Posted on 04/01/2008 8:13:21 PM PDT by nwctwx
Fyi Only.
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=49465
“Department to Phase Out Full Social Security Numbers on IDs”
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 3, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/blog_personal/en/6606.htm
(”Source: Al-Ayyam, PA, April 3, 2008”)
“Christian Cemetery in Nablus Vandalized”
Posted at: 2008-04-03
Note: The following blog entry is a quote:
http://www.thememriblog.org/iran/blog_personal/en/6602.htm
April Fool’s Prank in Iran: News Agency Reports an Israeli Attack on Khomeini’s Mausoleum
On April 1, 2008, the Iranian news agency Fars reported, as an April Fool’s prank, that two Israeli fighter jets had invaded Iranian airspace across the Afghani border and had bombed the mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini. The report was erased from the website after a few minutes.
Source: Fars, Iran, April 1, 2008
Posted at: 2008-04-03
http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/iran/
http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/syria
###
Note: The following blog entry is a quote:
http://www.thememriblog.org/blog_personal/en/6610.htm
Conflicting Responses to Reports on Iranian Monitoring Bases in Syria
In reaction to Israeli claims about the establishment of Iranian monitoring bases in Syria, Muhammad Habash, head of the Syrian parliamentary committee for Syria-Iran relations, said that “the existence of these bases is no secret,” and added: “Syria is doing everything in its power to protect itself, and this includes [the use of] appropriate military know how.” The media advisor at the Iranian embassy in Damascus, on the other hand, rejected the Israeli claim.
Source: Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, April 3, 2008
Posted at: 2008-04-03
2 prayer requests:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1996371/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1996371/posts?page=182#182
Thank You God for ExSoldier.
Thank You for his great upbeat spirit as he
contintues to battle his health problems.
Please watch over ExSoldier as he continues
to seek treatment(s).
Your will be done.
In Jesus’ Holy Name I pray this humble prayer.
Amen.
Don’t know if it were the new head of Fars news agency that tried to enjoy his new position or a proof of his inexperience. The previous top dog was removed in a big purge of some 28 news media outlets - out of 67 which were closed during the past year.
I don’t know if the Fars boss is inexperienced or not.
WHAT I DO KNOW...
What a totally stupid and dangerous “joke.”
I saw all the media closures.
That is not a good sign of things to come, I believe.
On second thoughts it was possibly an intentional ploy of disinformation to be trotted out later to incite fervor. Though these days I don’t think the populace would rise up. Though it would give the Turd’s govt. an excuse to bomb Israel - after conveniently exploding some bombs at the mausoleum. And pretending it really happened but they tried to hide it to “prevent” anger among Isalmists.
My change of direction is based on a disbelief that the fars chap would dare play this joke without some approval of his “higher ups”. Unless he is an insider with a very powerful higher up and felt he could be that stupid.
Anyway, if Moscow is to be believed we shall be doing some attacking of our own on or by April 10th and teh mausoleum could get in the way. :-))
“My change of direction is based on a disbelief that the fars chap would dare play this joke without some approval of his “higher ups”. Unless he is an insider with a very powerful higher up and felt he could be that stupid.”
I agree.
http://www.wstm.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=116776
“Police: Weedsport Exit reopens (video)”
By Joanna Buckley
Posted: Thursday, April 03, 2008 at 3:36 p.m.
ARTICLE SNIPPET: “WEEDSPORT, CAYUGA COUNTY — State Police on the New York State Thruway have reopened the Weedsport Interchange at Exit 40.”
ARTICLE SNIPPET: “The realistic looking homemade device was constructed of plastic and sheet metal fashioned to look like a rocket propelled grenade. It contained no explosive components and was considered harmless after examination.”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1996525/posts
#
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3527513,00.html
“Shin Bet fears attack on Israeli plane”
SNIPPET: “Number of security guards on flights boosted, helicopters escort takeoffs and arrivals in several airports worldwide for fear of missile launching. Defense source: Threat concrete and we are doing everything possible”
Alex Fishman
Published: 04.04.08, 09:23 / Israel News
ARTICLE SNIPPET: “The security measures on aircraft belonging to Israeli airlines and around them during takeoffs and arrivals abroad have been significantly boosted over the past few days for fear that Hizbullah would act on its promise to avenge the February assassination of its top commander Imad Mugniyah.
The number of armed security guards on some of the flights to several destinations has been increased, as was the number of guards surrounding the plane after the landing and before the takeoff.
“The threat is extremely concrete, and there is no choice but to do everything possible,” a source involved in aviation security said Thursday.”
