Posted on 09/30/2006 10:18:39 AM PDT by DAVEY CROCKETT
"Global Trends 2015" Terrorism-Related Excerpts
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The following items are terrorism-related items from the National Intelligence Council's "Global Trends 2015: A Dialogue About the Future With Nongovernment Experts" report (December 2000).
Transnational Terrorism (page 50)
States with poor governance; ethnic, cultural, or religious tensions; weak economies; and porous borders will be prime breeding grounds for terrorism. In such states, domestic groups will challenge the entrenched government, and transnational networks seeking safehavens.
At the same time, the trend away from state-supported political terrorism and toward more diverse, free-wheeling, transnational networks—enabled by information technology—will continue. Some of the states that actively sponsor terrorism or terrorist groups today may decrease or even cease their support by 2015 as a result of regime changes, rapprochement with neighbors, or the conclusion that terrorism has become counterproductive. But weak states also could drift toward cooperation with terrorists, creating de facto new state supporters.
Between now and 2015 terrorist tactics will become increasingly sophisticated and designed to achieve mass casualties.
We expect the trend toward greater lethality in terrorist attacks to continue.
Reacting to US Military Superiority (page 56)
Experts agree that the United States, with its decisive edge in both information and weapons technology, will remain the dominant military power during the next 15 years. Further bolstering the strong position of the United States are its unparalleled economic power, its university system, and its investment in research and development—half of the total spent annually by the advanced industrial world. Many potential adversaries, as reflected in doctrinal writings and statements, see US military concepts, together with technology, as giving the United States the ability to expand its lead in conventional warfighting capabilities.
This perception among present and potential adversaries will continue to generate the pursuit of asymmetric capabilities against US forces and interests abroad as well as the territory of the United States. US opponents—state and such nonstate actors as drug lords, terrorists, and foreign insurgents—will not want to engage the US military on its terms. They will choose instead political and military strategies designed to dissuade the United States from using force, or, if the United States does use force, to exhaust American will, circumvent or minimize US strengths, and exploit perceived US weaknesses. Asymmetric challenges can arise across the spectrum of conflict that will confront US forces in a theater of operations or on US soil.
Threats to Critical Infrastructure.
Some potential adversaries will seek ways to threaten the US homeland. The US national infrastructure—communications, transportation, financial transactions, energy networks—is vulnerable to disruption by physical and electronic attack because of its interdependent nature and by cyber attacks because of their dependence on computer networks. Foreign governments and groups will seek to exploit such vulnerabilities using conventional munitions, information operations, and even WMD.
Terrorism.
Much of the terrorism noted earlier will be directed at the United States and its overseas interests. Most anti-US terrorism will be based on perceived ethnic, religious or cultural grievances. Terrorist groups will continue to find ways to attack US military and diplomatic facilities abroad. Such attacks are likely to expand increasingly to include US companies and American citizens. Middle East and Southwest Asian-based terrorists are the most likely to threaten the United States.
[Islam truth, that requires a strong stomach]
http://bangladeshwatchdog.blogspot.com/2006/12/resurrection-of-talibans-in.html
Friday, December 15, 2006
Resurrection of Talibans in Bangladeshi in the Face of Her Historical Burden
http://bangladeshwatchdog.blogspot.com/
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Remembering Some Non-Martyrs of 1971
SUKHAMAYA BAIN
This is to narrate some memories of June, 1971.
In 1971, I was an SSC candidate, who could not appear at the examination that was supposed to have taken place in the month of April. Of course, the examination could not happen due to the beginning of the struggle of Bangladesh to get out of the Pakistani military brutality in the land.
http://www.siteinstitute.org/bin/articles.cgi?ID=publications235506&Category=publications&Subcategory=0
Article from the Second Year Eleventh Issue of the GIMF’s “Echo of Jihad” - “Attention: The Danger has Approached!!”
