Syria Suspected Of Concealing Nuclear Activity

It appears Iran may not be the only nuclear concern in the middle east. WTOP reports that the International Atomic Energy Agency ‘IAEA’ and Syria are walking a tightrope and appear to be headed toward a collision over two nuclear sites where undeclared uranium was recently found.

The agency found traces of uranium at the Dair Alzour nuclear site that are not included in Syria’s declared inventory, according to a just released report. The Syrians said the uranium came from the Israeli missiles used to destroy the nearby al-Kibar reactor in September 2007.

The presence of uranium particles was detected at a second site near Damascus — the Miniature Neutron Source Reactor. Syria said it came from the accumulation of samples and reference materials used in neutron activation analysis.

The IAEA is not buying either of the two explanations and is pressing Damascus for more answers and wants to know from where the uranium came. The agency has run its own tests and is certain the Syrian government is not telling the truth.

That’s where the tightrope act comes in. The IAEA won’t comment on what clearly appears to be evasive behavior by the Syrian government because of concern about its tenuous relationship with Syria.

The Syrian government, also aware of the slippery state of affairs, tells WTOP:

“We are taking up the matter with IAEA, and are in constant consultation with them. We are going through appropriate channels and Syria stands by its legal obligations to the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty).”

A U.S. counter-proliferation official is not convinced.

“Syria has a record of concealing nuclear activities. The whole world saw that with the al-Kibar reactor, an undeclared facility, destroyed in 2007.

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Lieberman – Fort Hood Gunman Committed Extremist Terrorism

Sen. Joseph Lieberman,  chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee said Tuesday that the government’s failure to deal with Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan’s growing radicalism was similar to the intelligence community’s failure to prevent the 9/11 attacks.

Lieberman made his comments after attending a closed-door briefing with administration officials about last week’s massacre at Fort Hood, which killed 13 people. Lieberman didn’t discuss any details of the briefing but said all signs indicate that Hasan committed an “act of Islamic extremist terrorism.”

“There is a similarity to 9/11, which is there was information in different places in our government, which if it had been connected, would have said to people this guy was a real danger,” Lieberman said.

Several people have told The News that Hasan, a psychiatrist, was conflicted about being a Muslim in the U.S. Army, complained that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan constituted a “war on Islam,” and wanted some of his patients to face war crimes charges.

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India Places Nuclear Plants Under Alert

Reuters news reports that India has put its nuclear power plants under alert and tightened security around them after intelligence about possible attacks, a report said on Monday.

The step comes after a man arrested in the United States on charges of plotting attacks in India was found to have travelled to Indian states that have nuclear installations.

The Press Trust of India quoted unnamed sources in the home ministry as saying that state governments had been asked to step up security around their nuclear plants as a “precautionary measure”.

“The step is precautionary in nature. The states have been asked to increase the vigil and patrolling to thwart any sabotage attempt aimed at these vital facilities,” a home ministry official was quoted as saying.

Indian media often reports security alerts based on unnamed intelligence sources.

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TSA To Inspect Jet Repair Shops Under New Proposal

Thousands of airplane maintenance shops in the U.S. and abroad would get increased scrutiny to make sure they are not easy prey for terrorists looking to sabotage U.S. jets during routine repairs, a government proposal says.

Some experts and lawmakers have warned for years about potential terrorist saboteurs infiltrating airplane repair shops, and have urged security oversight. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) says the greatest danger is posed by repair shops that are on or next to airports because a terrorist could take control of an airplane.

A TSA regulation proposed Monday would for the first time enable the agency to inspect airplane repair shops. If the TSA found a problematic repair shop, the agency would tell the Federal Aviation Administration to suspend the shop’s operating license.

TSA Assistant Administrator Lee Kair said the new requirement “guards against the potential threat of an aircraft being destroyed or used as a weapon.” The agency is soliciting public comments on the proposal and could finalize it later this year.

Airplanes ranging from small recreational planes to wide-body jets are repaired at more than 4,200 shops across the U.S. as well as at 700 shops abroad, in countries such as France, Germany, Singapore, Egypt and Jordan.

