Meet other writers of police procedurals, crime fiction, true crime, detective fiction and thrillers.

The group leader, Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA is a veteran of 24 years of law enforcement service with the Los Angeles Police Department. In addition to being the author Police Technology and Leadership: Texas Hold em Style, Raymond is a university professor and accomplished entrepreneur.
The purpose of the meeting is to network with other authors who are writing law enforcement related material. It is an excellent opportunity to explore new ideas, further plot development and gain first hand knowledge of police procedure from other law enforcement practitioners and writers.
When:
Monday, Nov 13, 2006, 10:00 AM
Where:
Coffee Bazaar
661 W Arrow Hwy
San Dimas, CA 91773
Visit the Homepage at
Police Procedurals

Repost hyperlink
http://writers.meetup.com/541/

Sponsored by:

www.police-writers.com

By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA

Coalition forces are increasingly shifting from a lead role to a supporting role in Iraq as Iraqi forces take responsibility for more territory and security operations throughout the country, a U.S. military spokesman in Iraq said today. In a news conference from Iraq, Army Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, Multinational Force Iraq spokesman, said that although Iraqis are taking more responsibility, the coalition and Iraqi shared goal remains the same: a free and strong country with a representative government that respects and protects the rights of all its citizens and can be a valued ally in the fight against extremism.

"While we can help create the conditions that are necessary for progress, the achievement of our shared goal is ultimately the responsibility of the Iraqi people and their elected leaders," Caldwell said.

Caldwell noted that Iraqi army units continue to take the lead in their areas of operations. On Oct. 24 in Ramadi, the 3rd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 7th Iraqi Army Division, assumed responsibility in its area of operations. Now six of 10 Iraqi army divisions, 30 of 36 Iraqi army brigades, and 90 of 112 Iraqi army battalions are in the lead, he said.

"We operate in support of them," he said. "All across Iraq, we continue to see an increasingly capable Iraqi security force continuing to take the lead."

Iraqi-led operations have been successful in rooting out terrorists and finding weapons caches, Caldwell said. From Oct. 14 to 25, Iraqi security forces with coalition support conducted 26 missions against death squads that resulted in the capture of three death squad cell leaders and 68 death squad members, he said. Also, from Oct. 12 to 25, about 70 focused operations against al Qaeda in Iraq resulted in 18 terrorists being killed and 219 suspected terrorists being detained.

Iraqi forces recently concluded an important operation that disrupted a terrorist operational hub southwest of Baghdad, Caldwell said. During Operation Commando Hunter, which began on Oct. 2, Iraqi forces found more than 130 weapons caches, killed five terrorists, and captured 25 suspected terrorists. They also seized the abandoned Yusufiyah thermal power plant, which was known to be a staging area for terrorist attacks.

Operation Commando Hunter was yet another example of the Iraqi forces rooting out foreign influences and creating their own bases from which to attack terrorists, Caldwell said.

The level of violence in Baghdad has decreased sharply since the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Caldwell said. The violence is lowest in areas that Iraqi and coalition forces have already cleared, he noted.

There have been recent violent incidents around Iraq, Caldwell acknowledged, but in every instance, Iraqi security forces responded quickly, calmed the situation and prevented the violence from spinning out of control.

"What we see in actions taking place all over Iraq is that Iraqis are taking charge of their country, and they're doing it valiantly," he said. "Violence will flare up again in areas that are under Iraqi control. The question will be, 'Can they handle these situations themselves?' In all of these incidents, they did. They responded, and they returned calm to the areas. The Iraqis brought an Iraqi solution to an Iraqi problem, which is precisely the strategy for Iraq."

Progress and violence coexist in Iraq, and the security situation is complex, Caldwell said. However, the Iraqi government is constantly working to find solutions to the difficult challenges it faces, he said.

"We, the coalition forces, are constantly adapting our efforts to enable this government to continue to make the difficult choices and to set the conditions for an Iraq that can govern, defend and sustain itself," he said.

By Donna Miles

The same globalization that's created vast opportunities for economic growth and information sharing among freedom-loving people has become a favorite tool of terrorists trying to destroy their way of life, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England told industry representatives here yesterday. Speaking at the Military Communications Conference 2006, England called rapid technological change, and particularly the ways it can be abused, "the fundamental technical and operational challenge of our time."

Terrorists are "technologically very savvy," he said, and see no conflict in using their technological expertise to close doors it's helped opened. "Though they aim to undo centuries' worth of progress, they are not at all reluctant to take full advantage of that progress," he told the group, who he described as "today's rock stars of science and technology."

Terrorists "use the latest technological innovations to communicate, recruit and transfer money," the deputy secretary said. "They keep Web sites, and they update them in real time to share their lessons learned." As latecomers to these cutting-edge technologies, terrorists didn't have to go through the long process of developing or studying them, England noted. Instead, they simply download them from the Internet and use them for their own purposes.

"The very technologies that you develop and the technologies that make globalization possible are used by terrorists throughout the world against freedom-loving nations," England told the group. Faced with this reality, it's critical that the United States and its coalition partners and allies continually keep a step ahead, he said. He called on the industry leaders to help lead that charge.

England cited the Defense Department's ongoing, long-term transformation effort and the 2006 Defense Quadrennial Review and its focus on, among other topics, "netcentricity."
"Netcentric capabilities are about getting people the information they need, when and where they need it," he said. "Just as it is in business, information has become a strategic asset for the department, and using it effectively is essential to the success of our mission."

DoD is examining its system capabilities on the macro level to identify gaps and seams, eliminate unintentional redundancies and ensure interoperability, England told the group. It's also working to improve its integration with coalition partners and allies, he said.

As these efforts move forward, England acknowledged, "antagonists out there who would be delighted to take down our systems (and) are trying, to the tune of thousands of incidents daily." Among them, he said, are recreational hackers who hack into DoD systems for fun, "cyber-vigilantes" out to prove a misguided point, small-interest groups pushing ideological issues, transnational terrorist networks aiming to destroy the system, and hostile nation-states.

