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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:
Ecoterrorism

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK

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1. World

China has introduced emergency quarantine, disinfection and other measures to prevent the spread of avian influenza after finding that migratory geese had died earlier this month of the deadly H5N1 strain that has jumped from birds to people. Developing at such a distance further increases the chance of an influenza pandemic.

The World Bank published an expanded and update set of worldwide governance indicators. "Governance Matters IV" is drawn from over 30 data sources covering 209 countries and finds that improvements in even a single area of governance can result in significant increases in per capita income over time.
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:20483182~menuPK:34463~pagePK:34370~piPK:34424~theSitePK:4607,00.html

The International Association of Chiefs of Police published "From Hometown Security to Homeland Security: IACP's Principles for a Locally Designed and Nationally Coordinated Homeland Security Strategy". IACP President Joseph Estey said that, " While terrorist acts have national and even international repercussions, these crimes are inherently local and require a swift response from state and local law enforcement agencies. Any national homeland security strategy must be designed around a broad-based, locally designed and nationally coordinated framework that allows public safety agencies to adapt to the unique needs of their communities". The report offers five key principles:

Newsweek magazine retracted its story on desecration of the Koran following a week of riots that left at least 17 people dead and more than 100 injured. Although the worst violence was in Afghanistan, there were protests in Pakistan, Indonesia, Gaza, Lebanon, the UK, and elsewhere. The US administration said Newsweek had caused lasting damage. These protestations were given little credence in the international press, particularly following a report from the International Committee of the Red Cross that it had on several occasions brought such incidents to the attention of US authorities, and a statement from a former detainee. The repercussions of these allegations are likely to resonate for a long time.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts another very active hurricane season, comparable to the destructive events of last year.
http://www.noaa.gov/

The US Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations released further reports into diversion of funds from the Iraqi Oil for Food program. Majority Republicans issued reports accusing major international figures of wrongdoing, including former Iraqi officials, and government figures in France, Russia and the UK. This resulted in a spate of denials from the accused and a personal visit from British parliamentarian George Galloway, who launched a spirited defense of the rule of law and the lack of truth or accountability in the reports, issued without input or notification from those accused. Minority democrats issued a separate report that emphasized the role of the US in the fraud, as well as more recent findings during the occupation of Iraq.
http://hsgac.senate.gov/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Subcommittees.Home&SubcommitteeID=11&Initials=PSI

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2. Africa

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime report, "Why Fighting Crime Can Assist Development in Africa" argues that the rise of transnational organized crime has interfered with development by scaring off foreign investment and undermining economic progress.
http://www.unodc.org/unodc/index.html

Angola's outbreak of Marburg has not been contained, with at least 311 dead of 377 known cases. Officials are attempting to contain an outbreak of Ebola in Republic of Congo by quarantining the village in which it broke out.
http://www.who.int/csr/don/en/

Angolans who support the ruling Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) and members of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) opposition have seen increasing numbers of violent incidents that have become connected to access over natural resources, particularly water and arable land.

Burundi transitional president Domitien Ndayizeye and Agathon Rwasa, leader of the National Liberation Forces (FNL) have reached agreement to end hostilities and begin negotiations for lasting peace. FNL was the last rebel group to join the peace process.

Democratic Republic of Congo has adopted a new constitution and is moving towards elections. Opposition activists in the diamond-mining town of Mbuji Mayi led protests of thousands of people over the postponement of elections. As the protestors set fire to cars and pro-government party offices, the police intervened. Two people were killed and 12 were injured. The town is under curfew and the police are in control. In the South Kivu province, the UN Mission has documented summary executions, rapes, beatings and kidnappings of civilians at the hands of Rwandan combatants, primarily from the Democratic Forces of the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). Resolving the FDLR's "menace to peace" is also the topic of an International Crisis Group report.
http://www.monuc.org/
http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=3426&l=1

Ethiopians voted in large numbers in a parliamentary election in which it appears the opposition coalition has made large progress. The electoral board is investigating allegations of fraud in about a third of the constituencies. Some provisional results have been announced but certified results are not expected until June 8.
http://www.electionsethiopia.org/

In Guinea-Bissau, former President Kumba Yala who was ousted in a coup two years ago, declared himself leader ahead of elections in June to replace the transitional administration.

Ivory Coast government and rebels have set June 27 to begin disarmament ahead of October elections, in which the main opposition parties have agreed to work together.

Liberia has secured funding for a new national army and will begin its formation at the end of the month.

