Man Arrested Trying To Board Plane With Loaded Gun

The WHEC I-Team 10 reports that they have learned a man recently tried to board a plane at the Rochester international airport with a loaded gun in his carry-on bag. The man didn’t get far according to the report. .

When you go through the security checkpoint at the airport, it’s hard to miss the warning signs. The number one on the list of things you can’t bring on an airplane – a gun. But last Friday, a 40-year-old man fro Horseheads, New York attempted to do just that.

The man and his wife were headed to Orlando, Florida. The trip was a 40th birthday surprise from his wife. But the real surprise came when security screeners got a look at the x-ray image of his carry-on bag.

Rochester TSA Director John McCaffrey said, “The x-ray operator observed what appeared to be an automatic weapon with seven rounds in the clip.”
The man was arrested right then and there. The criminal complaint accuses him of attempting to board an aircraft while possessing a concealed, dangerous weapon – a felony. He told investigators the handgun, similar to this one, was not his.

via Read Full Article.

New Bin Laden Videotape Not New According To Experts

Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden released a new videotape on Friday however it appears to actually be the Pashto-language version of a tape released by al Qaeda several months ago.

The tape, titled “To Our People in Pakistan,” was broadly released in Arabic and Urdu on July 12, IntelCenter said. Excerpts had been aired by the Al Jazeera television network on June 3, it added.

Earlier on Friday, IntelCenter had said al-Qaeda’s as-Sahab Media had released a new video from bin Laden.

In his remarks broadcast by Al Jazeera in June, Saudi-born bin Laden said U.S. President Barack Obama had planted the seeds of “revenge and hatred” toward the United States in the Muslim world and warned Americans to prepare for the consequences.

In an audio message posted on an Islamist website in September, Osama warned Americans over their government’s close ties with Israel.

Osama is believed to be hiding in the mountainous border areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

via Bin Laden videotape not new, monitoring site says | Reuters.

Legions Place Office Shooting 1 Dead, 6 Injured – Orlando

UPDATE: Orlando Police say a suspect is in custody in a fatal shooting in a downtown Orlando office building.

UPDATE: Florida authorities have launched a manhunt for a gunman believed to be on the loose after a shooting Friday at an Orlando office building that reportedly killed at least two and wounded eight.

Authorities have identified the alleged gunman as Jason Rodriguez, 40, a former employee at the office building.

Rodriguez remains at large. He is considered armed and dangerous. He is believed to be driving a 2002 silver Nissan SUV with Florida license plates D119UX

At least two people were killed and eight injured in a shooting Friday at an office building in Orlando, MyFoxOrlando.com reported.

People are streaming out of an office building in downtown Orlando where officials say a shooter is on the loose.

The majority of people in the building have been cleared out, but there are some people still inside.

Orange County Sheriff's Spokesman Jim Solomons says his department is backing up Orlando police and they're still looking for the armed man believed to be wearing a light blue polo shirt and jeans.

The in downtown Orlando was ordered on lockdown Friday afternoon as officers began a floor-by-floor evacuation.

The Orlando Fire Department tells WESH-TV that at least eight people are injured. Interstate 4 is closed in both directions through downtown and a nearby school is locked down.

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Malik Nadal Hasan Fort Hood Shooter Still Alive

Per the live briefing, Fort Hood shooter Malik Nadal Hasan, shot several times, is still alive and is hospitalized in stable condition.

At least one soldier opened fire on a military processing center at Fort Hood in Texas on Thursday, killing 12 and wounding 31 others, officials at the Army base said.

The gunman, who officials initially said was killed, is wounded but alive, Lt. Gen. Bob Cone said.

Cone said that man is believed to be the only shooter. Two other soldiers briefly taken into custody after the incident were later released, a spokesman said.

The gunman, who officials said was wounded by emergency personnel, was identified as Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, 39, a law enforcement source told CNN.