"These efforts to degrade our systems are expected to continue," England said. England closed by calling on industry leaders to continue protecting the United States and its partners from what he called the greatest long-term threat they face: "falling behind in science and technology."

"Science and technology are the bedrock of our knowledge-based economy, as well as our military capabilities," he said. England urged audience members to build on that bedrock by taking every opportunity to encourage science education, research and application. "America's future, and the future of our partners, does depend on it," he said.

By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA

Coalition and Iraqi forces are continuing operations to search for a U.S. servicemember reported missing Oct. 23, a U.S. military spokesman in Iraq said today. The servicemember, who is an American of Iraqi descent working as a linguist for a provincial reconstruction team in Baghdad, was last seen Oct. 23 at about 2:30 p.m. in the International Zone, said Army Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, Multinational Force Iraq spokesman. The servicemember reportedly left the International Zone to visit relatives in Baghdad, where masked men in three vehicles reportedly kidnapped him, Caldwell said.

As soon as the servicemember was reported as "duty status whereabouts unknown," Multinational Division Baghdad launched intensive operations, including targeted raids on locations in Baghdad, Caldwell said. Coalition forces and Iraqi security forces used checkpoints to close down roads and bridges in central Baghdad and are searching vehicles in the area. Security forces are continuing to conduct searches through homes and buildings in an effort to locate the missing servicemember, he said.

"We're using all assets in our arsenal to find this American soldier, and the government of Iraq is doing everything it can also at every level," Caldwell said. "Make no mistake, we will not stop looking for our servicemember."

The servicemember is still considered as "duty status whereabouts unknown," but the name of the servicemember is being withheld for the safety of family members who are still in Baghdad, Caldwell said. No group has come forward claiming responsibility for the servicemember's disappearance, he said.

Iraqi police forces captured members of a murder and kidnapping cell and the leadership of an illegal armed group in separate operations yesterday, U.S. military officials reported. Special Iraqi police forces conducted an early-morning raid yesterday in the Hillah area to capture members of a murder and kidnapping cell wanted by the Ministry of the Interior. Iraqi forces, with coalition advisors, arrived at the objective and gained entry to several locations where 11 suspected members of the cell were found and detained.

The cell was targeted for its attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces with improvised explosive devices and mortars and their numerous criminal activities, including extortion, kidnapping, car theft and the murder of Iraqi civilians.

Elsewhere, Iraqi army forces conducted an early-morning raid yesterday in Khalis in eastern Diyala province to capture the leadership of an illegal armed group responsible for attacks against Iraqi forces. Iraqi forces, with coalition advisors, arrived at the objective and gained entry where they were met with small-arms fire from a member of the illegal armed group. Iraqi forces returned fire and killed the group member. Members of the group were being sought for their connection to IED attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces that have left several soldiers dead.

By Jim Garamone

WASHINGTON, Oct. 26, 2006 – Lost amid all the discussion over North Korea's Oct. 9 nuclear test is an issue that Defense Department officials who specialize in that region have studied for decades and continue to study now: the possibility that, as it has before, North Korea could launch a conventional "bolt from the blue" attack on South Korea. At 4 a.m. June 25, 1950, a tremendous artillery barrage disturbed the pre-dawn air over the 38th Parallel dividing North and South Korea.

Within minutes, 135,000 North Korean soldiers, supported by hundreds of tanks and artillery pieces, poured over the line, quickly killing or knocking aside poorly equipped and poorly trained South Korean forces.

In three days, the North Koreans took the South Korean capital of Seoul. They pushed through the city and attacked further down the peninsula. On June 30, American troops joined the fight. They did not do well. The North Korean army had better equipment, and American soldiers fought with leftover weapons from World War II.

The South Korean and American troops were soon fighting with their backs against the sea at the Pusan Perimeter in the southernmost section of South Korea.

While U.S. forces prevailed, the Korean War lasted three years, claimed more than 35,000 U.S. lives and visited untold suffering and misery on all of Korea. The war ended where it began: with opposing sides facing each other over the 38th Parallel.

North Korean leader Kim Il Sung, father of the current dictator Kim Jong Il, built the North Korean military. Today, it is still the fourth-largest military in the world, with 1.21 million soldiers, according to State Department figures. In a country where starving peasants have stripped bark from trees to eat, the military absorbs the lion's share of resources, receiving more than a quarter of the gross domestic product.

Combined Forces Command Korea officials said the North Korean army has more than 8,000 artillery systems including tube-launched and long-range rocket launchers. Most are camouflaged in caverns near the demilitarized zone. "Artillery is still the big threat," Pentagon spokesman Air Force Maj. Dave Smith said. "The guns can range Seoul."

And the target is much bigger than it was in 1950. The South Korean population is now more than twice that of the North, nearing 50 million people. South Korea has lifted itself from the destruction of the war and now is the 10th largest economic power on Earth. The capital of Seoul -- only 30 miles from the DMZ -- has grown north toward North Korea and has an estimated 20 million people in the megalopolis.

Officials estimate that if the North were to open artillery fire on Seoul, about 250,000 people would die. Officials have not estimated, at least publicly, what a nuclear blast would do to the South Korean capital.

North Korea has a 120,000-man special operations force. The force is capable of attacking targets anywhere on the peninsula, U.S. Forces Korea officials said.

Equipment and sustainment are the main problems with the North Korean army. Even with receiving an inordinate share of the country's economy, the North Korean army is still cash-starved, driving antiquated equipment and unable to supply itself, Smith said. "They might be able to launch an attack, but they couldn't sustain it," Smith said.

In 1950, North Korea received equipment and logistics from the Soviet Union and China. The regime cannot count on that support now. Soviet pilots manned many of the MiG-17 fighters that defended North Korea in 1950. Today, North Korean pilots fly 1960s-era MiG-21s, MiG-23s and a small number of technologically advanced MiG-29s, but financial woes limit their flying hours.

