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CONTENTS:

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK:

1. World
2. Africa
3. Americas
4. Asia Pacific
5. Europe
6. Middle East
7. South Asia
8. Cyberterrorism and Information Warfare
9. Finance
10 Human Rights
11. Law and Legal Issues
12. Transportation
13. Weapons of Mass Destruction
14. Recently Published

FEATURE ARTICLE:
State Homeland Security

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK

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1. World

North Korea, through public statements and in discussions with China, laid out conditions under which it would consider resuming negotiations. It says the US must apologize for labeling it an "outpost of tyranny", assure North Korea that the US has no hostile intent, and permit direct US discussions. North Korea also affirmed that it has a nuclear arsenal and said it is no longer observing a 1999 self-imposed moratorium on long-range missile testing.

UN Counterterrorism Committee Executive Directorate head Javier Ruperez said that intelligence is the first line of defense in fighting terrorism and called for strengthening cooperation and information sharing.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=13496&Cr=terror&Cr1=

Intelligence services are reporting that Osama bin Laden has urged the group led by Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi to plan attacks not only in the Middle East but also inside the US. Zarqawi has been connected with attacks in Iraq. Investigations in Spain indicate that the al Qaeda cell responsible for the 3/11 Madrid train bombings was contemplating similar attacks against New York's Grand Central station.

Swiss Re's sigma statistics for 2004 identify around 330 natural and man-made catastrophes worldwide, in which more than 300 000 people lost their lives. By far the largest number of victims was claimed by the tsunami in the Indian Ocean: the authorities in the twelve coastal states affected reported 280 000 people dead or missing. Total losses directly attributable to these natural and man-made catastrophes were $123 billion.
http://www.swissre.com/

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2. Africa

Africa's AIDS-related death toll could reach 80 million people by 2025 unless concerted action is taken immediately. "AIDS in Africa: Three scenarios to 2025" says the worst of the epidemic is yet to come, there is no magic bullet solution, and momentum to fight it could wane. No matter what is done, the death toll will continue to rise.
http://www.unaids.org/en/AIDS+in+Africa_Three+scenarios+to+2025.asp

Burundians voted for the first time in twelve years, approving the new power-sharing constitution that will lead to presidential and parliamentary elections. After the poll, Forces for National Liberation (FNL) rebels attacked a neighborhood south of the capital, killing three civilians. FNL is the only rebel group that has not joined the peace accord.

Democratic Republic of Congo supported the action of UN peacekeepers when they responded in kind to Nationalist Integrationist Front (FNI) fire. FNI was blamed for the February 25 attack that killed nine Bangladeshi soldiers. During the operation to restore calm in the northeastern Ituri district, at least 50 militia members were killed.

In Ivory Coast, fighting between government forces and rebels has continued, with reports of heavy casualties. Rebel fighters included new militia called the Ivorian Movement for the Liberation of the West of Cote d'Ivoire (MILOCI). The UN mission arrested 85 men who were turned over to the police. Fighting has been concentrated in cocoa-producing areas; March cocoa futures prices soared from $80 to $1,715 a ton.

Nigerian troops investigated an oil dispute in the Niger Delta town of Odioma. Residents reported soldiers in gunboats attacked, killing at least 30 people and burning houses. The Nigerian army denied any deaths.

As Somalia's President and Prime Minister toured the country, fighting continued. Clashes between militias broke out in the capital, Mogadishu, killing six and injuring eleven. At the end of the tour, armed militiamen surrounded the officials' planes, demanding wages, for about thirty minutes until a local warlord promised the men pay and khat.

South African police are hunting for the killers of Zulu prince and African National Congress (ANC) official Thulani Zulu. As yet, there are no indications the crime was politically motivated.

In Sudan, a top militia leader, Musa Hilal, told Human Rights Watch that the Sudan government backed and directed Janjaweed activities in Darfur, contradicting government claims that any atrocities in Darfur are the fault of bandits or the result of recurring ethnic clashes in which the government is neutral. http://www.hrw.org/video/2005/musa/
The government said it has begun to withdraw forces from Darfur, but atrocities and killings have continued unabated. Completing a recent visit, UN humanitarian official Jan Egeland said the needs are overwhelming but only five percent of the required funding has been supplied. He said that the international failure to support the peace deal in the south represented a historic mistake.

Togo will hold presidential elections on April 24.