By SITE Institute
December 15, 2006
Among the articles in the recently issued 40-page, second year eleventh issue of the Global Islamic Media Front periodic magazine, “Echo of Jihad” [Sada al-Jihad], is a piece written by Abu Azzam al-Ansari that discusses plans invented by the United States to ease their withdrawal from Iraq, while at the same time embroiling the Sunni Muslim people in that state in calamity. Titled, “Attention: The Danger has Approached!!,” the author writes that even the “sane” person cannot doubt that the “Crusader” forces concentrated in Baghdad are determined to withdraw and flee from the hands of the Mujahideen, despite failing to realize their goals. However, he argues that their complete withdraw is an acceptance of surrender and a declaration of defeat, and thus, they must remain to maintain their image. In addition, should these forces leave Iraq while the Mujahideen have power, this bodes dangerous to the governments of Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
To keep the Mujahideen in a state of continuous war, not leaving them to “catch their breath,” Abu Azzam believes was the purpose behind an alleged American-Iranian scheme to drag the Sunnis into fighting the Shi’ites, inciting sectarian strife. Even this failed to cease the Mujahideen attacks, and according to the article, the “occupiers” now wish to cause dispersion within the ranks of the Sunni people and Mujahideen. To respond to this new danger, Abu Azzam urges the Mujahideen to unite under one flag, for at this time it is “very critical” and the only way to meet an allied enemy.
He writes: “if the Crusaders were able - Allah forbid - to carry out their plans and achieving their goals, it will be a backbreaker for the Mujahideen, and it will waste the efforts of the years and the fruits of jihad”.
http://www.siteinstitute.org/bin/articles.cgi?ID=publications235206&Category=publications&Subcategory=0
Statement from the Shura Council of the Army of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq al-Salafi Reminding the Mujahideen to not Drop their Weapons
By SITE Institute
December 14, 2006
The Army of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq al-Salafi, an insurgency group in Iraq, issued a statement from its Shura Council today, Thursday, December 14, 2006, rejecting any proposal proffered by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki for the Mujahideen to drop their weapons. They state that the goal of these proposals is for the “Mujahideen to drop the weapon of glory and honor, and to wear the cloths of treason and abjectness,” taking secondary positions within the Iraqi government that they could have taken themselves if they run during the elections. To the al-Maliki government, the group says no a “thousand times” that they will not surrender until Iraq is liberated or they die. The Mujahideen are then urged caution and not to fall into the “net of the damn devil”. The statement reads: “It is most likely that the ones whom will be fighting us tomorrow will be the ones whom will abandon the weapons and occupy the seats, especially when they know much of the secrets”.
http://www.herefordtimes.com/news/herefordnewslatest/display.var.1073674.0.russian_mafia_uses_internet_to_steal_from_nursing_home.php
Russian mafia uses internet to steal from nursing home
AN internet scam run by the Russian mafia has fleeced a Herefordshire nursing home out of thousands of pounds.
The investigation put a Hereford detective on the trail of an elusive international master criminal who has since vanished into cyberspace.
Not even a trawl of the world's anti-terrorist databases could find a trace of the shadowy suspect known as "Sharapov".
But one of his unwitting middlemen appeared at Hereford Crown Court last Friday where the plot worthy of a bestseller unfolded.
The court heard how around £12,000 was electronically siphoned from an on-line bank account belonging to the Glendaph Nursing Home, Kingsland, and routed through several other accounts before being sent to St Petersburg, Russia. There, the mysterious Mr Sharapov - or someone working for him - is thought to have drawn out the money in his name and disappeared.
A password was used to get into the Glendaph account and the money was only discovered missing during an audit in January last year.
Stephen Davies, prosecuting, said that on its way to St Petersburg, some £3,000 of the Glendaph money passed through a bank account belonging to Paul Evans, who was traced to an address in County Durham. The court heard that Evans received an out-of-the-blue e-mail from Russia asking if he was willing to let his account be used to shift sums around the world on-line for payment.
Evans, in heavy debt and desperate, agreed.
He admitted a money-laundering charge and was ordered to complete 300 hours of community work.
His Honour Judge Cleary said Evans, aged 51 and with a clean record, made an ideal "mule" for cyber-criminals behind the scam.
4:47pm Thursday 14th December 2006
http://globalpolitician.com/articledes.asp?ID=2371&cid=11&sid=61
Russia
There were key developments regarding Russia over the past two months. For example, Jane’s Defense Weekly reported that a Russian listening post was used by the Syrians to assist Hezbollah during their recent conflict with Israel. After the conflict ended, over 500 Russian military engineers entered Lebanon to rebuild infrastructure. Among the forces were two battalions of Russian Muslims, including Chechens, and a former Chechen rebel commander. This now becomes a big issue for an analyst. With Muslims, particularly Chechens, inside the Russian military, how likely is it that some of these are radical Muslims who will pass training, information, or weapons to terrorist groups?
