December 18, 2008 by Tim McDowell.

Under President George W. Bush’s leadership, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has achieved considerable success in protecting the nation from dangerous people and goods, securing the nation’s critical infrastructure, strengthening emergency preparedness and response and unifying department operations. More than seven years without an attack on U.S. soil is a testament to this department’s 218,000 employees, the intelligence community and the nation’s first responders and law enforcement officers.
Over 2008, we remained focused on strengthening the foundations for successful execution of our mission. We continued to listen, learn, and grow as a department. And we continued to work in a spirit of collaboration with our federal, state, and local partners, and with the American people – all of whom are equal partners in helping us protect our country, as well as equal stakeholders in our progress to achieve our five major goals:

http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/pr_1229609413187.shtm

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December 18, 2008 by Tim McDowell.

future-terrorist-attacks.doc

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December 18, 2008 by Tim McDowell.

http://www.csis.org/media/csis/pubs/081203_hls_smart_brief.pdf

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December 8, 2008 by Tim McDowell.

According to a report published on 7 December 2008, an unspecified threat sent from Pakistan via e-mail warned of a possible Mumbai style attack against Bengaluru. The report stated that the threat window will be open on 7 and 8 December. Police and National Security Guard commandos bolstered security at key installations, particularly Bengaluru International Airport (VOBL/BLR), the City Railway Station and main bus terminal.
According to a report published on 8 December 2008, Pakistani forces have raided a Lashkar-e-Taiba camp in Musaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani-administered Kashmir. The raid reportedly netted Lashkar’s operational chief and the man sources indicate was the person responsible for ordering the Mumbai attacks. Witneses state that a large-scale raid was launched against the position with Pakistani army helicopters and army personnel raiding the camp. While government and militant sources stated that the Lashkar chief was captured, the Pakistani government has not released any official statement about the operation.

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December 8, 2008 by Tim McDowell.

Violent rioting sparked by the police shooting of a teenager continued in cities across Greece for a third consecutive day on 8 December 2008. In Athens, protesters clashed with police officers outside the Parliament building and hurled rocks at the Interior Ministry. Violence was also reported in Thessaloniki, where protesters broke store windows and attacked a police station, prompting police officers to fire tear gas to disperse them. There were also reports of clashes in the cities of Veria and Trikala. Additional protest actions are expected in Athens and other cities later on 8 December, and the potential for further violence is high.

ASI Comment: Due to the likelihood for continued violence, individuals traveling to Greece should exercise caution and avoid areas where protest actions are occurring. In Athens, the violence has remained limited to Ermou Street, in Monastiraki, Alexandras Avenue, in Exarchia and near the Polytechnic University. There are no indications that the protests have affected transportation between the city and Athens International Airport (LGAV/ATH).

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December 5, 2008 by Tim McDowell.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate released the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) today, recommending Manhattan, Kan., as the preferred site for the state-of the-art, high-security laboratory facility to study foreign animal and zoonotic (transferable from animal to human) diseases that can impact livestock.  A formal Record of Decision, which will officially designate a site on which to build the NBAF, will be published on Jan. 12, 2009.  Facility design will begin in 2009 with plans for construction to begin in 2010. It is expected that the NBAF would be operational by 2015.“This facility, once built, will help us to protect our livestock industry, food supply, and public health from the accidental or intentional introduction of a foreign animal or zoonotic disease in the U.S.,” said Homeland Security Under Secretary for Science and Technology Jay Cohen. “The assessment process was extensive, engaging experts within and without the government as well as each potential site community, and this final report carefully weighs the input from all interested parties.”The NBAF will be designed to replace the current facilities at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC) in New York, which is currently the only facility in the U.S. that studies the live virus that causes Foot-and-Mouth disease. The current facility is too small to meet new research needs, has an outdated physical structure and is not appropriate for zoonotic disease research that must be conducted at Biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4).  There is currently no laboratory facility in the U.S. with capabilities for BSL-4 research on livestock. PIADC will be closed once the NBAF is operational, and DHS will evaluate options in the coming months for transitioning the PIADC facility and land for future sale or use.The EIS analyzes the risks associated with potentially building the NBAF at each of the six proposed locations: Athens, Ga.; Manhattan, Kan.; Madison County, Miss.; Granville County, N.C.; San Antonio, Texas and Plum Island, N.Y. The report also analyzes a “No-Action” alternative, assessing the impacts if no NBAF were built at all.The EIS analyzes health and safety issues, land use, visual effects, infrastructure requirements (potable water, electricity, fuel, sewer, etc.), air and water quality, noise, geology and soils, biological and cultural resources, traffic and transportation issues, waste management, existing environmental issues, and cumulative effects.The process also included extensive community involvement, beginning in July 2007 when DHS announced its intent to evaluate site alternatives for the proposed NBAF.

Further details on the proposed NBAF and the site-selection process are available at www.dhs.gov/nbaf. 

 

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December 4, 2008 by Tim McDowell.

merry_christmas.wmv

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December 4, 2008 by Tim McDowell.

 A Lego-style Islamic terrorist figurine has sparked outrage among Muslims and others.

The controversial toy mini-figure, made by American Will Chapman as part of his BrickArms line, is a masked militant with an assault rifle, grenade launcher and belt of explosives. The character is called “Bandit — Mr. White” and sells for $14.

Shocked by the plaything, British Muslim organization the Ramadhan Foundation has branded the figurine “absolutely disgusting.”

Chief executive Mohammed Shafiq said the toy is “glorifying terrorism.”

“I don’t think there’s any difference between someone that shouts hatred through a megaphone and someone that creates a doll that glorifies terrorists,” he said. “As a parent myself, I’m going to teach my children respect for the law and respect for each and every community.

“These are the lessons parents should be giving to their children — not lessons about weapons and violence.”

Father-of-three Chapman, whose company is based outside of Seattle, boasts on his Web site that his 9-year-old son gave him the idea for the toy line, which includes 31 different Lego-style weapons and 10 miniature militant figurines.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,461647,00.html

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December 3, 2008 by Tim McDowell.

Groups seek power system management. Another major source of demand is on the horizon: plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). The current. President-elect has already expressed his support for expanding the nation’s fleet of PHEVs, calling for a million of them on the road by 2015, and a $7,500 tax credit for the purchase of plug-ins is already on the books. As the Northwest Power and Conservation Council prepares to draft its next Northwest Power Plan, officials are taking a look at the potential impacts of plug-ins on the regional grid. “…Down the line, as you grow the number (of plug-ins) there’s going to have to be some kind of charging regulation,” said the council chairman. Council members met late last month to hash out the benefits and challenges of bringing PHEVs onto the grid, taking in a presentation from a Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratory scientist. He has been working for two years on research into “smart-grid” technology which incorporates sophisticated tools that allow PHEVs to communicate with the power grid, drawing from it during low-demand times and potentially giving back to it — or shutting off — during peaks. His research suggests that by using smart-grid management, between 43 and 73 percent of all the cars and trucks in the United States could be replaced with PHEVs without requiring new power plants or transmission lines. Source: http://www.idahobusiness.net/archive.htm/2008/12/01/Girding-up-for-plugins-Groups-seek-power-system-management

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December 3, 2008 by Tim McDowell.

dhs_daily_report_2008-12-03.pdf

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