April 3, 2008
Note: The following text is a quote:
http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2008/April/08_crt_271.html
Houston Woman Pleads Guilty to Forced Labor Charges
HOUSTON - Rozina Mohd Ali pleaded guilty and was sentenced today in federal district court in Houston, Texas, for her role in holding an Indonesian woman in forced labor as a domestic servant, the Justice Department has announced. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Ali, 43, of Sugarland, Texas, will spend one year and a day in prison and will pay the victim $72,676 in restitution.
“The defendant forced a hard-working Indonesian woman to do her domestic work for practically no money at all,” said Grace Chung Becker, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Through this guilty plea, the defendant admitted that she threatened the victim and withheld the victim’s passport so that she could not escape. The Justice Department takes all accusations very seriously and will continue to aggressively prosecute human trafficking cases such as this one wherever possible.”
During the plea hearing, Ali admitted she withheld the victim’s Indonesian passport in order to force the victim to work for Ali and Ali’s family. Ali forced the victim to work long hours over a four to five year period, performing house and yard work and taking care of the defendant and defendant’s family members with almost no compensation. In August of 2002, Ali agreed to employ the victim to work as a domestic servant for her in Malaysia for approximately $112 per month. A contract setting up the arrangement was executed. Then, Ali brought the victim to the United States on a temporary visitor’s visa to work as a domestic servant. From then until August of 2007, the victim worked tirelessly for Ali or Ali’s relatives as was only paid twice for her labor. The total compensation paid to the victim during the nearly five year period of “employment” was approximately $320.
During that time, Ali prevented the victim from returning to Indonesia by withholding her passport (necessary for international travel) and by threatening her with physical harm and other adverse consequences if she did not continue working for Ali. However, on August 19, 2007, the victim successfully escaped Ali’s residence. She was then discovered by strangers, who assisted her by taking her to the Indonesian Consulate.
“This unfortunate case of forced labor is but another side of human trafficking, subtle but just as insidious,” said Don DeGabrielle, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas.
Ali has been in federal custody without bond since her arrest by members of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance, a federally-funded multi-agency human trafficking task force.
Human trafficking prosecutions such as this one are a top priority of the Department of Justice. In the last seven fiscal years, the Civil Rights Division, in conjunction with U.S. Attorney’s Offices, has increased by nearly seven-fold the number of human trafficking cases filed in court as compared to the previous seven fiscal years. In FY 2007, the Department obtained a record number of convictions in human trafficking prosecutions.
In announcing the sentencing, Becker and DeGabrielle commended the Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the FBI, the Department of Labor, the Department of State, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, the Houston Police Department, the Sugarland Police Department and the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance, for their work on this cooperative investigation and prosecution.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ruben Perez and Joseph Magliolo and Civil Rights Division attorney Jim Felte and Jared Fishman prosecuted this case for the government.
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08-271
April 1, 2008
Note: The following text is a quote:
http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2008/April/08_crt_263.html
Houston Women Sentenced for Human Trafficking Related Charges
WASHINGTON- Defendants Olga Mondragon and Maria Fuentes were sentenced today for their roles in a scheme to smuggle Central American women and girls into the United States and hold them in a condition of forced labor in bars and cantinas in the Houston area, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General for Justice Department’s Civil Rights Grace C. Becker and U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas Don DeGabrielle.
U.S. District Judge Vanessa D. Gilmore sentenced Olga Mondragon to 84 months of imprisonment and further ordered that she, jointly with her co-defendants pay over $1.1 million in restitution to the victims. Mondragon was further ordered to serve a period of three years of supervised release after release from prison and to pay $1,300 in special assessments.
In all, eight defendants have been convicted in connection with this scheme to compel the victims into service in restaurants, bars, and cantinas in the Houston area, using threats to harm the victims and their families if they attempted to leave before paying off their smuggling debts.
Defendant Olga Mondragon previously pleaded guilty to multiple charges stemming from her involvement in the scheme, including multiple counts of holding young Central American victims women in a condition of forced labor, a forced labor conspiracy, and immigration offenses relating to the smuggling of the Central American women into the United States for financial gain. Defendant Maria Fuentes previously pleaded guilty to Alien Harboring for Financial Gain.
“The defendants in this case lured young female victims to the Houston area with false promises of prosperity, and then used threats of physical harm to them and their families in order to force them to entertain male customers and engage in the sale of alcoholic beverages to those customers,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Becker. “The Justice Department is committed to ensuring the basic right of all persons in the United States to be free from this modern-day form of slavery.”