Uganda's army reports that since the expiration of the ceasefire Lords Resistance Army (LRA) rebels have killed and maimed more than 30 people in several districts.

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3. Americas

Canadians have been considering how to deal with citizens connected with terrorist organizations. Zaynab Khadr, daughter of suspected al Qaeda member and financier Ahmed Said Khadr, was met with a search warrant on her return from Pakistan in late February. In another case, Canada's Conservative Party deputy leader Peter MacKay has asked the government to consider revoking the citizenship of Fateh Kamel, who led an Algerian extremist cell of the Armed Islamic Group (GIA), based in Montreal.
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1095436429237_90845629
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&call_pageid=971358637177&c=Article&cid=1109803812263
http://www.canada.com/national/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=02d4fa4b-b6ba-47a6-bfc2-1c954be51733

A year since Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was ousted following an armed rebel uprising and US intervention, Haiti's internal security remains precarious. Three UN peacekeepers were shot and wounded during weekend patrols. Shooting during a pro-Aristide march on Monday killed two and injured several others. Note the latest UN mission report:
http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2005/124

Nicaraguan leader of the student movement to overthrow the Somoza dictatorship, Dora Maria Tellez, has been barred from her appointment at Harvard University because the US State Department has refused her visa on the grounds that she had been involved in terrorism.

US federal district court judge Joan Lefkow found her husband and mother dead in her home in an execution-style shooting. White supremacist groups had targeted her in the past, and her home address posted online, but police protection had been scaled back. Individuals and groups associated with these groups are being investigated. Security measures for the federal judiciary are being reviewed.

Conspiracy theories regarding the 9/11 attacks were the topic of a Popular Mechanics investigation published in the March 2005 issue to detail and debunk the 16 most pernicious.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/blog/science/1270822.html

Uruguay's people and press expressed elation following the swearing in of its first leftist President, Tabare Vazquez.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4311637.stm
http://www.epfaprensa.org/HNCategorias_26_1.html (in Spanish)

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4. Asia Pacific

China's parliament opened its annual session. They have reaffirmed their commitment for reunification with Taiwan, will not tolerate the US or Japan including Taiwan in any security alliance, and plan to pass an anti-succession law. A 12 percent increase in the defense budget is planned, they have said that they are interested in peaceful development and have neither the desire nor the financial resources to invest heavily in weapons. Europe and the US are at odds over lifting a 15-year-old arms embargo on China.

Indonesia's military reports the death of 30 separatist rebels in Aceh. The Free Aceh Movement (GAM) says that most of those killed were unarmed villagers.

Kyrgyzstan's February 27 parliamentary elections offered competitiveness and a calm, orderly election but were undermined by vote buying, de-registration of candidates, interference with media and low confidence in judicial and electoral institutions. There have been protests in the south against the election results. Most seats did not have a winner with an absolute majority so nearly two-thirds will be decided in run-off elections.
http://www.osce.org/news/show_news.php?ut=2&id=4737

Malaysian's Operation Firm is meant to rid the country of illegal workers. More than 20,000 security forces and immigration officials are working with 300,000 volunteers who have been offered cash reward for each migrant or anyone harboring them. Thousands of people have gone into hiding and hundreds were arrested on the first day of the campaign. Human rights groups expressed concern over treatment of the immigrants, their health, and the impact of paying bounties.

The Philippines continued operations against Abu Sayyaf. Ten members surrendered last week and a suspected extremist known as Maidan has been arrested.

French Polynesia's parliament elected Oscar Temar, leader of the pro-independence movement, as president.

Singapore's Home Office released a survey showing that 86 percent of respondents expressed confidence in government counterterrorism measures and that 92 percent believed the public had a role to play.
http://www2.mha.gov.sg/mha/detailed.jsp?artid=1452&type=4&root=0&parent=0&cat=0

Tajikistan's February 27 elections had an improved legal framework and participation of multiple parties and candidates. They were undermined by poor implementation and widespread irregularities on election day.
http://www.osce.org/news/show_news.php?ut=2&id=4736

Turkmenistan's President Niyazov has ordered all hospitals in the country to close. Only those in the capital, Ashgabat, will remain open and he says that sick people can go there.

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5. Europe

Azerbaijan's President Aliyev warned opponents not to turn the funeral of journalist Elmar Huseynov, murdered last week, for political purposes. Opposition leaders called Huseynov's death political terror and called for the government to resign.