Another point that should be noted is that, although most would dismiss this possibility, are Chechens and Muslims being used by the Russian military for strategic purposes? That question must be asked because it is clear now that the Russians use Muslim recruits to build relations with unsavory regimes (like Syria) and groups (like Hezbollah). We must also determine how it is possible that a former Chechen rebel commander could be converted to work for the Russians. The answer to that question will likely reveal dozens of more questions.
Alexander Litvinenko, a high-level FSB defector involved in top-secret units, was poisoned this month as he was investigating the death of the Russian journalist, Anna Politkovskaya, a frequent critic of Russian President Putin. Politkovskaya was “mysteriously” shot while investigating Putin. Litvinenko was poisoned with thallium after meeting with a former colleague at a sushi bar. The most senior KGB defector to Britain, Oleg Gordievsky, has stated that he believes (as did Litvinenko) that the Russian leadership was behind the poisoning. He points to the sophistication of the poison, his knowledge of secret Russian operations, and claims that the person who put the poison in was recruited at a prison by the FSB and, was a former friend of Litvinenko.
We could learn a lot about Russia by examining these recent developments. What was Politkovskaya onto that very likely led her murder? What was Politkovskaya about to reveal that could unnerve the Russian regime so?
• That the Chechen government was secretly financed by the Russians?
• That the covert structures of the former Soviet Union never collapsed and are still very much in control in the current Russian regime?
A lot of people are investigating Politkovskaya’s death, so why would Litvinenko be targeted? We must delve into what he attempted to reveal in the past. While some of his allegations can be debated, no one can doubt that his death by poisoning enhances his credibility. We should also remember that his book, “Blowing Up Russia: Terror From Within” was confiscated by the Russian authorities. What had Litvinenko alleged, in his book, that the Russians did not want to ever see the light of day?
• That the 1999 bombings that provoked the invasion of Chechnya were carried out by the FSB?
• That active covert Russian operations, involving assassination, bribery, kidnapping, and other criminal acts to oppress dissent, are ongoing?
• That Russia in the past trained and sponsored terrorists around the world, and still does?
• That leaders of terrorist groups and states, such as Carlos The Jackal, Yasser Arafat, and Saddam Hussein, were KGB agents, or at the very least, were supported by the Russians?
• That Ayman al-Zawahiri, the #2-in-command of Al-Qaeda, was trained by the FSB in 1998 on the Russian territory of Dagestan and then sent to Afghanistan to link up with Al-Qaeda?
http://globalpolitician.com/articledes.asp?ID=2371&cid=11&sid=61
Terror Threats in October and November 2006
Ryan Mauro - 12/13/2006
An interesting article was sent to the author in October. As reported by Richard Miniter, an Iraqi defector to Turkey going by the name of “Abu Mohammed” spoke to Gwynne Roberts of England’s Sunday Times. Mohammed claimed that, in 1997, he was a colonel in the Fedayeen and went to the suspected terrorist training camp known as Salman Pak and saw that men were being trained to hijack aircraft, specifically a Boeing 707, utilizing knives. Mohammed said that Colonel Jamil Kamil and Major Ali Hawas met him at the site and, that Major Hawas told him that the men he saw in line for food were members of “Osama Bin Laden’s group,” the PKK and the Mujahideen-e-Khalq.
• An Iraqi Intelligence Service memo, dated March 28, 2001, discusses how the Iraqi government should react to the expected hard-line the new Bush Administration would take. Among the interesting quotes from the memo are “Prepare…call to strike the presence and interests of America” and “work to commit some nations like France, China, Russia and Japan to economical agreements that make implementation of the smart sanctions to have negative effect to the interests of these nations.”
• Another document from March 25, 2003 indicates that the PFLP terrorist organization led by Ahmad Gibril pledged to Iraqi officials in Damascus to send 500 fighters, including some trained in “suicide martyrdom” through Syria. The meeting was approved by Taha Yassin Ramadan, then a vice president of Iraq. It also discusses the use of remotely-guided bombs.
• A newly elected Democratic congressman, Chris Carney, has confirmed that Iraq worked with Al-Qaeda, even though he opposed the decision to invade Iraq. He worked as a senior counter-terrorism and intelligence advisor for Doug Feith in the Pentagon, and stated that Iraq had links to every terrorist group in the region. He also stated that suggestions, and supporting information, that an insurgency would take place in Iraq were brushed off. He stated that on a 0-10 scale, Iraqi ties to Al-Qaeda were about a 2.5.
Russian unit may have got polonium to kill Litvinenko
By Duncan Gardham
Last Updated: 1:41am GMT 16/12/2006
A special unit of the Russian secret service could have provided the polonium that killed the former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko, The Daily Telegraph has learned.