Co-defendants Maximino Mondragon, Oscar Mondragon, Walter Corea, and Victor Omar Lopez have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Co-defendant Lorenza Reyes-Nunez was convicted of Obstruction of Justice and has been sentenced to 19 months in prison. Co-defendant Kerin Silva was convicted of Conspiracy to Smuggle Aliens and sentenced to 12 months home detention followed by three years of probation.
Human trafficking prosecutions such as this one are a top priority of the Department of Justice. In the last seven fiscal years, the Civil Rights Division, in conjunction with the U.S. Attorneys Offices, has increased by nearly seven-fold the number of human trafficking cases filed in court as compared to the previous seven fiscal years. In FY 2007, the Department obtained a record number of convictions in human trafficking prosecutions.
In announcing the sentencing, Acting Assistant Attorney General Becker and U.S. Attorney DeGabrielle commended the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission, the Harris County Constable Precinct Five Office, and the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance, a federally funded multi-agency human trafficking task force, for their work on this cooperative investigation and prosecution.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ruben Perez and Joseph Magliolo and Civil Rights Division attorneys Jim Felte and Hilary Axam prosecuted this case for the government.
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08-263
http://www.truthusa.com/IRAN.html
http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/nie/
#
Hello...Reality calling...Yes?...A reality check and an UPDATE:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080404/NATION/866512695/1001
Page 1 of 2
“Intelligence officials downplay Iran report”
By Rowan Scarborough
April 4, 2008
PHOTO CAPTION: “CIA Director Michael V. Hayden says it was “hard for me to explain” the conclusions reached in the 2003 National Intelligence Estimate on Iran’s nuclear weapons program.”
ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Mr. McConnell and Mr. Hayden now are emphasizing that Iran continues work on the enrichment of uranium, which could be used to make a weapon, and on ballistic missiles, which could be used to deliver a nuclear warhead. The publicly released NIE described Iran’s highly public enrichment efforts but did not mention the missile program, which already gives Iran the capacity to strike targets in Europe.”
http://media.idahostatesman.com/smedia/2008/03/06/22/RiskAn071.source.prod_affiliate.36.pdf
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blog:
http://threatswatch.org/rapidrecon/2008/04/urban-vulnerability-to-terror/
“Urban Vulnerability to Terror – A Different Look”
ARTICLE SNIPPET: “So, why is Boise, Idaho in the top 10 most vulnerable U.S. cities (according to this study)?”
Note: The following post is a quote:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1996537/posts
Singapore: Singapore Says It Will Investigate Alleged North Korea Rocket Exports To Myanmar
MySinchew ^ | 04/04/08
Posted on 04/04/2008 1:25:20 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
Singapore: Singapore Says It Will Investigate Alleged North Korea Rocket Exports To Myanmar
News 2008-04-04 10:33
SINGAPORE: The Singapore government said Thursday (3 Apr) it will look into allegations that a Singapore company was involved in the exports of rocket launchers by North Korea to Myanmar, following a media report.
Japan’s national broadcaster NHK reported Wednesday (2 Apr) that North Korea started full-scale exports of rocket launchers to Myanmar through a trading company based in Singapore.
The report, however, did not identify the Singapore-based company, or give any other details.
Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said it took such allegations seriously and would investigate.
“We are committed to fulfilling our international obligations to prevent the proliferation and illicit trafficking of arms and weapons of mass destruction,” the ministry said in a statement.
NHK said the exports were of a 65 kilometer (40.4 mile)-range multiple-launch rocket system capable of rapid-firing shells measuring 24 centimeters (9.5 inches) in diameter and 1 meter (3.3 feet) long.
The report, which quoted “several” unnamed diplomatic sources, did not say how many such systems were exported.
North Korea normalized diplomatic ties with Myanmar last April for the first time in 24 years. North Korea has already deployed similar rockets at the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas, according to NHK’s report. (AP)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1996531/posts
“The Terrorist Roundup for April 4, 2008”
04/04/08
Posted on 04/04/2008 1:13:17 AM PDT by Straight Vermonter
http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/site/html/search.asp?isSearch=yes&isT8=yes&searchText=T90&pid=108&sid=13&preview=
http://www.truthusa.com/IRAN.html
http://memritv.org/subject/en/121.htm
http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/nuclear/
#
http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/020565.php
(REUTERS)
April 4, 2008
“Iran installs advanced nuclear centrifuges”
http://off-topic.internet-haganah.com/archives/001378.html
April 03, 2008
“EVERYTHING IS UNDER CONTROL.”
SNIPPET:
“Nothing to worry about.
Ha kol b’seder.
Believe.”
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