But now the North has tested a nuclear device. DoD officials said it is too early to tell if North Korea can build a device small enough to place aboard a missile. But even without that, DoD officials say they believe North Korea has "weaponized" Scud missiles -- the North Koreans call them Nodong missiles -- and can hit targets on the peninsula, Japan, China and Russia. The country is testing the Taepodong 2 missile, an intercontinental ballistic missile that could hit the West Coast of the United States.

U.S. and South Korean officials say the North has chemical and biological agents. Some believe North Korea would begin any bolt-from-the-blue attack today with a liberal use of the nerve agent sarin, mustard gas and phosgene. Their special operations forces may try to plant biological agents in the south as a prelude to an attack, officials speculate. American servicemembers assigned to the Republic of Korea receive anthrax vaccinations.

South Korea's military has 680,000 servicemembers toting state-of-the-art equipment. North Korea fields Soviet-era T-54 and T-55 tanks, some now 50 years old. These are no match for M-1A2 Abrams tanks that the South Koreans deploy, but the North does field almost 4,000 of them.

South Korea clearly outclasses the North in all aspect of the military arts with the exception of sheer numbers. The South Korean air force flies the latest all-weather, day/night aircraft. They are linked via airborne warning and control aircraft. Pilots drop smart bombs and train constantly.

The communications net in the country may be the best in the world, U.S. Forces Korea officials said. There is full compatibility through the armed forces, and the South Korean military is able to seamlessly coordinate with allies.

And the Republic of Korea has one great advantage over the North: allies. The United States is a treaty ally of the Republic of Korea. American servicemembers have been based in the country since the Korean War. About 28,000 U.S. servicemembers are in South Korea today.

While that number is going down -- it is planned to be roughly 25,000 by the end of 2008 -- it should not be seen as a lack of will, but rather as a reflection of modern capabilities, U.S. and South Korean officials say. The capabilities the United States bring to the fight more than make up for any reduction in the size of the force, DoD officials said. Plus, the United States can quickly reinforce troops on the peninsula in the event of any hostilities.

By treaty, the United States regards any attack on the Republic of Korea as an attack on itself. The U.S. nuclear capability shields South Korea. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld reiterated this point during the U.S.-ROK Security Consultative Meeting at the Pentagon Oct. 20. "The United States reaffirms its firm commitment to the Republic of Korea, including continuation of the extended deterrence offered by the U.S. nuclear umbrella consistent with the Mutual Defense Treaty," Rumsfeld said during a news conference after the meeting.

North Korea has not raised or lowered the readiness status of its armed forces since the nuclear test Oct. 9, Marine Gen. Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said during an Oct. 24 news conference.

Pace said it is tough to come to terms with the nature of the threat North Korea poses. "A threat consists of two things: one, capacity, and the other, intent," he said. "I can certainly, as we all could, go to the books and tell you how many soldiers, how many ships, how many planes, within a decent margin of error, that the North Koreans have, and you can determine how much power they can put on the battlefield.

"What is not knowable is the intent of the leadership in North Korea to use or not use that power at any given time," he continued. "And applying Western logic to the leadership in Korea is not something that I would personally want to bet my future on."
Pace said that his best military advice to anyone who might want to challenge the U.S, military is, "Don't."

"We have just over 200,000 U.S. military in the Gulf region right now," he said. "We have 2.4 million Americans -- active, Guard and reserve -- right now defending 300 million of our fellow citizens. My Marine Corps math tells me that leaves us more than 2 million U.S. servicemembers who are not currently involved in the Gulf war who stand ready to do whatever our nation needs them to do. And that should not be lost on any potential enemies."

Narcotics units
-Immediately grow facial hair, tell everybody you were ordered to.
-Start watching every episode of Monster Garage.
-Buy a biker wallet with a big chain.
-Make every case involve overtime $$$.
-Buy bunches of boats, RV's, and motorcycles with that overtime.
-Learn to play golf drunk.

SWAT units
-Wear team T-shirts, Oakley sunglasses and boots everyday.
-Try to fit the word breach in to every conversation.
-Have a mirror handy to check hair, if you have hair.
-Never say hello to anyone who is not an operator, just practice your SWAT head nod.
-Subscribe to Soldier of Fortune and Muscle and Fitness.
-Learn to play golf wearing a gun.

Community Service units
-Hate SWAT.
-Work to make everybody love you.
-Paint your office in pastel colors.
-Think Feng Shui.
-Subscribe to Psychology Today.
-Learn to play miniature golf.

Traffic units
-Write tickets to EVERYBODY.
-Spend every weekend cleaning your bike and polishing boots.
-Annoy everyone on the radio calling out your stops.
-Talk about nothing but how many tickets you wrote in one day.
-Ride by a building with big windows to see your reflection.
-Golf is lame, motor rodeos are cool.

K-9 Units
-Become sadistic
-Show pictures of your latest dog bite
-Brag about your largest drug find
-Smell like a dog
-Workout 3 times a day
-Show off your bruises

Administrative Units
-Three-hour lunches everyday, tell everybody it's a "meeting".
-Upgrade police department cell phone every month.
-Tell everybody you are published in a national law enforcement magazine.
-Update your revenge list on a weekly basis.
-Golf Rules! Play lots of golf.

Patrol Units
-Has nerves of steel.
-In a terminal state of nausea from department politics.
-Inability to keep mouth shut.
-Has defining tastes in alcohol.
-Is respected by peers.
-Beats the crap out of his caddy on any bogeyed shot

Investigators
-Come in at 0800
-"Breakfast" from 0815 to 1030
-Work from 1030 to Noon
-Noon to 1400 Work out and Lunch
-1400-1700 Sit in CID and talk about how many girlfriends you have and how the wife doesn't know. Plan your next RV, fishing, motorcycle trip.