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Terror In Mumbai Documentary Thursday on HBO

Terror in Mumbai, a documentary about the terrorist activities in Mumbai last year will premiere on HBO Thursday night. Terror in Mumbai features exclusive intercepted audio tapes of the cell phone calls between the terrorists and their controllers in Pakistan, as well as interrogation footage of the sole surviving gunman.

Terror in Mumbai, co-produced with the UK’s Channel 4, will provide the first-ever 360-degree view of the terrorist action, replete with telephone intercepts, when it debuts Nov. 19 at 8 p.m., one week before the first anniversary of the attacks.

This film, narrated by Mumbai-born Fareed Zakaria, CNN host and Newsweek International editor, who appears on camera in the opening and closing, expands on the British version of the documentary chronicling the bloody events of the 60-hour period in 2008 in which 10 young Pakistani men conducted coordinated attacks across the Indian city that left more than 170 people dead.

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-11-16

• RT @ntarc Suspicious White Powder Sent to 3 U.N. Missions : Homeland Security News http://bit.ly/2j8TIr #
• House Passes Terrorist-Proof Chemicals Legislation : Homeland Security News http://bit.ly/1OeWo8 #
• Homeland Security May Expand Preparedness In Virtual World : Homeland Security News http://bit.ly/DqniE #
• DHS Urged To Explore FM Alert System For Cell Phones : Homeland Security News http://bit.ly/31wa1F #
• Thx @alonis- Possible Hostage Situation in Jefferson City : Homeland Security News http://bit.ly/2vSnxt #
• Just curious… Are any of our followers at #pubcon ? #
• @GirlLuvzSciFi They are if the read our site regularly. in reply to GirlLuvzSciFi #
• John Allen Muhammad, Beltway Sniper Executed : Homeland Security News http://bit.ly/2NtjP0 #
• Please RT Man Charged With Terrorist Threats In Mall Incident : Homeland Security News http://bit.ly/3VZMOM #
• India Warns of Possible Terror Attacks In 5 Cities : Homeland Security News http://bit.ly/1Zbebg #
• Safe Banking Systems ID’s Terror Suspects : Homeland Security News http://bit.ly/7i7AF #
• Man Arrested At B.C. Border With Terrorist Resources : Homeland Security News http://bit.ly/Gumyg #
• Please RT Live – World Response Conference on Global Outbreak #h1n1 http://bit.ly/XNMgC #
• Homeland Security To Investigate Sewer Smuggling : Homeland Security News http://bit.ly/rchUP #
• Authorities To Seize Properties Of Group With Alleged Iran Ties : Homeland Security News http://bit.ly/2iqUMq #
• L.A. Port Launches Surprise Inspections http://bit.ly/3YJgeC #
• Five Sept. 11 Suspects to Face Trial in New York : Homeland Security News http://bit.ly/1oENCV #
• Man Runs Down Pedestrians In Rochester : Homeland Security News http://bit.ly/2BV4SV #
• How To Survive A Dirty Bomb Attack – Tonight On National Geographic Channel : Homeland Security News http://bit.ly/4zfnaK #
• How To Survive A Dirty Bomb Attack – Tonight On National Geographic Channel : Homeland Security News http://bit.ly/4zfnaK #
• Is American The Missing Link In Mumbai Terror Attack? : Homeland Security News http://bit.ly/zvo2W #
• How To Survive A Pandemic or Chemical Attack – Surviving Disaster : Homeland Security News http://bit.ly/15qisv #
• Terror In Mumbai Documentary To Premiere On HBO : Homeland Security News http://bit.ly/W1gBh #

Terrorists Smuggle Fatwas Out of Secure Prisons – UK

According to the Times UK, some of Britain’s most dangerous Al-Qaeda leaders are promoting jihad from inside high-security prisons by smuggling out propaganda for the internet and finding recruits. In an authoritative report, Quilliam, a think tank funded by the Home Office, claims “mismanagement” by the Prison Service is helping Al Qaeda gain recruits and risks “strengthening jihadist movements”.

