War on terrorism’s price tag: $ 1 trillion
According to a Congressional Research Service report, the military operations since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks have cost over $1 trillion, making the “war on terrorism” second only to World War II in cost to US taxpayers. [legalift.wordpress.com] “CRS provided its estimates in current year dollars (i.e. the year they were spent) and in […]
EU information management instruments
The Commission presents today a clear, comprehensive and transparent summary of instruments regulating the collection, storage or cross-border exchange of personal data for the purpose of law enforcement or migration management, setting out at the same time the core principles that should underpin the evaluation of information management instruments in the area of freedom, security […]
EU lists data-sharing policies for first time
HONOR MAHONY The EU and its 27 member states have almost 20 programmes, agencies and agreements governing the exchange of personal, business and telecoms data of EU citizens, a first-ever audit has shown. [euobserver.com] The arrangements, sometimes only concerning clusters of member states, are designed to facilitate passport-free travel within the EU, to combat terrorism […]
Exercise Citius Torch tests London Olympic security preparedness
Over 200 senior representatives from the police and other emergency services, government departments and Olympic partners last week (15th – 16th July) completed a major exercise, Citius Torch, to test security preparedness for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. [continuitycentral.com] Citius Torch (after the Olympic motto – Citius, Altius, Fortius – faster, higher, stronger) […]
The Droning of the Drones
The increasingly advanced technology of surveillance and control By Volker Eick The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones has increased in recent years, but not only in the military and intelligence fields. These reusable vehicles are increasingly used in the civil sector, an expression of the increasing convergence between military, intelligence and civil […]
Big Brother really is watching and listening
By Tom McGurk Few people realise that they are being watched from above. [sbpost.ie] For example, there is a regular presence in the sky above some English cities of RAF SigInt (signal intelligence tracking) aircraft that intercept all signal communications, especially those from mobile phones. The aircraft concentrate on cities with large Muslim populations, such […]
Through the Wormhole: The Secret State’s Mad Scheme to Control the Internet
by Tom Burghardt [globalresearch.ca] Prussian military theorist Carl von Clausewitz once famously wrote that "war is the continuation of politics by other means." A century later, radical French philosopher Michel Foucault turned Clausewitz on his head and declared that "politics is the continuation of war by other means." In our topsy-turvy […]
Joe Sacco: Not in my country
For African migrants trying to reach Europe, Malta is directly in their path. Joe Sacco observes their treatment in his homeland
Schwarzenegger mobilizes National Guard to border
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday mobilized members of the California National Guard as part of a federal effort to deter drug trafficking and illegal immigration along the border with Mexico. [google.com] His order supports President Barack Obama’s plan to have 1,200 National Guard troops assist with federal border protection, customs and immigration […]
Turkey unveils first drone plane
Engineers say new surveillance craft, capable of 24-hour excursions, is better than Israeli Heron [ynetnews.com] Turkey on Friday unveiled its first drone airplane, a surveillance craft able to fly for 24-hour stretches over the rugged mountains where Kurdish rebels are waging a deadly insurgency. Engineers boast that it is as capable as the Israeli-made Heron. […]
How facial-recognition software could track down G20 suspects
Lesley Ciarula Taylor The facial-recognition software Toronto police will use to track down suspects in its G20 summit investigation is an off-the-shelf tool that can sort through multiple databases very quickly. [thestar.com] The Canadian Bankers Association bought and installed the software because “the banks and the CBA have investigative functions, too. We investigate crimes against […]
South Korea: Machine gun-toting robots deployed on DMZ
By Jon Rabiroff A set of SGR-1 armed robots have been set up near the southern boundary of Korea’s Demilitarized Zone on an experimental basis to see how well they complement the soldiers that keep an eye on the heavily fortified border between the North and South. The robot, using heat and motion detectors, can […]
France, Germany & UK: No Questions Asked“: Intelligence Cooperation with Countries that Torture
[hrw.org] International efforts to combat terrorism since the 9/11 attacks in the United States have done incalculable damage to the absolute prohibition on torture. The global ban on torture is a cornerstone of international law, binding on all nations in peace and at war, and no exceptions or justifications are permitted. The attack on the […]
INTERPOL – At the centre of security for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
[interpol.int] As one phone crashes down in the Uruguay police booth at South Africa’s International Police Co-ordination Centre (IPCC) in Pretoria, another is snatched up in the nearby INTERPOL booth where staff launch into animated dialogue with colleagues at the INTERPOL Regional Bureau in Harare about two illegal immigration suspects who have just been detained […]
SH-60F Seahawk Helis for Tunisia
[defenseindustrydaily.com] On July 2/10, the US DSCA announced [PDF] Tunisia’s formal request to buy 12 refurbished US Navy SH-60F Seahawk utility Helicopters, plus associated equipment. The SH-60Fs would be offered as Excess Defense Articles (grant EDA notification is being submitted separately). In the US Navy, the SH-60F is a utility and search and rescue helicopter, […]
CEPOL – European Police College Draft Annual Report 2009
FOREWORD Detlef Schröder, Head of Programmes and Kate Armitage, Head of Administration We are pleased to present the CEPOL Annual Report for 2009, the fourth annual report since CEPOL began operating as an agency of the European Union and the first as the two new Heads of Units. 2009 was a challenging year for CEPOL […]
UK: Police forces under pressure over Europe evidence demands
Police forces risk being swamped by demands from foreign countries for DNA and other evidence under plans for a new Europe-wide investigation warrant. By Rosa Prince [telegraph.co.uk] The Government has until the end of the month to decide whether to opt out of the scheme – which would give authorities in any country in […]
Ireland objects to EU data transfer with Israel
ANDREW WILLIS Irish minister for justice Dermott Ahern has confirmed that Dublin is seeking to block a new European Commission initiative that would allow the free transfer of personal data on EU citizens to Israel. [euobserver.com] The minister’s statement over the weekend, reported in Israeli daily Haaretz on Monday (12 July), follows recent media reports […]
Obama requests $600 million for border security
The president’s emergency funding request would pay for more Border Patrol agents, drones, National Guard troops and more. [latimes.com] The Obama administration formally asked Congress on Tuesday for $600 million in emergency funds to hire another 1,000 Border Patrol agents, acquire two drones and enhance security along the Southwest border. The money would also pay […]
Ireland seeks to block Israel access to data on EU citizens
Irish government retaliates over use of forged Irish passports by alleged Mossad spies in Dubai assassination. By Ora Coren [haaretz.com] Ireland is seeking to stop a European Union initiative that would enable Israel to receive sensitive information about European citizens, due to concerns about the use that Israel would make of this information, the Irish […]