Government 'panicked' by report of MoD wasting billions --An unnamed MoD official told Channel 4 News yesterday that Number 10 had "panicked" at the findings of the report and intervened to prevent its publication. 06 Aug 2009 The government has been accused of trying to suppress a report that found the Ministry of Defence is wasting billions of pounds every year as a result of ordering projects it cannot afford. The report found that the MoD is wasting between £1.5bn and £2.5bn per year. Its findings were due to have been published before MPs broke up for the summer recess but its release has been delayed, with the prime minister announcing last month that the report would now form part of a further defence review.
CIA Drone Strike Kills Wife of Pakistani Taliban Chief 05 Aug 2009 A CIA drone strike killed the wife of a Pakistani chief today, according to local intelligence and military officials. The missile destroyed the house of Mehsud's second father-in-law, Akramud Din, around 1:00am, the intelligence officials said. At least three people were killed, including one woman. The Taliban denied that Mehsud's second wife was in the house at the time of the attack, though they did confirm that one woman was killed.
Airstrike, bomb blast kill 10 civilians in Afghanistan 05 Aug 2009 Residents in the southern Afghan province of Kandahar said Wednesday that a NATO airstrike killed four civilians, including three children, while a roadside bomb killed six civilians in eastern Afghanistan. Dozens of residents from Arghandab district brought the four bodies to Kandahar city Wednesday morning to show them to provincial authorities. The tribal men said that the civilians were killed Tuesday night when a NATO helicopter bombed their house.
Eleven die in Iraq violence as would-be female bomber jailed 05 Aug 2009 Eleven people, including a woman, died in violence across Iraq on Wednesday as officials said a teenage girl has been jailed for trying to copy her father and brother and be a suicide bomber. In the deadliest of the day's attacks, a roadside bomb exploded as policemen were travelling by car through a market in the southern Baghdad neighbourhood of Dora, killing five of them, police said.
Ahmadinejad sworn in as Iran president 05 Aug 2009 After winning a hotly disputed election in Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been sworn in for a second term in office as the country's president. Ahmadinejad took his oath of office before the Parliament (Majlis) on Wednesday. He has two weeks to introduce his cabinet of ministers to Majlis for approval.
Americans who strayed into Iran accused of spying 05 Aug 2009 Three Americans detained in Iran on Friday have been questioned by Iranian security operatives. The US citizens, who were detained on charges of entering Iran from Iraq without permission, were arrested near the Iranian border town of Marivan. Iranian television has described the three Americans as spies.
'Pain Ray' First Commercial Sale Looms By David Hambling 05 Aug 2009 The military isn’t about to deploy its pain ray to the battlefield. But someone in the commercial sector is about to buy one. We don’t know who. The sale is mentioned in a presentation by Raytheon, who built the microwave weapon for the Defense Department. The so-called "Active Denial System" works by heating the outer surface of the target’s skin using millimeter waves -- short wavelength microwaves... Recently, it’s been proposed as a possible defense against pirates; last month, Raytheon gave a presentation on Active Denial at a NATO workshop on anti-pirate equipment and technologies.
US Marines Corps bans Facebook, Twitter 05 Aug 2009 The US Marine Corps has issued an order banning the use of social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter on its network for one year. "These Internet sites in general are a proven haven for malicious actors and content and are particularly high risk due to information exposure, user-generated content and targeting by adversaries," the Marine Corps order reads.
Blackwater CEO accused of killing witnesses 05 Aug 2009 The lawsuit filed by Iraqis against the US contractor Blackwater takes turn with a former employee and a former US marine accusing the firm's owner of murder. In sworn statements filed on August 3 in federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia, the two testified that company owner and CEO Erik Prince may have murdered or arranged the murder of individuals cooperating with US federal authorities investigating the case.
Army prosecutor quits Guantanamo war court case 03 Aug 2009 An Army prosecutor has resigned from the Guantanamo war court in a crisis of conscience over plans to try a young Afghan accused of throwing a grenade rather than settle the case out of court, according to an affidavit filed with the court Wednesday. Army Lt. Col. Darrel Vandeveld, a reservist from the Pittsburgh area, becomes the fourth known prosecutor to quit the Pentagon's controversial military tribunals, which the Bush regime set up after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
Lying about Iraq made me quit, press officer claims 05 Aug 2009 Having to peddle "government lies" about the safety of soldiers in Iraq led to a Ministry of Defence press officer suffering post-traumatic stress disorder, an employment tribunal will hear. John Salisbury-Baker will claim that he suffered "intolerable stress" through having to "defend the morally indefensible" when responding to media inquiries about the ability of army vehicles such as the "Snatch" Land Rover to protect soldiers. Mr Salisbury-Baker says he found it impossible to support the official line on deaths and injuries after seeing the suffering of soldiers' families.
