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NEWS ABOUT: counterterrorism

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Secret Directive Lets US Attack Up to 20 Nations

Rumsfeld order in '04 allowed peacetime strikes on al-Qaeda

(Newser) - The American military has conducted almost a dozen secret attacks against al-Qaeda and other militant groups in Syria, Pakistan, and other nations since 2004, the New York Times reveals. The strikes were carried out under a classified order signed by Donald Rumsfeld that gave sweeping powers to let the military... More »

Saudis Fight Extremism With... Rehab?

Saudis rehabilitate terrorists using ideological approach

(Newser) - Saudi Arabia has a particular brand of counter-terrorism: a cozy detention center where captured militants share their feelings, practice art therapy, snack on Twix, rumble on PlayStation, and leave with the prospect of a wife. The retreat, Katherine Zoepf writes in the New York Times magazine, is part of the... More »

TSA Designed Only to 'Catch Stupid Terrorists'

Weapons? Check. Liquids? Check. Terrorist propaganda? Check. Write got it all through.

(Newser) - The Transportation Security Administration’s nearly $7 billion budget is a waste, Jeffrey Goldberg reports in the Atlantic. With the help of a security expert, Goldberg has, at various times, gotten through airport security using counterfeit passes, carrying potentially dangerous objects and liquids—not to mention a Hezbollah flag and... More »

3 Guilty in '06 UK Bomb Plot

But jury doesn't convict any of 8 in trying to blow up transatlantic airliners

(Newser) - Three men were convicted today of conspiracy to commit murder with homemade bombs, the BBC reports, but neither they nor five others were found guilty of plotting to blow up transatlantic flights in 2006. Their arrests, hailed as a major blow against terrorism, occasioned new airport regulations on liquids—soda... More »

Gonzales Mishandled Secret Docs, Regrets Lapse

Government report expected to examine DoJ management

(Newser) - Lawyers for Alberto Gonzales admit in a memo released today that he mishandled highly classified notes about a secret counterterrorism program, but say it was unintentional and didn't result in leaks, the AP reports. A government report due out tomorrow is expected to criticize Gonzales's handling of the notes, which... More »

Terror Trackers Tackle Jihadis Online

Two firms spearhead web war on terror

(Newser) - Two low-profile private contractors are at the forefront of the fight against cyber-jihadis, Der Speigel reports. From secret US locations, IntelCenter and SITE track footprints that al-Qaeda and other groups leave online. They detect new statements in the maze of terror-linked sites and rapidly transmit them to the world's counter-terror... More »

Al-Qaeda Works Cheap, Stays Hidden

Cells dodge dragnet by avoiding traceable transactions

(Newser) - International efforts to cut off terrorists from funding have failed because al-Qaeda cells operate cheaply and independently, avoiding official funding channels, experts say. While the US and its allies have focused on freezing bank accounts and monitoring financial transactions, operatives build $15 bombs, drum up hard-to-trace cash through illegal scams,... More »

Big Apple Is Big Brother, Privacy Advocates Warn

(Newser) - Anti-terrorism measures planned for New York City have civil liberties groups worried, the Guardian of London reports. Operation Sentinel calls for cameras to be placed at every bridge and tunnel into Manhattan to photograph every vehicle entering and leaving. Details would then be kept on a huge city database. More »

Pakistan Spends US Anti-Terror Aid on Jets

Shift in counter-terrorism funding angers lawmakers

(Newser) - A plan to spend US funds earmarked for anti-terrorism aid to upgrade Pakistan's F-16 jets is angering lawmakers who complain that it's a misuse of the money, the New York Times reports. The Bush administration says the $230 million will boost the jets' ability to strike at insurgents. Critics say... More »

Air Force Seeks Anti-Terror $16M for 'Comfort Pods'

Congress nixes funds for high-flying accommodations on military planes

(Newser) - Air Force chiefs have sought $16 million in anti-terrorism funds to build luxurious "comfort capsules" to be installed in military aircraft for VIP officer travel, reports the Washington Post. The project's costs have soared as finicky generals demand changes, with modifications in the plush leather seats—including a switch... More »

From Britain With Love: MI6 Seeks Minorities

Spy agency wants women, Asians, Arabs, to help fight terrorism

(Newser) - Next year's 007's may look more like Charlie's Angels than James Bond, as MI6 seeks to recruit more women and minority agents, the AP reports. The drive, which has netted 20,000 résumés over the past 12 months, welcomes Asian and Middle Eastern language speakers, the disabled, and... More »

Ailing bin Laden Mere Months From Death?