Patrol Sergeant
-Remembers very well "how we used to do do it."
-Always willing to tell his officers the above.
-Tries to fit the word "liability" in to every sentence.
-Talks about "what he's hearing from upstairs."

Trainee
-Unable to grow facial hair.
-Watches every episode of Cops.
-Worships the ground the SWAT guys walk on.
-Arrives for work three hours early.
-Thinks the sergeant is thrilled to see him.
-Won't drink on the golf course because it violates the open container ordinance.

FEDS
- Shave head, and grow goatee (unless you want to be a management weenie, then make sure you are clean shaven, with short almost military style haircut).
- Wear 5.11 pants, and polo with agency logo (unless you want to be a management weenie, then make sure you always have a shirt and pants to which a jacket and tie can be quickly added for when the boss might be around).
- Arrive at work at 8AM, spend one hour answering useless emails, and 30 minutes checking your retirement investments. Then go with another agent to Starbucks "to discuss your a new case."
- After participating in your first warrant service (as outside cover) make plans to join the agency SRT,SWAT, etc, to "properly utilize your superior tactical skills."
- After doing your first buy bust, immediately begin asking the boss about "long term undercover" jobs.
- Refuse to play golf with "the locals."

New Corrections Officers
- Show up for work 15 minutes early
- Buy only the best ink pens (Pilot G-2)
- Wear T-Shirts of your "dream department" under your uniform
- Wear a full duty belt of gear even though you have to remove: gun, baton, spare magazines, knife, cell phone, and BUG when you arrive at the facility
- Become friends with every local police officer
- Continue eating too much and not exercising

Editors Note: This was sent to me. I tried to track down the source...well, a little bit If you know the author, I would love to cite them (especially since I hammer undergrad students for failing to cite/source)

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

He is Maj. Charles L. Bifolchi, U.S. Air Force, of Quincy, Mass. He will be buried on Oct. 27 at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.

On Jan. 8, 1968, Bifolchi and a fellow crewmember were flying an armed reconnaissance mission against enemy targets in Kon Tum Province, South Vietnam, when their RF-4C aircraft disappeared. A U.S. Army helicopter crew found their aircraft wreckage soon after first light the next day. Search efforts continued for four days; however, enemy activity in the area, combined with the steep terrain and high winds at the crash site, precluded the recovery of the crewmen.

Between 1993 and 2000, U.S. and Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), conducted two surveys of an area that was believed to be Bifolchi's crash site. One team interviewed two Vietnamese citizens who turned over human remains they claimed to have recovered at the site. Another team found wreckage consistent with Bifolchi's aircraft.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA from a known maternal relative in the identification of the remains.

For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 27, 2006 – The nation's "drug czar" today recognized U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command for their efforts in counternarcotics operations. John P. Walters, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, presented the Director's Award for Distinguished Service to the sailors of the Mayport, Fla.-based command.

The director presented the award to Rear Adm. James W. Stevenson Jr., the commander of U.S. Navy Forces Southern Command.

Walters recognized the command in part for their efforts in disrupting the smuggling of 205 metric tons of cocaine in the past two years. "The brave men and women who are working to stem the flow of drugs to the United States deserve our thanks and gratitude," Walters said. "Their work is making American communities safer and protecting our citizens from the misery of drug crime, violence and addiction. They are proving every day that when we push back against the international drug problem, it gets smaller."

"We are honored to receive this award on behalf of all the men and women who have participated in our ongoing counternarcotics operations," Stevenson said. "It is truly a team effort with ships at sea, deployed air detachments, the U.S. Coast Guard, a variety of other forces and agencies, as well as with our partner nations in Latin America."

Navy aircraft -- mostly P-3 Orion, E-2 Hawkeye and S-3 Viking planes -- have flown 5,750 flight hours since Jan. 1, 2005, in support of the counternarcotics mission.

Just the presence of Navy ships and planes serves as a deterrent to smugglers. The USS George Washington Carrier Strike Group operated in the Caribbean for more than 50 days in April through May. Officials said this significantly increased the U.S. Navy presence and deterrence factor against narcotics trafficking. The movement of cocaine by air and sea in the Caribbean virtually stopped during that period, Navy officials said.

The USS Gettysburg, an Aegis guided-missile cruiser, was highly successful in combating narcotics smuggling in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean. During a six-month deployment, the ship's crew seized more than 40 traffickers and more than 28 metric tons of cocaine.

The Navy has been working with the U.S. Coast Guard to train and deploy Coast Guard door gunners to man Navy helicopters. This capability adds warning shots and disabling fire to the helicopter's ability to interdict surface traffickers in speedboats, Navy officials said. Currently, U.S. Navy ships in both the Caribbean and Pacific are operating with this capability.

The command also participated in exercises with other nations that impacted the flow of drugs north. The multinational exercise Panamax has U.S. Navy ships participating each August for 10 days. The exercise significantly impacts narcotrafficking and results in a dramatic reduction in cocaine flow during that timeframe, Navy officials said.

U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command's mission is to direct U.S. naval forces operating in the 16 million square miles of seas and oceans encompassing the Caribbean, Atlantic and Pacific. The command interacts with coast guards and navies within Latin America to enhance maritime security.

(Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Holly Boynton, of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command)

E. coli [Escherichia coli] was tested on UK towns

“E.Coli bacteria was secretly tested as a possible biological weapon in and around two British towns, it is revealed today. The MoD trials suggested the 'excellent quality and reproducibility' of E.coli meant 'highly satisfactory results' could be achieved if it was developed into a biological weapon. A series of trials involving the release of 'micro-threads' covered in the bacteria – which can cause diarrhoea and kidney failure – were carried out near Swindon and Southampton between late 1965 and November 1967.” (Metro.co.uk, 27Oct06)
http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=22854&in_page_id=34

KU [The University of Kansas] researchers develop bio-terror vaccine

“An anthrax vaccine developed by three KU researchers is in its second stage of clinical testing. The vaccine is a stabilized liquid form of the current anthrax vaccine, which is difficult to transport and store because its temperature must remain constant. Duane Brandau, Sangeeta Joshi and Laura Peek, KU research professors, developed a stabilized liquid form of the vaccine and sent it to a laboratory that converted their vaccine to a powder form. Then the vaccine went to its first of up to four stages of clinical testing. The powder vaccine doesn’t have such specific conditions for storage, making it easier to transport. It is administered through an inhaler or a nasal spray. The current vaccine is a liquid and administered by injection.” (Kansan.com, 26Oct06, Anna Faltermeier) http://www.kansan.com/stories/2006/oct/26/vaccine/?print

Smallpox Law Needs Fix

“Two years after Congress banned the synthesis of the smallpox virus, a federally appointed panel has recommended that the law be dropped from the books. The National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSAB, which is helping the U.S. government develop safeguards against the wrongful application of life sciences research, decided at a meeting today that the law--known as the variola amendment-–is too vague to be helpful in the fight against bioterrorism and is instead hurting research. The amendment, which was enacted on 17 December 2004, imposes a penalty of up to 25 years in prison for attempts to engineer or synthesize the smallpox virus.”
(ScienceNOW Daily News, 25Oct06, Yudhijit Bhattacharjee)
http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/2006/1025/5

Antibacterial wallpaper

“Zinc oxide nanoparticles have been coated onto paper, giving it an antibacterial surface suitable for use as wallpaper in hospitals. Researchers from the National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan led by Yong-Chien Ling found a way of coating paper with zinc oxide nanoparticles using ultrasound. The nanoparticle-coated paper has antibacterial activity, tests against~E. coli revealed. The paper could be used on hospital walls, in particular operating theatres, as well as residential complexes, said Ling. The coating approach could also be extended to textiles to generate suits with antibacterial properties to combat bioterrorism, he said.” (Chemical Technology, RSC Publishing; 26Oct06) http://www.rsc.org/Publishing/ChemTech/Volume/2006/11/antibacterial_wallpaper.asp

Mock accident is learning exercise for [Kentucky] public and officials

“Several Madison County communities were notified to shelter-in-place Wednesday after a mock accident at the Blue Grass Army Depot. The exercise is an annual practice of the county’s Emergency Management Agency (EMA) and the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP). Around 9:15 a.m., the EMA was notified that smoke had been detected coming out of a vent on one of the storage igloos. The nerve-agent-filled M55 rockets have been stored in the igloos at the depot since the 1940s and will eventually be destroyed. But, until then, they often are used as the catalyst for this annual exercise.” (Richmond Register, 26Oct06, Ronica
Shannon)
http://www.richmondregister.com/homepage/local_story_299090439.html/resources_printstory

Fourth OPCW [Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons] National Authorities Basic Course Held in Paris, France

“A Basic Course for National Authorities implementing the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) was conducted in Paris, France from 16 to 26 October 2006. The Basic Course is a contribution by the Government of France to support of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons’ (OPCW) Action Plan to enhance national implementation. Three previous courses were held in the French capital in 2005 and 2006. The Centre Français de Formation pour l’Interdiction des Armes Chimiques (CEFFIAC) supported in the organisation in this course. The Basic Course was attended by representatives of the following 23 Member States, ensuring a balanced geographical distribution: Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Azerbaijan, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cameroon, China, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Equatorial Guinea, India, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Ireland, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Morocco, Qatar, Sweden and Zambia.” (Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, 27Oct06) http://www.opcw.org/pressreleases/2006/PR74_2006.html

Rome Workshop on Chemical Weapons Ban in the Middle East Opens

“The Director-General of the OPCW, Ambassador Rogelio Pfirter, has appealed to the countries in the Middle East to banish the prospect of chemical weapons from the region. He spoke at the Third OPCW Workshop to promote the universality of the Chemical Weapons Convention among States in the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East, and neighboring regions being held in Rome, Italy from 25 to 27 October 2006. The Workshop, organized jointly by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the Government of Italy, received financial support from the European Union.” (Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, 26Oct06) http://www.opcw.org/pressreleases/2006/PR72_2006.html

New ‘dirty bomb’ detector sought

“The government apparently is tired of cat litter being mistaken for ‘dirty bombs.’ Hoping to improve its detection of radiological materials at the nation's ports of entry, the Department of Homeland Security announced yesterday contracts totaling $113 million for five companies to develop better devices, including Science Applications International Corp.
in San Diego.” (San Diego Union Tribune, 26Oct06, Joe Cantlupe) http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/terror/20061026-9999-1n26saic.html

Terrorism in the Nuclear Age

“Last year, 91 nations signed the U.N. International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism.~ The convention prohibits individuals from possessing radioactive material with the intention of causing death or serious bodily injury.~ But some countries have weak nuclear safeguards. Paul Leventhal, founder of the non-governmental Nuclear Control Institute in Washington, DC says terrorists could exploit such weakness. ‘The states today that we're most worried about in terms of assisting terrorist organizations are Iran and North Korea.~ If they were able to acquire fissile material, not necessarily from the state apparatus itself, but one or two entrepreneurial physicists like A. Q. Khan of Pakistan, and I think you also have to include Pakistan also as a potential supplier of terrorist organizations.’” (Voice of America, 26Oct06, Peter Fedynsky) http://www.voanews.com/english/2006-10-26-voa27.cfm

India, Russia seek denial of safe haven to terrorists

“Russia has joined India in demanding that no country should provide ‘safe haven’ to terrorists as the two countries decided to work together to counter the ‘emerging threat’ to oil and gas installations from terror. The two countries, at a meeting of Joint Working Group (JWG) on counter terrorism here, sought urgent implementation of the UN Security Council resolution 1642 which prohibits incitement of terrorism and strongly favoured early establishment by the UN of a global legal framework to fight the scourge. They underlined the need for more efficient measures to prevent propagation of terrorism, including in the cyberspace and agreed to enhance cooperation aimed at preventing terrorism through use of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD).” (The Hindu, 26Oct06) http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200610262001.htm