Croatia has protested the creation of a parliament in exile established by Serbian nationalists in Belgrade.

Irish and British Prime Ministers met to discuss the stalled Northern Ireland political process and announced they are still working towards an inclusive and comprehensive settlement.

Italian police report more than 40 arrests in operations directed against members of the Camorra, the Naples Mafia.

Russian police killed five people suspected of involvement in the Beslan school siege. Authorities say they had resisted arrest. Four other suspects were arrested.

Ukraine's former Interior Minister Yuri Kravchenko was killed shortly before he was due to testify in the Georgiy Gongadze murder case. Gongadze was an investigative reporter kidnapped and murdered in 2000. Prosecutors say they have detained and are questioning the suspected killers. Former President Kuchma has been connected with the case, allegedly ordering Kravchenko to get rid of the journalist. The new government has reduced the size of Kuchma's pension and staff.

Britain's House of Lords has begun the debate over controversial terrorism proposals for house arrest and control orders, after a narrow approval in the Commons.

Popular protests over the death of Robert McCartney has put enormous pressure on Sinn Fein, who suspended seven party members, and forced the Irish Republican Army (IRA) to expel three of its members. Ten suspects held for questioning refused to speak about the events leading up to McCartney's death after an argument in a pub. Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has again appealed for those responsible to come forward.

Northern Ireland's Ulster Unionists marked their 100th anniversary.

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6. Middle East

The International Parliamentary Union (IPU) reports that the number of women parliamentarians in the Arab world has increased from 3.5 percent in 2000 to five percent, and that the trend should continue. Worldwide the proportion of women in parliaments rose from 13.4 percent to 15.7 percent.
http://www.ipu.org

"The London Meeting" on March 1 had officials from 23 countries and six international organizations gathered to discuss Palestinian reforms. At the meeting, international support was given to supporting the Palestinian Authority to improve governance, the economy, and security.

The Iraqi town of Hilla was the scene of the worst single attack since the US-led invasion nearly two years ago. The massive car bomb killed 125 people and injured 130 more. An unverified claim of responsibility came from an online posting by a group calling itself the al Qaeda Organization for Holy War in Iraq. Other serious attacks during the week included the assassination of Judge Barwiz Mahmoud Marwani and his son, both involved in the special tribunal to try Saddam Hussein, and several other car bombs targeting Iraqi police and soldiers.

Also in Iraq, Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena, kidnapped on February 4, was freed. As she was being driven away the car came under a "rain of fire". Italian secret service agent, Nicola Calipari, was killed as he shielded Sgrena from the gunshots. US troops had opened fire on the car, claiming the car was traveling too fast and refused to stop. Sgrena said they were not traveling fast and had been given no warning. The incident has shocked Italy and strained relations with the US, and the facts of the case are being investigated.

Israeli forces, contrary to understandings reached with the Palestinians, have deployed large forces in the West Bank to locate Islamic Jihad militants they believe are responsible for last week's suicide attack. During the investigations they discovered and destroyed a half-ton car bomb that would have been the largest used in four years. A car bomb did detonate in Nablus, but the only casualties were a wounded Palestinian mother and her children.

In Lebanon, large popular protests forced the resignation of the pro-Syrian government of Prime Minister Omar Karami. Massive protests continued throughout the week, supported by an international consensus that Syria should withdraw in full. Today, Lebanon's defense minister announced that Syria is beginning a phased withdrawal.

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7. South Asia

Afghanistan's delayed parliamentary elections may take place in September. General Abdul Rashid Dostum, a noted warlord, has been appointed as chief of staff to President Karzai, with responsibility for Afghan armed forces.

Bangladesh has charged 15 men with sedition for alleged leadership of radical Islamic groups that carried out bomb attacks. Two political organizations that have been connected to these explosions, Jamatul Mujahideen and Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh, have been banned.

India's Congress Party won landslide electoral victories in northern states but fared poorly in the states of Bihar and Jharkhand. Parliament faced angry protests after a member of the Congress-led alliance was appointed leader in Jharkhand, despite having a hung assembly. Continued protests forced parliament to remain closed the rest of the week. In Jharkhand, a vote of confidence is expected to come soon.

In Assam state, Suman Barua and Chandan Borah,, two leaders of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), have surrendered to Indian police in protest to ULFA's policy of targeting civilians.