Sources in Russia have suggested that a secret unit called Department V could have obtained the radioactive substance that has left a trail across Europe.
Polonium 210 is only produced in a small number of state-controlled facilities and Department V, also known as Vympel, is charged with guarding Russia's nuclear installations.
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The "Spetsnaz", or special forces unit was responsible for assassination operations abroad in the Soviet era and is supported by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
One man, who had previously warned Mr Litvinenko that his life was in danger, said: "This is such a serious operation that it must be connected to the secret service.
"It has taken place at such a level that my sources no longer believe the siloviki [former military] were responsible and we now believe it was the secret service, probably Vympel."
Vladimir Kozlov, a former deputy head of the Federal Press Agency, held a press conference in August accompanied by former senior members of Vympel.
He said Department V was well financed and added: "I must say that this is largely because of our president who knows the unit well and pays much attention to it."
continued.......
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/core/Content/displayPrintable.jhtml;jsessionid=HJ3EPCQRGR41BQFIQMGSFFWAVCBQWIV0?xml=/news/2006/12/16/wrussia16.xml&site=5&page=0
http://armiesofliberation.com/archives/2006/12/15/al-qaeda-leaders-headquarted-in-yemen-pentagon/
Al-Qaeda Leaders Headquarted in Yemen: Pentagon
Pentagon Briefing:
Another part of the briefings focused on al-Queda, and its own coalition of allied groups that is spread throughout the Middle East and parts of Africa. The briefing talked in terms of “leadership nodes,” “operational cells” and “support nodes”, dotting them all over a densely-packed map that ran from Waziristan to Mogadishu to Algiers. It bears translation from Pentagonese.
Al-Queda has evolved greatly from its early days of personalization in Usama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri and a few others. Our military leaders now characterize it as a “franchise” that shares communications, some funding and sometimes coordinates actions. Some terrorism experts now say that al-Queda is less than that, a loosely-knit network of terrorist groups that coordinate only in giving credit to bin Laden for propaganda purposes. It’s impossible to define it with precision, but the map showed al-Queda leaders headquartered in nine places including Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Waziristan (eastern Pakistan), two places in Iraq (Baghdad and northeastern Iraq), northern Uzbekistan and (and here the map is a bit imprecise) two places in Somalia.
Yemen is a central node in that the insurgency in northeastern Iraq has significant support from within Yemen, the links between Yemeni and Saudi al-Qaeda are broad, and many of the Jihaddists in Somalia arrived via Yemen.
Said Jane @ 8:18 am
[Note there are interesting links here, also links to Yemen sites]
Pirates on the seas today.
http://www.cargolaw.com/presentations_pirates.html
Runway 25, LAX, live webcam:
http://www.cargolaw.com/lax_webcam.html
http://www.cargolaw.com/cameras.html
OVER 1,169 LIVE CAMS ! 1 LIVE AIR TRAFFIC TOWERS ! - SATELLITES !
LIVE AIR CAM ! .. 59 LIVE VESSEL CAMS ! ...LIVE VESSEL TRACKING !
BORDER CAMS ! ..LIVE AIRCRAFT TRACKING ! ..SPACE PORTS !
NEW FEATURES:
The LAX Web Cam - From Countryman & McDaniel- Refocused & Redirected !
Texas Border Cams - Texas Border Watch - State of Texas Watch of Illegal Activity - 11 cams & growing
"Strangers On My Flight" -- by Frank Sinatra - don't blame us - we only report this stuff!
TRANS CAMS© Reconstruction Links Project For 2006
This is a world review of the Transportation Industry - Your windows to Origin & Destination
Cameras Tend To Disappear - Help Us Keep Up
Maritime History Center - historic vessels & museums to visit - battles - pictures!
Int'l Vessel Casualties & Pirates Daily Database - The Forces of Pirates & Weather on Seaborne Commerce Updated Hourly!
Internet Gizmos - the strange, bizarre, fun & useful sites of the web -- the site for "fun & the strange" on the web
Finland - Russia Border Border Cams - great congestion at the right hours
The Nuijamaa Crossing -----The Vaalimaa Crossing The Imatra Crossing
Gibraltar - Spain Frontier Cams
From Fifteen Command Bridges of The Princess Line - somewhere in the world - by satellite - updates every 60 seconds RESTORED
[Flight and vessel tracking links]
[Train cams of the world]
LOL, this is only a tiny sample of the page...............
http://www.cargolaw.com/cameras.html
Weekly Piracy Report
6-12 December 2006
The following is a summary of the daily reports broadcast by the IMB's Piracy Reporting Centre to ships in Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean Regions on the SafetyNET service of Inmarsat-C from 6 to 12 December 2006.