North Korean ‘Bolt From the Blue’ Attack Remains a Concern

“Lost amid all the discussion over North Korea’s Oct. 9 nuclear test is an issue that Defense Department officials who specialize in that region have studied for decades and continue to study now: the possibility that, as it has before, North Korea could launch a conventional ‘bolt from the blue’ attack on South Korea. …U.S. and South Korean officials say the North has chemical and biological agents. Some believe North Korea would begin any bolt-from-the-blue attack today with a liberal use of the nerve agent sarin, mustard gas and phosgene. Their special operations forces may try to plant biological agents in the south as a prelude to an attack, officials speculate. American servicemembers assigned to the Republic of Korea receive anthrax vaccinations.” (emilitary.org; 27Oct06; Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service)
http://www.emilitary.org/article.php?aid=8562

Maliki, Khalilzad Agree to Benchmarks, Timetables
By Jim Garamone

WASHINGTON, Oct. 27, 2006 – Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has agreed to benchmarks with timetables, according to a joint statement with U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad. "The Iraqi government has made clear the issues that must be resolved, with timelines to take positive steps forward on behalf of the Iraqi people," the two men said in the joint statement, issued after they met today.

U.S. officials have said that benchmarks are ways to help push along ideas. Accomplishing the benchmarks is a way of measuring progress and assessing accomplishments, DoD officials said.

Khalilzad and Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the commander of Multinational Force Iraq, talked about benchmarks negotiated between the Iraqi government and the coalition on Oct. 24. "As they take these steps, we can produce success and bring about Iraqi self-reliance, (but) we must continue to support them," Khalilzad said at the time.

But the next day, Maliki seemed to step back from the idea of benchmarks. During a Baghdad press conference, the prime minister said he had not agreed to a timetable. "I affirm that this government represents the will of the people and no one has the right to impose a timetable on it," he said.

But now, all that seems water over the dam. "We are pleased to meet today to discuss our ongoing efforts to bring peace and security to Iraq and create a better future for all Iraqis," the two men said. "Iraq and the United States are committed to working together to respond to the needs of the people. The United States fully supports their goals and will help make them a success."

The statement recognizes that there are many difficulties in the way of establishing a democratic, free Iraq. "We know that our continued strong partnership will allow us to meet the challenges facing Iraq," the two men said in their statement.

"The United States will continue to stand by the Iraqi government, and the Iraqi government welcomes the support of the United States as it moves forward with plans for national reconciliation and the strengthening of the Iraqi security forces.

"The government of Iraq is committed to work toward a good and strong relationship with the U.S. government, to work together toward a democratic, stable Iraq and to confront the terrorist challenge in the light of strategic alliances between the two countries."

The statement did not list what the benchmarks are.

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View the web through these lenses police, Law Enforcement, Criminal Justice, and military.

Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to police officers turned authors, exceeded 200 state and local police officers who have become authors. Added to the website are: Jack Maple, William McCarthy, Thomas McKenna, Robert McLaughlin, Phil Foran and Vincent Murano.

Jack Maple worked his way up the ranks from a transit police officer in the New York City Transit Police to an undercover detective patrolling Times Square and the 42nd Street train station at 8th Avenue, and finally becoming a deputy police commissioner of the New York Police Department in Mayor Guiliani's administration. His book, “The Crime Fighter : Putting the Bad Guys Out of Business,” chronicles his rise from cop on the beat to Deputy Police Commissioner. It is said that this book inspired the television series “The District.”

William McCarthy's spent 20 years in the New York Police Department. He rose through the ranks to ultimately become the Commanding Officer of the Public Morals (Vice) Division and; and, later the commanding officer of the Bomb Squad. His autobiography “Vice Cop: My Twenty Year Battle with New York's Dark Side,” centers on his years as an uncover vice sergeant. His book provides interesting and detailed descriptions of police work, under cover operations and crime.

Thomas McKenna, a 30 veteran of NYPD, in his book “Manhattan North Homicide: Detective First Grade Thomas McKenna NYPD,” tells about the crimes he helped solve while a homicide detective. Several of the cases are familiar, high-profile cases such as “the Central Park jogger,” the preppie murder,” and “Baby Maldonado.”

In the early 1960s Robert McLaughlin and Phil Foran, both NYPD police officers, wrote at least one book together: “Nothing to Report.” According to one book seller in possession of a copy, they are billed as “police captains.” Robert McLaughlin wrote at least on second book: “Pending Investigation.” There is some information to suggest that Phil Foran worked the 114th Precinct in Queens during the 1950s.

Vincent Murano’s first book describes his tour in the New York Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division. He tells the story of not only finding corrupt police officers taking bribes, but of police officers committing other crimes like robbery, drug dealing and even murder. According to Vincent Murano’s book, the NYPD was more interested in protecting its image than convicting the police officers of crimes. He followed up this semi-autobiographical work with two fictional novels – “The Dead File” and “The Thursday Club.”

Police-Writers.com hosts 204 state and local police officers and their 556 books in six categories. Also, Police-Writers.com features listings of federal and international 200 State and Local Police Officers

October 22, 2006 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to police officers turned authors, exceeded 200 state and local police officers who have become authors. Added to the website are: Jack Maple, William McCarthy, Thomas McKenna, Robert McLaughlin, Phil Foran and Vincent Murano.

Jack Maple worked his way up the ranks from a transit police officer in the New York City Transit Police to an undercover detective patrolling Times Square and the 42nd Street train station at 8th Avenue, and finally becoming a deputy police commissioner of the New York Police Department in Mayor Guiliani's administration. His book, “The Crime Fighter : Putting the Bad Guys Out of Business,” chronicles his rise from cop on the beat to Deputy Police Commissioner. It is said that this book inspired the television series “The District.”