Maoist rebels of the Communist Party India - Maoist (a merger of the People's War Group and the Maoist Communist Center) in Andhra Pradesh state killed eight people and abducted 50.

Nepal's Maoist rebels called off a national transport strike and travel has returned to normal. Government forces claim they killed 46 rebels in a gun battle in the southwest district of Bardiya. Four security force members were also killed, and continue to search for rebels who fled. Political leaders in Nepal have had their house arrest extended by two months. Independent media coverage has been banned.
Human Rights Watch also reports on a pattern of enforced disappearances and probable deaths attributed to the military. (http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2005/03/01/nepal10224.htm)

Sri Lankan rebel leader Kuveni was shot and wounded in the eastern district of Ampara. Attacking the top female Tamil Tiger raised fears of further factional fighting and a return to violence.

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8. Cyberterrorism and Information Warfare

An investigation by Which magazine reveals that a quarter of adults in the UK have had their identity stolen or know somebody who has been a victim of ID fraud. In the UK identity theft costs an estimated GBP 1.3 billion a year.
http://trial.which.co.uk/legal_advice.php?m_id=56&source_code=j8uw04

The UK Internet Forum has expressed concern that the new Internationalized Domain Names system that uses modified UNICODE language rather than numeric Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to express the name of a domain could make it easier for create fake sites. The new system makes it easier to create websites in languages like Cyrillic, and alphabets could be mixed to create a false site, as has already been done with PayPal.

An audit to review whether the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (CCRS) was in compliance with usage requirements for information received from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in using the Canadian Police Information Center (CPIC) determined there were a number of operational lapses and concerns over information security. Concerns included the need to ensure that employees have appropriate security clearances, access privileges are revoked when an employee leaves, and so on. Steps are being taken to address the issues raised.
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/formspubs/type/auditreports/2005/rcmp-e.html

Singapore is introducing new biometric passports beginning in October. They will use a number separate from the NRIC identity card that will be changed whenever documents are lost. The new passports will incorporate facial and fingerprint information and be valid for five rather than ten years.

The US Department of Commerce has announced a new standard for a smart-card-based form of identification for all federal government departments and agencies to issue to their employees and contractors requiring access to federal facilities and systems.
http://www.commerce.gov/opa/press/Secretary_Gutierrez/2005_Releases/February/25_Gutierrez_ID_Standards.htm

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released its final version of recommended security controls for federal information systems. This will be the basis for a proposed Federal Information Processing Standard to become mandatory for federal agencies in December 2005.
http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/releases/computer_security.htm

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9. Finance

The US defense and telecommunications company Titan has agreed to pay $13 million in criminal penalties and $15.5 million to settle a civil lawsuit brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for falsifying accounts and violating bribery laws. Titan funneled more than $2 million to the 2001 election campaign of President Kerekou to try to get a higher price for one of their projects. Kerekou was not involved.
http://www.sec.gov/news/press/2005-23.htm

The US Treasury identified four companies associated with Jamaican drug kingpin Leebert Ramcharan. Caribbean Beach Park, Caribbean Showplace Ltd, Ramcharan Brothers Ltd and Ramcharan Ltd. were named as key holding companies helping to prop up Ramcharan's financial network.
http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/js2290.htm

Northern Ireland's Chief Constable Hugh Orde says there are "clear indications" that money seized during police raids in Ireland is linked to the December Northern Bank robbery. Analysis continues.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan is calling for a tighter arms embargo against Somalia. His latest report to the Security Council emphasized that, " Reports indicate large-scale violations of the arms embargo, not only by extremist groups and militias, but also some Members of Parliament" and that "The importation of explosives and heavy weapons is especially worrisome. Small arms proliferation is a major concern that needs to be addressed in the longer term, but the presence of large quantities of heavy weapons (tanks, artillery, anti-aircraft guns, multi-barreled rocket launchers and heavy mortars) poses a more immediate problem".
http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2005/89

The US Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) released its Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2006-2008.
http://www.fincen.gov/strategicplan2006_2008.pdf

The annual Report of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) for 2004 has been released.
http://www.incb.org/e/ind_ar.htm

A new report implicates JPMorgan Chase in financing illegal logging in Indonesia.
http://www.dirtymoney.org/studies/jpmc-bluelinx.php

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10. Human Rights

The US was the last country in the world to officially sanction execution of children under the age of 18. Last week, the Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 vote that the Constitution forbids execution of killers who were under 18 when they committed their crimes, ending a practice used in 20 states.
http:// www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/04pdf/03-633.pdf

The Palestinian Authority (PA) will resume executions in March, for the first time since August 2002. PA President Abbas has asked for a review of more than 50 death sentences and Abbas will give the final approval of any execution.