Abu Qatada, described by MI5 as “Osama Bin Laden’s right-hand man in Europe”, has published fatwas, religious rulings, on the internet from Long Lartin prison, in Worcestershire, calling for holy war and the murder of moderate Muslims, it reveals. Abu Doha, said to be Al-Qaeda’s main recruiter in Europe, has taken courses in Belmarsh prison, south London, enabling him to mentor other inmates.

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How To Survive A Dirty Bomb Attack

Tonight on the National Geographic Channel, don’t miss Dirty Bomb Attack, a one-hour docudrama on how to survive a dirty bomb attack. A US city is the target of a hypothetical radiological attack. The episode begins with a dramatization of a car bomb detonating in a busy street and sets up the question, what happens next?”

The answer is given through the lens of representative characters: a victim near the blast site whose radiation symptoms develop over time; first responders who go into the hot zone to save lives and help with the clean up; a pregnant mother and her child living in a contaminated area who must be evacuated and forensic scientists who comb through evidence to determine how lethal the attack was and who is responsible.

By concentrating on these key story lines and weaving back and forth between them Dirty Bomb Attack paints an accurate and often gripping picture of the aftermath of a radiological attack and gives viewers useful information in the event that we ever find ourselves faced with this kind of disaster in the future.

Read more: http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/naked-science/4252/protectyourself#tab-Overview#ixzz0WuYpu9M7

Naked Science | Dirty Bomb Attack | Protect Yourself | National Geographic Channel.

Italy Busts International Terror Cell 17 Arrested

Italian authorities say they have cracked an international terror cell, with arrests made in several European countries. The group is accused of stealing money from soccer players to fund terrorist activities.

Seventeen Algerians have been arrested in cities across Europe in connection with an international terror cell, according to Italy’s top security official.

“We have proceeded with the arrest of six people in Italy and 17 in total,” Interior Minister Roberto Maroni told a news conference on Thursday. “We have dismantled an Algerian terrorist cell which collected funds to finance terrorist activity outside Italy.”

The ring is alleged to have stolen the identities of Algerian footballers playing in France, carried out armed robberies and burglaries, and sent the stolen goods to Algeria, a spokesman said.

“We think they selected the identities of certain Algerian soccer players playing in France because it was easy to obtain details about well-known people,” he added.

Officials say the group is also suspected of financing terrorist activities in Algeria, since some of their names appear on international watch lists.

The arrests – which were made in Italy, Algeria, Austria, Britain, France, Switzerland and Spain – were the result of an anti-terrorism investigation in Milan that started in 2007.

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Man Arrested At B.C. Border With ‘Terrorist Resources’

CTVBC in Canada reports that a Syrian man was arrested at the Canadian Border last month with $800,000 in gold coins along what is being described as “terrorist resources”.

From CTVBC

Paranoia and naivete led a Syrian man to lie about why he was crossing the border with nearly $1 million in gold and what’s been called “terrorist resources,” says the lawyer for the man who has been held as a potential security threat since early last month.

Khaled Nawaya, a flight instructor, was arrested by Canada Border Services agents when they found $800,000 in gold coins and other currency in his car and pockets on Oct. 6, as he crossed into Surrey, B.C., near Vancouver.

“He didn’t want to be taxed on it,” lawyer Phil Rankin said Tuesday.

“He should have gotten legal advice on that and just declared the money. Had he declared the money, that would probably be the end of the story.”

But his actions, along with other politically-charged items found in his vehicle, are now being used by government officials to build a case depicting him as a national security threat.

The 35-year-old faces the Immigration and Refugee Board on Thursday to learn whether authorities have grounds to keep him in custody.

He’d been living in the U.S. since he was 17 and had gained approval for permanent residency in Canada.

Besides the gold, Canadian agents found a ring bearing the insignia of Hezbollah, which has been listed as a terrorist organization by the Canadian government since 2002.