A graduate of Virginia Tech, Hasan was a psychiatrist who was licensed in Virginia and was practicing at Darnall Army Medical Center at Fort Hood, according to professional records. Previously, he worked at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

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Developing…

Fort Hood Shooting Several Dead Suspect Identified

UPDATE: A law enforcement official, speaking on condition of anonymity, identified the dead gunman was identified as Nidal Malik Hasan. The Army Times earlier this year reported that Hasan had been promoted to major. Army officials refused Thursday to identify anyone involved in the shootings.

Lt. Gen. Robert W. Cone, the commanding general of Fort Hood, said one gunman was shot at the processing center and that two others suspected of involvement were apprehended later.

An Army official said the gunman who was killed was an Army major. No other details were immediately available.

KCEN has confirmed a mass shooting on Fort Hood in Killeen.There are now reports of a third shooter who has opened fire on Fort Hood. One policeman is down.So far there are 7 people reported dead, and 12 wounded. There are also reports of two different crime scenes: the SPC and Howve Theater on Battalion Ave.One person is in custody.

There are unconfirmed reports that one of the shooters is surrounded by police in the 42006 building on Fort Hood. That source tells KCEN the shooter has a high-powered rifle and is aiming to kill.Killeen ISD says all Fort Hood schools are on lockdown.Temple ISD is on a "soft" lockdown. Parents will be able to pick their children up at the normal times, though they may experience delays.Tune in to KCEN 9 News for the latest developments on this breaking news story.

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Report Suggests U.S. Needs Hit Squads

A recent report from the U.S. military’s Joint Special Operations University argues that the American government should set up something like a “National Manhunting Agency” to go after jihadists, drug dealers, pirates and other enemies of the state according to an article on The Danger Room. What are your thoughts?

America’s military, intelligence and law-enforcement agencies already devote thousands of people and billions of dollars to tracking down top terrorists and insurgents. But even the most successful of these efforts — like going after Iraqi militant leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi — have been “ad hoc” efforts, with units cobbled together from different corners of the government. Report author and retired Lt. Col. George Crawford instead would like to see a permanent group with clear authority, training, doctrine and technology to go after these dangerous individuals. These “manhunting teams would be standing formations, trained to pursue their designated quarry relentlessly for as long as required to accomplish the mission,” he writes.

Read Full Article At The Danger Room

Behavior Detection Officers Keeping A Watchful Eye On Airports

Although you probably couldn’t spot one of the if you tried, chances are they spotted you if you were exhibiting suspicious behavior in one of over 160 U.S airports.

To identify dangerous people, the Transportation Security Administration has stationed specially trained Behavior Detection Officers at 161 U.S. airports, including Miami and Fort Lauderdale. The officers, who can be anywhere from the parking garage to the gate, try to spot passengers with an unusual level of nervousness or stress.

They don’t focus on a person’s nationality, race, ethnicity or gender, said Sari Koshetz, spokeswoman for the TSA.

“We’re not looking for a type of person but at behaviors,” she said.

The program started in Boston in 2003; expanded to Miami in 2006 and then to Fort Lauderdale in 2007. The TSA won’t disclose whether detection officers roam Palm Beach International Airport.

Under the program, a suspicious passenger might be given a secondary screening or referred to police; detection officers don’t have arrest powers.

Last year, officers nationwide required 98,805 passengers to undergo additional screening. Police questioned 9,854 of them; 813 were arrested.

While the TSA doesn’t break down the numbers for individual airports, the officers require dozens of travelers in Miami and Fort Lauderdale to undergo a secondary screening each week.

via Airport officers covertly keep an eye out for suspicious behavior — South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com.

MS-13 Allegedly Put Hit on ICE Agent After Arrests

The New York Daily News is reporting  that El Salvadoran leaders of the MS-13 gang allegedly put out a contract on the federal agent responsible for a crackdown on its New York factions of the group.