William McCarthy's spent 20 years in the New York Police Department. He rose through the ranks to ultimately become the Commanding Officer of the Public Morals (Vice) Division and; and, later the commanding officer of the Bomb Squad. His autobiography “Vice Cop: My Twenty Year Battle with New York's Dark Side,” centers on his years as an uncover vice sergeant. His book provides interesting and detailed descriptions of police work, under cover operations and crime.

Thomas McKenna, a 30 veteran of NYPD, in his book “Manhattan North Homicide: Detective First Grade Thomas McKenna NYPD,” tells about the crimes he helped solve while a homicide detective. Several of the cases are familiar, high-profile cases such as “the Central Park jogger,” the preppie murder,” and “Baby Maldonado.”

In the early 1960s Robert McLaughlin and Phil Foran, both NYPD police officers, wrote at least one book together: “Nothing to Report.” According to one book seller in possession of a copy, they are billed as “police captains.” Robert McLaughlin wrote at least on second book: “Pending Investigation.” There is some information to suggest that Phil Foran worked the 114th Precinct in Queens during the 1950s.

Vincent Murano’s first book describes his tour in the New York Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division. He tells the story of not only finding corrupt police officers taking bribes, but of police officers committing other crimes like robbery, drug dealing and even murder. According to Vincent Murano’s book, the NYPD was more interested in protecting its image than convicting the police officers of crimes. He followed up this semi-autobiographical work with two fictional novels – “The Dead File” and “The Thursday Club.”

Police-Writers.com hosts 204 state and local police officers and their 556 books in six categories. Also, Police-Writers.com features listings of federal and international law enforcement writers.

By Donna Miles

CAMP LEMONIER, Djibouti, , Oct. 22, 2006 – Doing good here in the Horn of Africa is a key to ensuring that terrorism doesn't gain a foothold in the region, the commander of Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa told visiting civilian leaders yesterday. In this impoverished part of the world that struggles with disease, drug running, human trafficking, smuggling and pockets of extremism, the best way to fight terrorism is to stop it before it takes root, Navy Rear Adm. Richard Hunt told participants in the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference.

"The conditions out there to support terrorism are ripe," Hunt told the group of business, academic and community leaders. "Our job is to diffuse that situation."

As Hunt sees it, the United States and its coalition partners have two basic choices. "Africa is the new frontier that we need to engage with now, or we are going to end up doing it later in a very negative way," he said.

Some 1,800 members of CJTF-HOA are engaging now as they help bring stability, security and hope to the region, Hunt told the civilian leaders.

CJTF-HOA was initially formed in November 2002 as a seafaring force aimed at blocking terrorists fleeing Afghanistan from establishing a new safe haven here, Hunt told the group. But within six months, the task force moved ashore and its mission morphed into a blend of military cooperation, military-to-military training and humanitarian assistance over a massive, eight-country region.

Hunt calls this work "phase zero" of warfare, aimed at preventing the conflict before it starts. "What we're trying to do here is change the conditions and the environment people exist in to keep that kind of conflict from happening," he said.

Part of those efforts goes toward ensuring host nation militaries have the capabilities they need to defend their governments. Special operations forces here travel throughout the region, teaching not just military leadership, but also about human rights and the law of armed conflict-relatively foreign concepts for regional militaries, Hunt told the group.

A visit to the CJFT-HOA headquarters here and communities in the region reveals the faces of the other, less traditional warriors in the fight against terrorism here.

They're doctors like Army Lt. Col. Dan Shoor, who goes out with his team into local villages to treat patients and share medical expertise with local care providers. They're civil affairs specialists like Army Spc. Eric Hayes, an Army Reservist from Florida who coordinates with local officials to identify community needs and help come up with a plan to address them. They're Seabees like Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Dennis Ryan, who's building a dormitory at a local school so young girls from distant villages can get an education.

Through these efforts, members of CJTF-HOA say they're establishing trust and building relationships that not only improve people's lives, but also discourage terrorist ambitions.

"We're about rebuilding countries that need help and building a partnership with the U.S.," said Hayes. "We're winning hearts and minds, hands down. So if al Qaeda were to move into this area, the people here would choose to side with us."

"You don't want another Afghanistan, with (terrorists) coming in here," said Navy Petty Officer Tensely Worthy, who supports law enforcement and security operations here. "We're here showing the people here a better life, helping them become self-sufficient and helping them realize that you don't have to succumb to terrorism," he said.

Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Cherri Crockett, a storekeeper for CJTF-HOA's logistics office, said CJTF-HOA's work is helping the local people realize that they have the power to improve their circumstances. "We're teaching them that you don't have to let terrorism come in and pay for things," she said. "They can do it on their own."

Shoor emphasized that the efforts aren't designed to make the host countries dependent on the United States, but rather, to give them the leg up they need to begin taking control of their own futures. "You don't want to give them a fish," he said. "You want to teach them to fish."

"Our focus is on showing them how it could be," said Ryan, who with his fellow Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 5 is improving the district's only secondary school. "We're providing a U.S. presence here, building these facilities for them and helping them see what's possible."

Although he lives in a dusty tent outside the village with few amenities and even fewer creature comforts, Ryan said he wouldn't trade his position for anything. "Everybody who's here loves being here," he said.

Other members of the task force share Ryan's sentiment. "When we get to go out on missions, that's what we live for," agreed Navy Petty Officer Michelle Bates, an intelligence specialist with CJTF-HOA. "I'm gratified because I get to go out and work with the local people in the communities," added Hayes, a member of the 478th Civil Affairs Battalion. "It fulfills me."

"The people here want us here, and they enjoy us being here," said Worthy. But the greatest satisfaction he and his fellow task force members get comes from the reception they receive from the local children whenever they encounter them. "The biggest thing that tugs at your heart is the kids," he said.

Crockett said she's hopeful the work CJTF-HOA is doing will leave a lasting impression on these children for years to come. "We really, really want these people to know that we were here," she said.

