so that attendees will be better prepared to anticipate, prepare for, prevent, and respond to domestic and international terrorism, accidental and natural disasters, and attacks on critical infrastructure. [View event website] (May 23-26; Vancouver, British Columbia) The conference will be organized in four main streams: Information Sharing and Data/Text Mining Infrastructure Protection and Emergency Responses Terrorism Informatics Computational Criminology [View conference website]

Calls for Papers (Calls for papers are listed for four weeks; after that, they are still on the Calls for Papers page) Auditing Roundtable (January 11-13; Phoenix) The theme of this conference is “Incorporating Risk Management Into [Environmental, Health & Safety, Sustainability] Auditing.” Among other topics, the roundtable welcomes presentations on how risk is defined, some examples, and how compliance and management principles for regulations such as the chemical facility antiterrorism standards can be applied elsewhere. [View call for papers] Homeland Defense and Security Education Summit (February 24-25; Washington, DC) Next year’s theme is “Homeland Security in Transition.” It will focus on validating homeland security and defense education and will discuss the most pertinent issues relevant to security professionals, the return on investment in homeland security and defense education, and current and relevant research. The conference welcomes proposals for presentations, workshops, and classes. [View call for papers] Intelligent Transportation Society of America (May 3-5; Houston) The theme of the 20th Annual Meeting & Exposition is “Connecting Communities Through Smart Transportation Solutions.” Among other topics, papers are welcome on emergency evacuation and on border and homeland security. The submission deadline is December 1. [View call for papers] (May 23-26; Vancouver, British Columbia) The conference will be organized in four main streams: Information Sharing and Data/Text Mining Infrastructure Protection and Emergency Responses Terrorism Informatics Computational Criminology Papers must be submitted by January 29. [View call for papers] Eurosatory (June 14-18; Paris) Europe’s annual event for the unmanned aircraft systems community focuses on these systems and related standards, airworthiness, certification and air traffic management issues, program updates, operational experience, and lessons learned, as well as requirements and new system developments. It seeks presentations by internationally recognized specialists. Submissions are due by February 19. [View call for papers (142KB PDF)] Institute of Nuclear Materials Management (July 11-15; Baltimore) Among the major topical areas on which presentations are sought: “Counter Terrorism Measures and Responses,” “Public and Homeland Security,” and “Nuclear Infrastructure Security.” The subtopics are “International Safeguards,” “Materials Control and Accountability,” “Nonproliferation and Arms Control,” “Packaging and Transportation,” “Physical Protection,” and “Waste Management.” Abstracts are due by February 1. [View call for papers (1.3MB PDF)] European Radar Conference (September 30–October 1, 2010; Paris) In addition to scientific papers, typically from academia and research institutes, contributions are encouraged on industrial developments, covering various applicative fields including homeland security. [View call for papers (4.6MB PDF)] IEEE International Conference on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics (October 10-13, 2010; Istanbul, Turkey) This Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers conference welcomes papers on homeland security, among many other topics. Various deadlines apply, beginning February 1. [View call for papers] IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference (October 30–November 6, 2010; Knoxville, TN) The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Nuclear Science Symposium welcomes papers on “Instrumentation for Homeland and National Security,” among many other topics. The abstract submission deadline is May 10. [View call for papers (7.7MB PDF)]