The brazen plot to assassinate the unidentified Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent was revealed in an arrest warrant for reputed gang member Walter (Duke) Torres. Torres tipped authorities to the plan after he and four other MS-13 members were stopped by NYPD detectives for hassling passersby on Northern Blvd. in Queens last month. He told cops he had information to pass on, and was debriefed Oct. 22 at Rikers Island, where he was being held on a warrant issued in Virginia, according to court papers.

Torres said “the order for the murder came from gang leadership in El Salvador,” ICE agent Sean Sweeney wrote in an affidavit for a new warrant charging Torres with conspiracy. Torres, who belonged to an MS-13 “clique” in Virginia, said he was put in charge, and traveled to New York in August “for the specific purpose of participating in the planning and execution of the murder plot,” Sweeney wrote.

Gang members were allegedly trying to get their hands on a high-powered assault rifle, like an M-16. to penetrate the agent’s bulletproof vest.

Another MS-13 informant told authorities the agent was marked for death because the gang was “exceedingly angry” at him for arresting many members in the past three years, the affidavit states.

The murder was supposed to be carried out by the Flushing clique, according to the informant.

Read Full Article.

Threat Preceded MaySeattle Police Officer’s Slaying

UPI is reporting that Seattle police found a threatening note nine days before an officer was shot dead in his patrol car last weekend. NTARC will continue to follow this story.

The sources told The Seattle Times the note, which threatened the lives of Seattle officers, was discovered Oct. 22 at a city maintenance yard where four police vehicles had been set on fire, apparently by pipe bombs.

Officer Timothy Brenton was shot and killed Saturday by an assailant who pulled alongside his patrol car and opened fire.

It was not known if the shooting, which slightly wounded Brenton’s rookie partner, was related to the note, the newspaper said Wednesday. Police officials told the Times this week they had received multiple tips from the public claiming a connection.

Police were looking for a “vehicle of interest” that was photographed by the dashboard camera on Brenton’s car. An officer-safety bulletin issued to the force Tuesday said there was no probable cause to arrest the occupants, but warned officers to use extreme caution if the found the vehicle.

via Threat preceded Seattle officer’s slaying – UPI.com.

Additional Details Available At KIRO TV

Canada Prepares For Olympics With Mock Terror Drill

Authorities in Vancouver Canada staged a mock terror attack Tuesday in an effort to prepare for the real thing during the 2010 Olympic Games.

The make-believe was part of the final formal security drill “to confirm that federal, provincial, regional, and municipal organizations are prepared to respond in a coordinated manner to any emergency that may occur during the 2010 Winter Games,” said Public Safety Canada.

The week-long exercise in this western Canadian metropolis also includes flyovers by Canadian and American military jets and an incident Thursday at a railway station.

The mock attack involved as many as 2,000 police officers, firefighters, government specialists and military, said Jaimie Tomlinson of Public Safety Canada.

The exercise played out like live theatre in a school playing field in the suburb of Richmond.

Actors pretended to have been poisoned by deadly radioactive isotopes and were rescued by firefighters dressed in hazardous-materials suits who hosed them down in the chilly autumnal air, removed their contaminated outer clothes, and wrapped them in emergency blankets.

“What we have here is a fictional terrorist group planning to disrupt the games in order to draw attention to their cause,” said federal spokesman Ted Sykes.

The script concerned a girlfriend reporting her terrorist boyfriend to police, which set in motion an attack in which deadly radioactive isotopes were released in some 20 public places, including a shopping mall and in the school field, where a rally was being held for Canada’s hockey team.

via Read Full Article.

Seaports Still At Risk of Biological and Chemical Threats

U.S. Customs and Border Protection should consider taking additional steps to counter biological and chemical threats in maritime cargo, according to the Homeland Security Department’s inspector general.

The IG recommends that the agency update its guidance for inspecting sea cargo containers for biological and chemical threats, and assess the benefits of deploying new detection devices in a maritime environment, according to a redacted version of a report released Nov. 2.

CBP is responsible for examining cargo containers entering the country. During a performance audit conducted between November 2008 and March, the IG’s office observed different operating procedures at several ports that were visited, the report states.