Members of the JCOC group visited Tadjoura to see projects underway at the school and medical clinic, and got a taste of the satisfaction the troops here say they experience every day as they distributed school supplies and soccer balls to the local children.

"I had tears in my eyes," Frank Naglieri, battalion chief for the New York Fire Department's hazardous materials operations, said of the emotional exchange.

Like many of his fellow JCOC participants, Naglieri said he had "no idea" of the scope of the humanitarian assistance mission underway here, but said he's convinced that it's astep toward deterring terrorism in the region.

"The mission they're tasked to do here is the only thing that's really (going) to work," he said. "They have to stop it here before the cancer is allowed to grow."

The JCOC program was created in 1948 to introduce civilian "movers and shakers" with little or no military exposure to the armed forces. Nearly six decades later, it remains the Defense Department's premier civic leader program.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 22, 2006 – Iraqi soldiers and police chalked up a series of victories in recent anti-terrorist operations conducted across the country, according to U.S. military officials. First, Iraqi soldiers captured several suspected members of insurgent and murder and kidnapping cells, including the alleged leader of an al Qaeda in
Iraq cell, during a series of early morning raids across Baghdad Oct. 20.

Iraqi forces, with coalition advisers, conducted three separate raids and detained eight suspects believed responsible for sectarian murders and kidnappings, as well as improvised explosive device attacks on Iraqi and coalition forces.

In a raid in the Adhamiyah area of Baghdad, Iraqi soldiers detained two suspects responsible for sectarian attacks against civilians and indirect fire attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces.

In two other Oct. 20 raids in southwestern Baghdad, special Iraqi army forces detained four suspected terrorists involved in IED, rocket-propelled grenade and small-arms fire attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces. Two persons suspected of sectarian attacks against Iraqi civilians were also detained.

One operation occurred in the vicinity of the Al Mluki Mosque in the Monsour district of Baghdad. Iraqi and coalition forces did not enter the mosque and didn't cause any damage to it. There were no civilian, Iraqi forces or coalition forces casualties. The raids were conducted as part of Operation Together Forward with the goal of disrupting terror cells that kill innocent Iraqi citizens and attack government forces.

In other news, special Iraqi security forces captured two terrorists and killed two others during a raid near Taji on Oct. 19. Iraqi forces, with coalition advisers, conducted an air-assault raid looking for five al Qaeda in Iraq-linked terrorists allegedly responsible for the kidnapping and murder of Iraqi citizens and conducting IED attacks in the Taji area. The suspects had outstanding Ministry of Interior arrest warrants.

Iraqi forces entered the objective and encountered three male local citizens. One man immediately surrendered. Another man grabbed a pistol. He was shot and killed by the assault force. A third man, sitting behind the second man, was wounded in the exchange.

Coalition medics rendered first aid to the wounded man. As Iraqi forces continued to clear the objective, a second male citizen was shot and killed after he grabbed a rifle and made threatening gestures. The four persons were identified as the wanted terrorists. The Iraqi force returned to base with two detainees. Additionally, Iraqi police remained vigilant after beating back an insurgent attack in Mosul on Oct. 19.

Al Qaeda in Iraq forces employed two suicide truck bombs against the Abi
Tamaam Police Station in eastern Mosul early on Oct. 19. The first truck bomb exploded near the station's entry control point, blowing down protective walls and creating a sizeable crater in the road. The second truck, unable to penetrate the police station's perimeter due to the crater and debris left over from the first truck bomb, detonated in the street.

The attack killed 10 Iraqi civilians and one Iraqi police officer, while nine police and 15 civilians were wounded. Two insurgents were killed in the attack.

"The Iraqi police took the brunt and stood their ground," said Col. Steve Townsend, commander, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Task Force Lightning. "We're immensely proud of their resilience." Later in the morning two other suicide truckers blew up their vehicles during an attack on U.S. troops. Two U.S. soldiers were wounded and two Stryker vehicles were damaged from the explosion. The wounded soldiers were treated and returned to duty. Two insurgents were killed in the attack.

Iraqi soldiers and coalition troops supported the Iraqi police, who had faced insurgents' indirect and small-arms fire throughout the morning. A coalition engineer team was dispatched to the police station to remove the destroyed vehicles, repair the road, and rebuild the wall. "We wanted to show our solidarity after their heroic stand," Townsend said.

October 22, 2006 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to police officers turned authors, added Duncan MacLaughlin, Frank Lione, Gerald Petievich, John Plimmer, Richard Lewis and John Mackie.

Former Scotland Yard detective Duncan MacLaughlin turned to writing after an eventful police career. He was involved in a number of complex and high-profile cases; including, the investigation of master criminal Kenneth Noye, the pursuit of kidnap victim Stephanie Slater, the murder of Police Constable Keith Blakelock and Operation Emerge. Operation Emerge was the United Kingdom’s largest cocaine seizure in which one ton of contraband was tracked from South America and seized in London. In addition to writing, Duncan MacLaughlin is also the owner of the world-wide detective agency – Sáraigh. One of his most popular works is “The Filth: The Explosive Inside Story of Scotland Yard's Top Undercover Cop.”

F. P. Lione is the pen name of husband-and-wife writing team Frank Lione and Pam Lione. Frank Lione is a veteran of the New York Police Department. His wife, Pam, recently left her job as a medical sonographer in vascular ultrasound to stay home with their two sons. The husband and wife team comprising the pen name F.P. Lione has authored three books in the “Midtown Blues” series: “The Deuce,” “The Crossroads” and “Skells.” The fictional novels tell the story of Tony Cavalucci. The character, Cavalucci, is an 11 year veteran of the NYPD and recent convert to Christianity.

Gerald Petievich has been an Army counterspy and a U.S. Secret Service agent. He uses his real life experiences to achieve realism in his fiction. His novels are known to come as close as any in the mystery and t