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Could New Jihad Code Threaten al Qaeda

Could a new jihad code change the face and direction of radical Islam? From within Libya’s most secure jail a new challenge to al Qaeda may be emerging.

Leaders of one of the world’s most effective jihadist organizations, the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG), have written a new “code” for jihad. The LIFG says it now views the armed struggle it waged against Col. Moammar Gadhafi’s regime for two decades as illegal under Islamic law.

The new code, a 417-page religious document entitled “Corrective Studies” is the result of more than two years of intense and secret talks between the leaders of the LIFG and Libyan security officials.

The code’s most direct challenge to al Qaeda is this: “Jihad has ethics and morals because it is for God. That means it is forbidden to kill women, children, elderly people, priests, messengers, traders and the like. Betrayal is prohibited and it is vital to keep promises and treat prisoners of war in a good way. Standing by those ethics is what distinguishes Muslims’ jihad from the wars of other nations.”

The code has been circulated among some of the most respected religious scholars in the Middle East and has been given widespread backing. It is being debated by politicians in the U.S. and studied by western intelligence agencies.

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House Passes Terrorist-Proof Chemicals Legislation

The House passed legislation that would give the government the authority to force companies to replace chemicals that terrorists could use in attacks with safer alternatives.

The measure, approved 230 to 193, was opposed by the DuPont Company and others in the chemical industry. The legislation would make permanent the authority to oversee chemical plant security that was temporarily given to the homeland security secretary in 2006.

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-11-09

• Soldier Arrested After C4 Military Explosives Found At Home : Homeland Security News http://bit.ly/21e1gd #
• Drive-by Shooting Apparently Targeted Seattle Police : Homeland Security News http://bit.ly/3hUtYQ #
• Seaports Still At Risk of Biological and Chemical Threats : Homeland Security News http://bit.ly/2el9eN #
• Report Suggests U.S. Needs Hit Squads : Homeland Security News http://bit.ly/2vgJ5k #
• Fort Hood Shooting Several Dead And Injured : Homeland Security News http://bit.ly/3bDQnz #
• Thx! @alonis – Fort Hood Shooting Several Dead Suspect Identified http://tinyurl.com/ybpvwgw #
• Malik Nadal Hasan Fort Hood Shooter Still Alive : Homeland Security News http://bit.ly/FNScV #
• Legions Place Office Shooting 2 Dead, 8 Injured – Orlando : Homeland Security News http://cli.gs/jQRyM #
• Suspect In Seattle Officer Slaying Lone Domestic Terrorist : Homeland Security News http://bit.ly/28wKkc #
• Mexican mayor announces rival's death hours before body is found http://j.mp/3FkB38 #
• @ntarc Israel Planning Cell Phone Rocket Alerts : Homeland Security News http://bit.ly/1XGT8w #
• Lieberman Suggests Army Shooter Was Home-Grown Terrorist : Homeland Security News http://bit.ly/qEuJC #
• Are Pakistans Nuclear Weapons Safe? : Homeland Security News http://bit.ly/42PXbL #

Lieberman Suggests Army Shooter Was Home-Grown Terrorist

Sen. Joe Lieberman on Sunday said the shootings at Fort Hood may have been a terrorist attack, and that he would launch a congressional investigation into whether the U.S. military could have prevented it.

Sen. Lieberman, who heads the Senate’s Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, said initial evidence suggested that the alleged shooter, Army Major Nidal Hasan, was a “self-radicalized, home-grown terrorist” who had turned to Islamic extremism while under personal stress.

[...]

Mr. Lieberman, appearing on “Fox News Sunday,” cautioned that it remained too early to draw any definitive conclusions. He said his comments were based on “reports that we are receiving” about Mr. Hasan’s actions and comments.

The Army’s top officer, Gen. George Casey, wouldn’t rule out that the shooting was an act of terrorism, but cautioned against speculation at this point. “We all want to know what happened and what motivated the suspect, but we need to … let the investigation take its course,” he told ABC News’s “This Week.”

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