Soldier Who Refused Deployment Over 'Illegal' Wars Is Jailed 06 Aug 2009 A soldier at Fort Hood who fought his deployment to Afghanistan and stopped obeying orders was sentenced to a month in jail and demoted to private in a military court on Wednesday morning. Victor Agosto, a 24-year-old signalman with the III Corps, ripped a patch showing his specialist rank off his uniform after an emotional hearing in front of an Army captain in which he had told the court he believed the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan violated international law, his lawyer, James M. Branum, said. Later, about 20 antiwar protesters cheered Private Agosto as he was taken to jail, the lawyer said. "He’s not opposed to all wars; he is opposed to this war, because it is not a war of self-defense," Mr. Branum said.
Obama team quietly mulls new quarantine regulations --OMB set Sept. for target date to complete first major overhaul of quarantine regulations --W. House officials not saying what their rules might ultimately require 05 Aug 2009 The Obama administration is quietly dusting off an effort to impose new federal quarantine regulations, which were vigorously resisted by civil liberties organizations and the airline industry when the rules were first proposed by the Bush regime nearly four years ago. The White House’s Office of Management and Budget has set a September target date to complete the first major overhaul of the quarantine regulations in about three decades. That would have at least some of the rules in place if swine flu returns with a vengeance later this year, though officials are reluctant to make that link publicly. [See: Military Poised to Help FEMA Battle Swine Flu Outbreak --U.S. commander for Northern Command asked Defense Secretary to sign executive order for military to set up five regional teams to deal with outbreak --Orders to deploy actual forces would be reviewed later 29 Jul 2009 The Pentagon is preparing to help the Federal Emergency Management Agency tackle a potential outbreak of the H1N1 virus this fall, FOX News has confirmed. See: DoD to 'augment civilian law' during pandemic or bioterror attack and DoD to carry out 'military missions' during pandemic, WMD attack.]
Report: White House Weighing Federal Quarantine Rules 05 Aug 2009 The Obama White House may be preparing to enact new federal quarantine regulations that were first put forth by the Bush administration almost four years ago, according to a report from Politico.com. While the Obama administration has been tight lipped about the possible new regulations, the Bush-era proposal sought to give the federal government, "the authority to order a provisional quarantine of three business days or up to six calendar days, for those suspected of having swine flu or other illnesses listed in a presidential executive order," the Politico report said.
Baxter completes first swine flu vaccine batches 05 Aug 2009 Baxter International Inc said on Wednesday it completed its first commercial batches of H1N1 vaccine in late July and is discussing distribution plans with national health authorities. The swine flu vaccine, to be sold under the brand name Celvapan, is made using Baxter's cell culture process, which is designed to be faster than traditional vaccine production methods. [See: Baxter working on vaccine to stop swine flu, though admitted sending live pandemic flu viruses to subcontractor 26 Apr 2009.]
More charged with terrorism offences in Australia 05 Aug 2009 Australian police charged four more men on Wednesday with planning to attack an army base and shoot soldiers as the government considered whether to ban a Somalia militant group linked to the plot. During a brief court hearing in Melbourne on Wednesday, one of those charged refused to stand before the court and then shouted at the presiding magistrate. "You call me a terrorist? I have never killed a person in my life," said Wissam Mahmoud Fattal, 33, before he was led to a jail cell. "Your army kills innocent people in Iraq and Afghanistan and Israel takes Palestinian land by force," he said.
Pakistan bans 25 Islamist organizations 05 Aug 2009 Pakistan has banned 25 Islamist and charity organizations across the country under the 1997 Anti-Terrorism Act saying the move was aimed at stopping growing militancy in the country. Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik announced the decision in a parliament session held on Wednesday, a Press TV correspondent reported. Malik told the National Assembly that his ministry has issued a new list of banned organizations.
Guard troops may be 'needed' for law enforcement in Ala. county 04 Aug 2009 A judge has cleared the way for more workforce cuts in Alabama's most populous county, and National Guard troops could be called in. A judge ruled Tuesday that leaders in Jefferson County could go ahead with plans to slash $4.1 million from the budget of Sheriff Mike Hale, who filed suit to block the cuts. A spokesman for Hale, Randy Christian, said the sheriff told Gov. Bob Riley after the ruling that state assistance may be needed to perform basic law enforcement tasks once the department's funding runs out in early September.
Internet firms condemn plans for GCHQ email access --The firms will be asked to collect and store vast amounts of data. 04 Aug 2009 A proposal to allow Cheltenham listening post GCHQ to monitor any email, phone call or website visit of people in the UK has been condemned by internet firms. The London Internet Exchange, which represents more than 330 companies, says the Government's surveillance proposals are an "unwarranted" invasion of people's privacy. The £2 billion project, pioneered by former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, would allow the Benhall-based intelligence headquarters access to the records of internet providers in an effort to maintain its defences against terrorism.