As a result, the IG recommended that CBP develop and issue guidance to help ensure its officers use consistent examination processes for all potential threats. The agency agreed with the recommendation and said it was making updates.

Meanwhile, CBP officials said new technologies are being developed and tested to help officers rapidly identify such threats during inspections, according to the report. However, CBP hasn’t formally identified the pathways through which biological and chemical threats are most likely to enter the country, the IG said.

via Read Full Story.

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Drive-by Shooting Apparently Targeted Seattle Police

A disturbing and saddening first for the city of Seattle. Seattle police say the fatal drive-by shooting of veteran Officer Timothy Brenton on Saturday night represented something the department had not seen before: the apparent targeting of police at random.

“It was incredibly brazen and bold,” said Assistant Police Chief Jim Pugel, who called the shooting an “assassination.”

Brenton, 39, a field training officer, and officer-trainee Britt Sweeney were seated in their parked squad car when Sweeney sensed danger over her left shoulder and yelled for her partner to duck.

A car pulled up alongside the officers’ car in the 100 block of 29th Avenue shortly after 10 p.m., and someone inside opened fire.

Bullets grazed Sweeney’s back as she hunkered down. Brenton was struck by several gunshots and died instantly.

Sweeney, 33, grabbed the police radio and called for help, jumped from the car and fired several rounds at the gunman’s sedan as it backed away from the cruiser, turned around and sped down the Leschi street, police said Sunday.

Speaking at a news conference Sunday afternoon, Mayor Greg Nickels called the shooting “a coldblooded killing.”

via Read Full Article.

India – Discrepancy Over Alert, Warning of Sea Based Attack

Union Home Ministry on Monday refused to confirm any intelligence alert suggesting a possible 26/11 like attack in the country, a Times Now report said.

Earlier, it was reported that the intelligence agencies had issued an alert warning of possible sea-based terrorist strike.

The alert was reportedly issued for Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata following information that 30 to 40 terrorists of Lashkar-e-Taiba are planning a sea based strike.

It had also stated that local police and Coast Guard have been put on a specific alert in view of the intelligence inputs.

The warning comes only a few weeks prior to the date exactly one year ago that terrorists struck Mumbai India in a similar style attack.

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Soldier Arrested After C4 Military Explosives Found At Home

An Army Special Forces soldier was arrested in Tennessee on Monday following the discovery of 100 pounds of C4 explosives outside his home. Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent Eric Kehn said he expects the man will face more charges related to the discovery of the explosives according to news reports on News Channel 5. Authorities say the explosives have no known link to terrorism. Video Link

The explosives were found in crates. The material was sealed in watertight containers and partially buried.

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From The Leaf Chronicle

Timothy Ryan Richards of the 5th Special Forces Group, has been charged with knowingly receiving and possessing firearms not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, according to a criminal complaint filed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

Federal and military officials searched Richards’ home early Monday morning after a pair of hunters found the C-4 plastic explosives in a field by the house, at 1880 Johnson Road, on Sunday at about 4:30 p.m.

Maj. April Olsen, 5th Group spokeswoman, said Richards was taken to the county jail and was transferred to federal custody. He was cooperating with authorities in the investigation, Olsen said.

Eric Kehn, special agent and public information officer with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said the investigation is ongoing.

“Our explosive recovery effort investigation continues,” Kehn said. “He is appearing in court on some different charges, and that outlines what he’s currently being charged with.”

Those charges included Richards’ having a Saber, 5.56mm-caliber rifle with a barrel less than 16 inches long and a Swedish K .45-caliber machine gun, according to the criminal complaint filed by ATF Special Agent Jamie Smith.

The complaint was filed in U.S. District Court, Middle District of Tennessee, in Nashville.

Olsen said the search was conducted by agents from the ATF, the FBI and U.S. Army Criminal Investigations

via Read More -The Leaf Chronicle.

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