The US Department of State released the annual "Country Reports on Human Rights Practices". China issued its own review of the US record on human rights. Details in next week's Feature Article.
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/index.htm
http://www2.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-03/03/content_421420.htm

The number of asylum seekers arriving in industrialized countries fell for the third year in a row to the lowest level in 16 years. This should reduce claims of an asylum crisis and reduce political pressure to make asylum systems more restrictive.
http://www.unhcr.org/

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Special Representative on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Helga Konrad, urged OSCE States to adopt a victim-centered approach and allow them an extended stay in the countries they are trafficked into to help address the "recycling" of trafficking victims.
http://www.osce.org/news/show_news.php?ut=2&id=4739

Impoverished nations such as Senegal, Malawi and Sao Tome and Principe use about 30 percent of their public income on debt repayments. This cripples poor economies and means they must cut back on health and education programs, including combating HIV/AIDS.
http://www.undp.org/hiv/hiv-hope-brochure.pdf

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11. Law and Legal Issues

Babar Ahmad of the UK has been accused of running websites that raised money to support terrorism. The US has requested his extradition.

The American Civil Liberties Union and Human Rights First have sued US Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld and three military officers for their alleged knowledge of the torture of detainees in Iraq and Afghanistan and refusal to stop it.
http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFree.cfm?ID=17584&c=206

Saajid Badat admitted in British court to conspiring with "shoe bomber" Richard Reid and a third man to blow up a plane. Badat was trained but later backed out of the plot. He will be sentenced March 18 but is also wanted on a US indictment that includes additional charges.

Extremist Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir was sentenced in Indonesia to 30 months in prison for criminal conspiracy in connection with the 2002 Bali bombings, which killed 202 people.

Cedric Carpenter and Lamont Ranson pleaded guilty in US federal court to conspiring to provide false identity documents to individuals they believed were affiliated with terrorists.

Former Bosnian Muslim army chief Rasim Delic has pleaded not guilty to war crimes charges at the Hague tribunal.

Mamdouh Habib, formerly detained by the US at Guantanamo Bay, has filed defamation proceedings in Australia against two newspapers that allegedly made libelous comments in their coverage of his case.

Muafek Iruk was convicted in Israel of 23 counts of accessory to murder for knowingly driving two suicide bombers to their target destination, where 23 people were killed in January 2003. He was sentenced to 42 years in prison.

Mohammed Ajmal Khan, Palvincer Singh and Frzana Khan have been charged in the UK under the Terrorist Act. MA Khan is charged with membership in the Kashmiri militant group Lashkar e Tayyiba (Army of the Righteous). All three are charged with conspiracy to fund terrorism.

Ray Lewis has been indicted in the US on arson and attempted arson in three cases linked to eco-terrorism.

Matt Mihsen was indicted in the Texas on three counts connected with allegedly smuggling cash and exporting prohibited items to Syria. http://www.ice.gov/graphics/news/newsreleases/articles/syria030305.htm

Floribert Ndjabu, leader of the Nationalist and Integrationist Front militia in Democratic Republic of the Congo, was arrested in the capital, Kinshasa, over the killing of nine UN peacekeepers last week.

Carlos Ortega was arrested in Caracas, Venezuela, where the trade union leader is accused of treason and of fomenting rebellion in connection with leading a strike against President Chavez two years ago..

Jose Padilla, held as an "enemy combatant" in the US for several years, must be charged with a crime or released. This is the ruling of District Court judge Henry F. Floyd, in a strongly worded decision. The government will appeal.
http://www.scd.uscourts.gov/Padilla/Images/00000048.pdf

Laura Proietti, a member of the left-wing militant Red Brigades was convicted for involvement in the 1999 murder of government advisor Massimo D'Antona. She has been sentenced to life in prison. Her colleague, Cinzia Banelli, was sentenced to 20 years prison her role.

Gary Martin Smyth has been sentenced to five years in prison for his confessed role in a series of Ulster Defense Association (UDA) attacks in 2003.