Murdoch papers to charge for websites by 2010 06 Aug 2009 The days of being able to read newspapers for free on the internet are coming to a close, the media mogul Rupert Murdoch signaled, as he promised The Times and The Sun would begin charging for access to their websites within months. In a sweeping rethink of how the beleaguered newspaper industry operates, the News Corporation founder declared that quality journalism must come at a price. [Rupert Murdoch is the last 'person' on earth to know what quality journalism *is.*]
House Orders Three Elite Jets 05 Aug 2009 At the end of July, the House approved nearly $200 million for the Air Force to buy three elite Gulfstream jets for ferrying top government officials and Members of Congress. The Air Force had asked for one Gulfstream 550 jet (price tag: about $65 million) as part of an ongoing upgrade of its passenger air service. But the House Appropriations Committee, at its own initiative, added to the 2010 Defense appropriations bill another $132 million for two more airplanes and specified that they be assigned to the D.C.-area units that carry Members of Congress, military brass and top government officials.
Senate Reaches Deal to Save 'Cash for Clunkers' 05 Aug 2009 The Senate reached a deal on saving the dwindling "cash for clunkers" program late Wednesday, agreeing to vote on a plan that would add $2 billion to the popular rebate program and give car shoppers until Labor Day to trade in their gas-guzzlers for a new ride. Following lengthy negotiations, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Democrats and Republicans had agreed to vote on the plan Thursday, along with a series of potential changes to the bill, which was passed by the House last week.
Democratic lawmaker 'physically assaulted' at local event by activists 05 Aug 2009 Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), the president of the freshman Democratic class has revealed that "at least one freshman Democrat" has already been "physically assaulted at a local event." Connolly warned that conservative groups Nazis had taken things to a "dangerous level..." Recent events have given congressman good reason to be "fearful for their safety." Last week, a protester hung an effigy of freshman Rep. Frank Kratovil (D-MD) outside his district office, and after a June 22 town hall meeting was disrupted by an "unruly mob" of tea party activists, Rep. Tim Bishop (D-NY) had to be escorted to his car by police. [Arming the Left: Is the time now? By Charles Southwell 21 Oct 2003.]
Pa. Gunman 'Hell-bent' on Killings, Had 4 Guns --George Sodini Made Two "Practice Runs" Before Massacre, Left Notes 05 Aug 2009 The Pennsylvania gunman who killed three women and injured nine others when he opened fire in a fitness center Wednesday before taking his own life made two "practice runs" just hours before the massacre, investigators said today. Police also said the gunman, 48-year-old George Sodini, also made a phone call to an unidentified person and "had a conversation" before he slipped into a dance class at the LA Fitness club with four handguns and began shooting. Police say he used two 9-millimeter automatic pistols and fired 36 shots inside the class of around 30 women. He then used a .45 caliber revolver to take his own life. An unused .32 caliber semi-automatic pistol was later found in Sodini's pocket, police said.
Police: Pa. man who attacked gym had 4 guns 05 Aug 2009 Police in Pennsylvania say a gunman who sprayed bullets at women exercising at his suburban Pittsburgh health club, killing three of them, did not have a relationship with any of the victims. Allegheny County police Superintendent Charles Moffatt also says that the gunman, George Sodini, had four guns on him and used three of them in the attack.
Previous lead stories: 'CIA and Mossad paying $1,000 to Christian converts in northern Iraq' 04 Aug 2009 Iran's Fars news agency claimed Tuesday that the CIA and the Mossad were actively promoting Christianity in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq. According to the report, the Americans and Israelis were offering $1,000 to any youngster willing to convert to Christianity. The news agency further claimed that several Christian organizations had translated the Bible into Kurdish and were distributing them to young Kurds.
Blackwater Founder Implicated in Murder By Jeremy Scahill 04 Aug 2009 A former Blackwater employee and an ex-US Marine who has worked as a security operative for the company have made a series of explosive allegations in sworn statements filed on August 3 in federal court in Virginia. The two men claim that the company's owner, Erik Prince, may have murdered or facilitated the murder of individuals who were cooperating with federal authorities investigating the company. The former employee also alleges that Prince "views himself as a Christian crusader tasked with eliminating Muslims and the Islamic faith from the globe," and that Prince's companies "encouraged and rewarded the destruction of Iraqi life."
Military Lawyer Claims U.S. Paid Gitmo Prosecution Witnesses --Defense Attorneys Say Afghan Eyewitnesses Received Cash or Gifts From the U.S. Government By Daphne Eviatar 04 Aug 2009 In a startling accusation, defense lawyers in the case of an adolescent arrested and brought to Guantanamo Bay six years ago claim the Justice Department may bring a criminal case against the young man based on testimony from witnesses paid by the U.S. government for their cooperation. Mohammed Jawad was as young as 12 when he was arrested by Afghan police in 2002 and accused of throwing a grenade at U.S. soldiers. Although he confessed to the crime after Afghan officials threatened to kill him and his family, his statements were later ruled inadmissible by two U.S. judges because they were coerced.