ALERT
Chittagong anchorage, Bangladesh
Forty one incidents have been reported since 28.01.2006. Pirates are targeting ships preparing to anchor. Ships are advised to take extra precautions.
The IMB Report on Piracy and Armed Attacks on Ships from January to September 2006 is now published. Please see the end of this page to order.
Suspicious crafts
None reported during the week.
Recently reported incidents
10.12.2006 0630 UTC in position 14:15N - 059:44E, Arabian Sea.
A grey wooden boat 15 metres long approached a general cargo ship underway under the pretext of asking for fresh water. Master suspecting piracy, increased speed and took evasive action. The boat pursued the vessel for 45 mins before abandoning chase. Master advised that he had a similar experience in the area on another ship last year.
08.12.2006 0015 LT at Lawe-Lawe Anchorage, Indonesia
Robbers boarded an oil tanker at anchor and forced the forecastle store open. Ships stores were stolen.
08.12.2006 2340 LT in position 01:09N – 103:33.93E, Singapore Straits, Singapore.
A number of small boats approached an oil tanker underway and attempted to board. Master took evasive action, sounded alarm and mustered crew members. After 10 minutes the boats disappeared. Master reported to Singapore authorities.
07.12.2006 0545 LT in position 21:47.9N - 091:42.7E, Chittagong Anchorage, Bangladesh.
Duty AB spotted six robbers armed with long knives during routine rounds onboard a bulk carrier. Robbers tried to take the AB hostage but he managed to escape and informed Duty Officer who alerted other crew members and raised alarm. Robbers escaped with stolen items. Upon inspection it was found that a forecastle store had been broken into and ship's stores missing. Authorities informed.
07.12.2006 0300 UTC in position 06:08.41N - 001:17.43E, Lome port, Togo.
Four robbers armed with knives and bars boarded a bulk carrier at berth waiting for cargo operations. They threatened three duty crew who ran towards accommodation and raised alarm. Robbers stole ship's stores and jumped overboard and escaped towards nearby fishing boat. Local authorities informed.
06.12.2006 2010 LT in position 12:01.0S - 077:12.0W, Callao Outer Anchorage No.1, Peru.
Two robbers armed with handgun and a jungle bolo boarded an anchored general cargo ship at the forepart of the vessel. They took a duty AB hostage and stole ship's stores. Duty Officer raised alarm and robbers escaped in a speed boat. Port authorities informed and a coast guard patrol boat came and searched the area.
04.12.2006 1330 UTC in position 01:09.5N - 103:30.0E, off Racon Delta, Singapore Straits.
A boat approached a VLCC underway eastbound at high speed. The master altered course violently to avoid the boat. Despite numerous evasive measures the boat continued to close in on the vessel. Alarm was raised, crew were on standby. Finally after 30 minutes the boat aborted attempt to board. VTIS Singapore informed.
Piracy prone areas and warnings
S E Asia and the Indian Sub Continent
* Bangladesh : Chittagong anchorage.
* Indonesia : Galasa Straits, Jakarta (Tg.Priok)
* Malaysia - Semporna
* Malacca straits
* Singapore Straits
Africa and Red Sea
* Gulf of Aden / Southern Red Sea
* Somalian waters - Eastern and northeastern coasts are high-risk areas for hijackings. Ships not making scheduled calls to ports in these areas should keep at least 75 nm away from the coast
* West Africa : Lagos
South and Central America and the Caribbean waters
* Jamaica - Kingston
* Peru – Callao
Inventus UAV
The Inventus UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) is a state-of-the-art reconnaissance system packaged in a highly efficient, highly stable flying wing form. Outfitted with cameras, the Inventus flies and covers a large ocean area and relays a real-time data link back to the ground station. This link provides real-time aerial surveillance and early warning of suspect or unauthorised craft movements to the coastal or law enforcement authority. Developed by Lew Aerospace, the Inventus is fully autonomous and can be launched and recovered even from a seagoing or patrol vessel. There are gas and electric formats and both fly in all weather conditions. Endorsed by the IMB the Inventus is yet another tool to aid in the maritime effort in its fight against piracy. For more information please visit www.inventus-uav.com
All of the above...
you have mail
Bird flu has deadly friends: health experts
Fri Dec 8, 2006 4:54am ET
BAMAKO (Reuters) - Bird flu may be the tip of the iceberg. Experts meeting in Mali say the deadly H5N1 virus is just one of a plethora of diseases threatening animals and people around the world as global warming, intensive farming, increased travel and trade help dangerous microbes breed and spread.