Terror mastermind succumbing to kidney disease, CIA claims

(Newser) - Terror leader Osama bin Laden is dying from kidney disease, according to a CIA analysis of the medications he has been taking, reports Time.The world's most wanted terrorist likely has no more than 12 months to live, and may already be teetering on the brink of death, according to... More »

US and Europe to Share Private Data

Security efforts to be eased by agreement

(Newser) - The US and the European Union will soon allow security agencies to swap private information, including credit card purchases, travel histories and web surfing. The potential agreement is a breakthrough in a standoff between American counterterrorism officials and their trans-Atlantic counterparts, whose countries tend to have more stringent privacy laws.... More »

US Bounty Program Fails to Rein In Terrorists

Lure of huge rewards does little to dent al-Qaeda leadership

(Newser) - Money may be the root of all evil, but the almighty dollar is doing a poor job to stop it: Washington’s efforts to catch terror suspects using steep bounties is largely a bust, the Washington Post reports. “The program could use some rejuvenation,” said one ex-official. “... More »

Government's Spy Powers Up, But Terror Arrests Down

Civil-liberty groups squawk; feds say numbers don't tell whole story

(Newser) - Big Brother is watching … but hasn’t found much, the Los Angeles Times reports. Despite vastly increased domestic spying activities, terrorism prosecutions have plummeted 50% since 2002; last year alone saw a 19% drop, despite a 9% increase in eavesdropping warrants. The Bush administration, meanwhile, is pushing for even... More »

NYPD and FBI Tussle Over War on Terror

Frustrated NY cops use 1,000 officers to thwart attacks

(Newser) - Irked by the FBI, New York police have quietly turned their anti-terror mission into a global operation, the Washington Post reports. They have nabbed suspected terrorists and won convictions, but Big Apple cops still fume over the FBI's refusal to share data. “Controlling information is power, and they don't... More »

Chinese Say They Foiled 2 Terror Plots

Hijack attempt blocked while earlier raid stopped Olympic attack

(Newser) - China has thwarted two terror attacks, a top official revealed today, including an attempted plane hijacking on Friday and a January raid that captured and killed terrorists aiming to "sabotage" the Beijing Olympics, reports CNN. Both incidents were linked to regional separatists whose “goal was very clear,”... More »

Bomb Dogs Will Ride Amtrak

Security stepped up on nation's rail system

(Newser) - Amtrak is stepping up security, with random screening of carry-on bags and security teams packing machine guns and leading bomb-sniffing dogs patrolling platforms and trains, reports AP. The new system, beginning this week, echoes stricter security procedures at the nation's airports. Amtrak insists there should be no additional departure delays... More »

Panel Blasts 'Appalling' US Terror Readiness

Panel calls for sweeping changes to National Guard, Army Reserves

(Newser) - The US is woefully under-prepared for a terrorist attack on home soil, according to a scathing report by an independent commission charged by Congress to recommend National Guard and Army Reserve policy. "It's totally unacceptable," the panel declared of American readiness in the event of such an attack.... More »

Bush to Cut Anti-Terror Funding

Proposal to ax port, transit security sparks bipartisan ire

(Newser) - Bush plans to cut counterterror funds in half next year, nixing port and transit security plans altogether, the AP reports. The drop from $3.2 billion to $1.4 billion would slash police, fire, and rescue budgets nationwide—and run counter to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff's vow of less... More »

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