Mohammad Sohail was arrested in Karachi, Pakistan in connection with a June 2002 bombing. His arrest followed a police shootout in which five accomplices escaped. Sohail had been sentenced to death in absentia in 2003.

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12. Transportation

The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced beginning April 14 all lighters will be prohibited from sterile areas of airports and onboard aircraft. This includes, for example, butane, absorbed-fuel (Zippo-type), electric/battery-powered and novelty lighters. The Department of Transportation (DOT) classifies lighters as hazardous materials, and prohibits them from being stowed in checked baggage.
http://www.tsa.gov/public/display?theme=44&content=0900051980104b15

In the Malacca Strait, pirates attacked for the first time since last year's tsunami. The attack was against a Malaysian tugboat. The heavily armed pirates kidnapped the captain and chief officer. http://www.icc-ccs.org/prc/overview.php The International Maritime Organization is supporting permanent joint patrols in the Malacca Strait.

Singapore hosted a maritime security meeting last week and highlighted their multi-agency approach to maritime security. http://www.mindef.gov.sg/cyberpioneer/setoday.html http://www.mindef.gov.sg/display.asp?number=2376 As reported in the Straits Times, Singapore's Navy will deploy Accompanying Sea Security Teams (ASSeT) of up to eight to escort selected vessels entering or leaving port and examine potential threats.

In Japan, a law requiring all foreign ships over 100 tons to carry special pollution insurance has come into effect. Most North Korean ships do not have this insurance and it is likely that some 80 percent will be cut off from using Japanese ports, thereby increasing pressure on the North Korean economy.

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13. Weapons of Mass Destruction

About 90 of 353 sites in Iraq containing dual-use equipment and materials that can be used for either peaceful uses or acquiring weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) have been looted or razed, according to the latest report of the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC). UNMOVIC reached this conclusion based on examining continuing imagery from sites that were subject to monitoring.
http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2005/129

Iran has turned down a request by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to make a second visit to the Parchin military site, which has been linked in allegations to nuclear weapons testing. IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei called on Iran to provide "full transparency" on all its nuclear activities, noting that information on some outstanding issues was still pending, while progress has been made on others. IAEA remains unable to conclude that there are no undeclared nuclear materials or activities in the country. Investigations and discussions are ongoing, but there is as yet no consensus on what action to take to achieve greater transparency and cooperation. http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/Statements/DDGs/2005/goldschmidt01032005.html
http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/Statements/2005/ebsp2005n002.html

Universal Compliance: A Strategy for Nuclear Security" was released in its final version last week. Written by leading nonproliferation experts, if offers a fresh approach to deal with states and terrorists, nuclear weapons, and missile materials through a twenty step, priority action agenda that captures national and local interests.
http://www.carnegieendowment.org/events/index.cfm?fa=eventDetail&id=751
http://www.carnegieendowment.org/publications/index.cfm?fa=view&id=16593

Interpol held its first Global Conference on Preventing Bio-Terrorism, the largest-ever gathering of police, senior officials and experts from 155 countries. The meeting warned that the world is not prepared for a biological attack and that the danger of al Qaeda has not diminished, including its intention to use unconventional weapons. Interpol plans to create an international information center to fight terrorism, making the data available to members and establishing a public alert system for outbreaks. Collaboration between public health and public safety was also deemed essential.
http://www.interpol.int/Public/BioTerrorism/Conferences/FinalCommunique.asp http://www.interpol.int/Public/ICPO/PressReleases/PR2005/PR200510.asp
http://www.interpol.int/Public/BioTerrorism/Conferences/1stGlobalConference.asp

More than 750 US scientists have signed an open letter to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) complaining that huge spending on biodefense is compromising basic research.
http://www.sciencemag.org/feature/misc/microbio/

The UK Medical and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has lifted its suspension on Chiron's manufacturing license, allowing it to resume production of flu vaccine.