"Avian flu is just one of many diseases that are impacting the continent (of Africa). The experts are telling us that other diseases are going to emerge or re-emerge," said Francois Le Gall, the World Bank's lead livestock specialist for Africa.
"Almost every year there is a new disease appearing, and 75 percent of these emerging or re-emerging diseases are coming from animals; 80 percent of those have zoonotic potential," he said in an interview.
On October 23rd, 2002, several dozen terrorists seized the Dubrovka theatrical center in Moscow during a jubilee showing of the musical 'Nord-Ost'. More than 800 spectators and members of the production were taken hostage. The crisis lasted two days and three nights. According to the terrorists, the building had been wired with explosives, and if they set off their bombs everyone inside the building would be killed. The main demand of the terrorists was the cessation of military operations in Chechnya, and the removal of Russian forces from the Chechen Republic. A number of public and political figures attempted to negotiate with the terrorists, and 98 hostages - mainly women, children, and foreigners - were released. On the morning of October 26th, special units of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) carried out an assault on the building, using a special chemical substance (gas). According to official data, 129 hostages perished (five at the hands of the terrorists), and all hostages were accounted for1. All 41 terrorists were killed. Two hundred special operations soldiers from the FSB anti-terrorism group took part in the assault, and none of these were seriously injured.
In spite of the loss of a significant number of hostages, the Russian authorities characterized the operation as a success, calling the losses inevitable, and brushing off all doubts about the effectiveness of the special operations group and other government agencies.
The Russian interior minister, Boris Gryzlov, stated that the operation was "coordinated and effective."
Soon after the assault, Deputy Interior Minister Vladimir Vasilev declared the following: "There was information that many died from the effects of the special substance used in the operation. This is not so." As proof of this, Mr. Vasilev reported that of the 104 victims who had been admitted to War Veteran's Hospital #1, not one had been diagnosed as being "poisoned".
FSB director Nikolai Patrushev spoke at length about the "coordinated and well-planned work of the agencies."
Moscow mayor Yuriy Luzhkov declared that the hostage rescue operation was conducted "brilliantly", while the head of the Chechen administration, Achmad Karyrov, asserted that "nowhere in the world has there been an operation conducted as competently and successfully."
Against the background of these statements, the Russian media has also circulated information that makes it difficult to doubt that the operation was anything but well planned and coordinated, as well as beyond reproach. The assertion that the gas had in no way caused the deaths of a large number of hostages, however, now appears to be completely false.
By October 27th, the chief physician of Moscow, Andrey Seltsovsky, confirmed that almost all the hostages who perished had died from an intoxication with the "special gas". He noted that before the assault began, none of the medical personnel had been informed about the character of the special chemicals used in the course of the operation2. The gas was not a toxic substance in of itself, but its side effects produced "cardiac, respiratory, and circulatory insufficiencies", which were the direct causes of death in all but 5 cases.
It is interesting that, even before the operation was carried out, on October 24th (2 days before the assault), the former head of the KGB's 3rd Directorate (military counter-intelligence), Vice Admiral Aleksandr Zhardetskiy, in an interview with Interfax stated that if gas were used on children, as well as those with chronic diseases of the respiratory or heart and circulatory systems, then they would practically be sentenced to death. It would seem that if a retired employee of the security services had this information, then members of the operational headquarters had no reason to be surprised by the condition of the hostage. In this situation, the numerous errors made in evacuating and providing first aid to the rescued hostages is inexplicable. After studying interviews with a number of soldiers from the special operations group, and physicians from the Emergency and Disaster Relief Ministry, we have established the following:
Special operations soldiers received no first aid training, especially with regards to positioning people under the influence of the "special gas". A number of hostages died after being carried from the building and placed flat on their backs, instead of on their sides. This led to suffocation.
Following the completion of the military operation, rescue workers were not allowed to participate in the evacuation of the hostages and, as a result, the operation was carried out much more slowly and less competently than it could have been performed.
Rescue workers, in turn, were not warned about the use of the gas, and did not have on hand the equipment and medications needed to provide first aid.
The same can be stated about the emergency physicians on duty at the theatrical center during the hostage rescue operation, especially with regards to the so-called antidotes. Irina Nazarova, chief physician at the All-Russian Center for Medical Catastrophes, commented: "We didn't know what special substance was used during the assault. That a gas was used, we figured that out on the spot3." One of the medics who took part in the rescue of the hostages said: "We got ready for traumas from explosives. As far as I know, there were no special recommendations made to procure any kind of medicines4."
Even the participants in the assault did not receive important information and equipment. Some soldiers from SOBR MVD (interior ministry special operations group) found themselves overcome by the gas (though to much less an extent than the hostages), when they entered the theater hall.
Some physicians assert that a significant number of hostages were lost due to an insufficient number of medical vehicles, and that the transport of most hostages took place in everyday city buses, which did not allow for rendering aid to patients en route. Others stated that there were enough ambulances, but that "the traffic was difficult - many various and sundry vehicles got in they way, and blocked one another."
There were errors as well in the organization and sorting of victims by the gravity of their condition (triage). Some of the living were transported with corpses, and scantily-clad hostages were laid out on the cold asphalt at zero degrees.
Nevertheless, at the official level there is neither criticism nor a call to find out the reasons for the errors and lack of coordination between the various agencies. Moreover, the authorities do not find it necessary to conduct an open investigation of the events with public participation. For its part, the Russian parliament voted against a motion by the SPS party to conduct an official investigation.
The SPS, after receiving the consent of the Russian president, conducted its own investigation anyway. Since the inquiry did not carry an official status, the SPS was unable to subpoena all necessary officials. Nevertheless, the commission's findings concerning the medical rescue operation as a whole agree with the situation described above. With respect to the special operations soldiers, the commission was extremely complementary. From the commission's point of view, fault lay with the ministries and departments responsible for "social and medical aid to citizens5."
We cannot but agree that government agencies must be ready to deal with the effects of terrorist attacks, but in this specific case it is obvious that one of the basic reasons for the loss of life was due to a lack of coordination between the military and civilian agencies, specifically because the military did not share information necessary for organizing adequate first aid to the victims.
In any event, despite the disconcerting findings of the commission, the authorities have continued to overestimate the success of the hostage rescue operation. It cannot be because they were unaware of the commission's findings: on November 14th, 2002, Vladimir Putin met with SPS leader Boris Nemtsov and received a summation of the investigation. In reply, the president stated: "What you have said is very close that what I already know6."
The above leads us to believe that the operation had but one goal - the destruction of the terrorists and prevention of an explosion. Therefore, in spite of the government's statements about the priority of rescuing the hostages, in reality their safety was a secondary consideration7. Without attempting to make recommendations as to how to effectively combat terrorism, we are still forced to state that during the course of the terrorist attack in Moscow on October 23-26, 2002, a violation of the right to life took place.
Knowing that many operational errors have come to light thanks to the work of the media, which continuously reported on the events, and through statements by many official and non-official sources, including participants in the operation and negotiators, the authorities now wish to protect themselves from such uncomplimentary reports in the future. Immediately after the terrorist attack, the pro-government factions in the Russian parliament have introduced anti-terrorism legislation that reigns in the media and limits the freedom of speech in situations connected with anti-terrorism operations. The law proposes enlarging a prohibition against broadcasting or publishing anything that can be considered terrorist propaganda or justification for extremist activity in the media during an anti-terrorism operation. The effect of such a rule is greater than it would appear at first glance. Remember that the war in Chechnya is formally designated an anti-terrorism operation, which is covered by the anti-terrorism laws. If this rule were to come into force, then any attempt to organize a public discussion in the media regarding the Chechen problem would become illegal. The parliament and federation council affirmed the amendments to the anti-terror laws with record speed. After realizing that such legislation would be too offensive to free speech, the president responded to a call by the media (including his own government information agencies) to veto the bill as presented. The amendments, however, did not disappear, but were sent to a coordinating commission, and at the present it is impossible to say with certainty if they will be accepted in a weaker form or remain to hang like a Sword of Damocles over the media. In any case, journalists have promised the Russian president that they will work out a mechanism of self-regulation with regards to reporting on acts of terror. One must note that although we greet attempts at journalistic self-regulation, in this case the media's consensus was obtained through blackmail.