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14. Recently Published

Mark Danner, "Torture and Truth: Abu Ghraib and America in Iraq" New York Review of Books/.Granta

Tom Diaz and Barbara Newman, "Lightning Out of Lebanon: Hezbollah Terrorists on American Soil", Presidio Press. Radio interview with authors at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4521122

Ann Florini, "The Coming Democracy", Brookings Institution Press
http://www.brookings.edu/press/books/comingdemocracy.htm

Stephen Graubard, "Command of Office: The Transformation of the American Presidency from Theodore Roosevelt to George W. Bush" Basic Books/Allen Lane

Patrick Radden Keefe, "Chatter: Dispatches from the Secret World of Global Eavesdropping" Random House

Mark Leonard, "Why Europe Will Run the 21st Century" Fourth Estate

Suketu Mehta, "Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found" Knopf

Joseph Persico, "Eleventh Month, Eleventh Day, Eleventh Hour" Random House

Rageh Omar, "Revolution Day: The Real Story of the Battle for Iraq" Penguin

Nancy Soderberg, "The Superpower Myth: The Use and Misuse of American Might" Wiley

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FEATURE ARTICLE: State Homeland Security

The most effective security is layered, from the bottom up. The US since 9/11 has taken a strongly centralized approach and little has trickled down to specific locations at risk or to those who would need to respond to a particular incident. This approach has come under increased scrutiny from multiple sources, including within the federal government. Two recent reports provide interesting information about homeland security at the state and local level.

First is a survey from the National Governors Association (NGA) Center for Best Practices. "Homeland Security in the States: Much Progress, More Work" identifies the progress and challenges states face.

The survey cited a number of significant achievements among the respondents:

Progress in five specific areas was addressed:

1. Structure, Strategy & Governance;
In 50 percent of states, the homeland security official is a cabinet level advisor reporting directly to the governor while 21 percent incorporate it within an existing agency. 26 percent both advise the governor and direct a state agency such as emergency management or state law enforcement. 92 percent are satisfied with the amount of authority the state homeland security office has that the roles and responsibilities of key agencies have been clearly delineated. Every responding state has developed a homeland security strategic plan that in 82 percent of cases guides funding decisions. These plans are also usually used to incorporate local government emergency preparations and plans, inform citizens, outline vulnerability analyses, and establish an incident chain of command.

2. Preparedness;
98 percent have designed responder training-exercises that also identify weaknesses in response plans. 88 percent have established a continuity-of-government plan with more than half incorporating a chain-of-command structure into the state strategic plan. All have focused on bioterrorism response planning. 95 percent have acted to amend isolation and quarantine policies and laws and 92 percent are focusing on public health worker recruitment and development.

3. Coordination;
Shared state and local planning showed uneven progress, as seen in response plans in place for various types of incident:
Chemical: 87 percent
Biological 82 percent
Explosion/incendiary 81 percent
Radiological 79 percent
Nuclear 71 percent
Agricultural 37 percent
Cyber terrorism 35 percent

In developing these plans, 86 percent involved national, regional, local and tribal representatives. 69 percent incorporated local emergency plans into the state strategy and 97 percent are coordinating plans with privately owned critical infrastructure plans. 97 percent have assigned state officials to federal, state and local task forces and 94 percent have mutual assistance agreements with their neighbors for National Guard equipment and personnel.

Funding remains a serious challenge. 70 percent believe more federal funding would enhance their efforts and 33 percent were dissatisfied with grant guidance. 53 percent said the current federal grant program over-emphasizes response and under-emphasizes prevention initiatives.

4. Communication
To communicate with citizens, 68 percent of states developed their own security advisory system and 61 percent use web sites and/or town hall meetings to communicate precautions and plans.

Among emergency responders, statewide interoperability is a top priority but obtaining the equipment and technology has been challenging, with 73 percent still in the process of developing interoperability.

5. Information and Intelligence
NGA reports significantly increased information sharing. 92 percent have completed or are developing state intelligence capabilities. All have a statewide emergency operations center. 78 percent call for more unity among key federal agencies

Finally, the NGA report identified the top ten priorities for the future:

The Heritage Foundation also believes that the federal government has placed too much emphasis on response at the expense of prevention. As described in the NGA report, states have integrated local and private plans into their own homeland security strategies. Heritage Foundation suggests that the federal government needs to do this as well. They propose the following initiatives:

Heritage Foundation concludes, "The best way to respond to a terrorist attack is to prevent it from ever happening. States and local governments can assist significantly in prevention and do it in a way that respects the principles of federalism and American citizens' constitutional rights and privacy. A sensible package of initiatives from the Administration and Congress would facilitate these state and local efforts".

Both of these reports demonstrate the investment made and necessary to include state and local authorities in homeland security efforts. Financial, legal, technical and other obstacles still remain. An open and lively public debate among all stakeholders would greatly help address these obstacles and direct the necessary public policy measures.

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