Being incapable of preventing a large terrorist attack in the center of the capital, the law enforcement agencies in Moscow have proven by their usual methods that the ends justifies the means. Following the Moscow apartment blasts in the fall of 1999, there was a wave of "checks" conducted by the authorities on Moscow residents from the Caucasus. After 'Nord-Ost', the traditional ID checks on the city streets were supplemented with visits to apartment buildings, where searches and detention of suspicious citizens were carried out. Naturally, the victims of such tactics were mostly Chechens, and the human rights group "Civil Assistance" recorded 40 cases of police abuse of authority. According to the organization's head, Svetlana Gannushkina, there were six instances where criminal cases were brought to court based on fake evidence, usually involving narcotics. Furthermore, there were several cases of Chechens being fired from work, and Chechen children being expelled from school8.
One of the most scandalous cases was the arrest of Yaha Neserhaeva, a Moscow resident from Chechnya. She was one of the hostages at the theatrical center, but never revealed her ethnicity to the Chechen terrorists out of solidarity with her Russian girlfriend, with whom she had gone to the musical9. After the assault, she was taken straight from the city hospital to two days detention in Prison Hospital #20, and from there to protective custody. Yaha Neserhaeva was fingerprinted, and later photographed and forced to make recordings of her voice. For ten days she was held - the maximum allowed by law unless charges are brought. She was not questioned, and finally released without explanation. There is reason to believe that Yaha Neserhaeva was only released thanks interest in her case by a number of human rights groups and attorneys.
It is also necessary to mention the arbitrary detention of Alihan Gelagoev, which took place on October 25th, a day before the assault on the theatrical center. According to his testimony, while in the police car after his arrest, Alihan had a bag thrown over his head and he was beaten savagely. During this time they shouted at him: "You hate us, and we hate you! We'll destroy you!" At the central police station in Moscow, for several hours the police tried to force Gelagoev to sign a previous prepared confession acknowledging that he was the "ideological organizer of the terrorist attack". After having no success, the guards were ordered to release Gelagoev, but only after he had signed a statement that he had voluntarily appeared at the police station and had no complaints against any of the police.
According to data from the Russian polling agency VTsIOM, 30% of Russians believe that "the expulsion of Chechens from Moscow and other regions of Russia" is the most effective means to provide for the "security of the citizenry10." From the point of view of Russian human rights organizations, the authorities have not undertaken adequate measures to provide for the safety of ethnic groups. Following a large-scale terrorist attack, Russian and international experience is that there is inevitably a surge in inter-ethnic tension. Certain public statements by government officials are clearly not helpful in preventing possible excesses. Especially when they suffer from ambiguity, such as Moscow Mayor Luzhkov did when he stated: "We in Moscow aren't going to give any nationality special privileges, but at the same time we will not allow a negative relationship with people from the Caucasus."
Thanks, they have been answered.
Gang we are over here now this thread is closed...
World Terrorism: News, History and Research Of A Changing World #6 Disinformation, Inc.
Global Politician/Ocnus.Net ^ | Dec 17, 2006 | Professor Daniel M. Zucker
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1754972/posts
peter it you don't mind please move your last few links over to the new thread I don't want them to be missed.
Thanks Much
j
All, who were not crushed during transport, were saved.
The physicians had but one regret - if only they had known that these victims were being brought in, they would brought gurneys from the hospital's upper floors down to the ER, instead of dragging critical ill patients around on the floor. And another thing - the doctors wished they could have warned other hospitals. City Hospital #13 , for instance, did not know what it was dealing with, and had no emergency department, either.
Later in the day the chief physician strayed into the ER, and began shouting that some hospital personnel were not wearing their surgery caps. It was unsanitary, you see. He asked one doctor: "Why are you wearing torn slippers?" The physician: "I have no others." To which the head doctor replied: "Fine, I'll send you a pair in lieu of a bonus."
Yevgeniy Simonov <<<
You knew this would set me to cussing.
Svni's daughter on the bottom?
Will it be the same here?
I had to see if the reporter was still alive, it is not hopeful:
http://www.google.com/search?q=Yevgeniy+Simonov&client=netscape-pp&rls=com.netscape:en-US
http://www.google.com/search?q=Yevgeniy+Simonov+writer&btnG=Search&hl=en&lr=&rls=com.netscape%3Aen-US
http://www.google.com/search?q=Yevgeniy+Simonov+writer+death+of&btnG=Search&hl=en&lr=&rls=com.netscape%3Aen-US
I can not find the reporter again.
This is one to share with the world, as it will happen again.
More dead, from uncaring leaders, when those on the spot were all attempting to do what they could.
Are the hospitals in Russia considered to be poor?
It sounds as tho this one did the best in a bad set of cases.
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