Mauritania launched a wave of arrests against political opponents in which more than 30 people were arrested and accused of being Islamic radicals and terrorists. As the International Crisis Group reports, " Disregarded by the media and international community, Mauritania is nonetheless experiencing a period of increasing instability. Evidence abounds and includes failed military coups, creation of a rebel movement, Foursan Taghyir ("The Knights of Change"), discovery of weapons caches in Nouakchott, and the arrest of Islamist leaders. Although the official discourse tends to tie the issue of political stability to the question of Islamism, the reality is far more complex. President Ould Taya's regime is taking advantage of the international context (the struggle against global terrorism) to legitimise its denial of democratic rights, while giving credence to the concept that Islamists are linked to the armed rebels in order to discredit them. In so doing, it runs the risk of leading the state into an impasse by rendering it dangerously dependent on U.S. support in the face of growing domestic discontent. To count on external support to suppress an alleged local Islamist terrorist threat that, at present, barely exists is to recklessly push forward rather than pursue a well thought out strategy. It could ultimately turn out to be a very costly mistake".
http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=3423&l=1

South Africa's Medical Research Council reports that nearly one in three deaths are caused by AIDS, and in two provinces the figure has reached 40 percent.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/africa/4558367.stm
http://www.mrc.ac.za/home.htm

Sudan's Darfur region saw intensified attacks against civilians in April and no sign they are diminishing.
http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2005/285 http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2005/305
In the past week there are reports of forced relocation and blocked aid deliveries at the hands of government-backed militias.

Togo's government and opposition leaders met with West African mediation to negotiate a government of national unity and put in place political reforms but failed to reach agreement. Refugees from the post-election fighting not number close to 32,000.

Ugandan rebels of the Lord's Resistance Army continued attacks in southern Sudan, leading to a refugee influx in northwest Uganda.

In the Western Sahara, the Polisario Front leadership has requested bidding for oil licenses, although the disputed territory is still under Moroccan control.

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3. Americas

An Independent Task Force on the Future of North America has developed a roadmap to promote North American security and advance the well being of citizens in Canada, Mexico and the US. They addressed regional vulnerabilities to terrorist and criminal security threats, increased economic competition from abroad, and uneven economic development at home with a "roadmap" of specific measures related to making North America safer, Creating a single economic space, spreading benefits more evenly, and institutionalizing the partnership.
http://www.cfr.org/pub8104/press_release/task_force_urges_measures_to_strengthen_north_american_competitiveness_expand_trade_ensure_border_security.php

Brazil's Landless Rural Workers' movement (MST) completed their 125-mile walk to the capital, Brasilia, to protest the slow pace of government land reform. The massive protests increase pressure to address the country's huge inequalities. Another challenge is the more rapid than expected deforestation of the Amazon rainforest that is threatening the survival of indigenous populations.
http://www.mstbrazil.org
http://survival-international.org/
http://www.brasil.gov.br/ (in Portuguese)
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/environment/story.jsp?story=639819

Colombia's 400 million displaced children in cities around the country increasingly fall prey to gangs and armed militias, including behavioral orders enforced by death. The number of rural displacements continues to rise as indigenous communities flee fighting between the Colombian army and various armed militias.
http://www.unhcr.ch/
Meanwhile, Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia commander Raul Reyes confirmed that many of their hostages are alive but suffering from depression and jungle diseases.

Guatemalan federal prosecutor Erick Galvez was assassinated by gunmen, in the second such attack within a month.

Haiti's UN peacekeeping mission will be enlarged and expanded to help move to elections and a new government. Some 5,000 pro-Aristide demonstrators took to the streets to demand his return and commemorate the anniversary of the island's independence.

A Mexican legislator, Saul Rubio Ayala, and his aide were the latest victims in drug cartel turf wars, which have increased by 20 percent over the same period last year.

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation reports that a hand grenade thrown towards President Bush during his visit to Georgia was armed and could have exploded. Previously it was believed to have posed no threat.

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4. Asia Pacific

Australian police have left Papua New Guinea (PNG), following last week's PNG Supreme Court ruling that their immunity was unconstitutional. Australia and PNG are discussing ways to restore the aid package and ways to resume the cooperation program that included improving police services.

East Timor has had a UN peacekeeping mission since the bloody violence that marked the 1999 referendum in favor of independence. That mission has now come to an official end. A new, much smaller, office will support institutional development for another year, and a commission investigating human rights abuses in 1999 has also begun their work.

Indonesia plans to end the state of emergency in Aceh province, although a military presence will continue. In the Moluccas, five Indonesian police were killed when unidentified gunmen fired on a security post as they slept.

China's Vice-Premier Wu Yi is spending a week in Japan to help ease tensions with Japan, focusing on economic ties. Japan has offered to build 12 chemical weapons disposal sites, dramatically increasing the speed of removing arms abandoned at the end of World War II.

North and South Korea held bilateral talks but North Korea has not agreed to reenter 6-party negotiations on their nuclear program. US and North Korean officials held direct talks in which the US reportedly clarified its stand but offered no new initiatives.

Uzbekistan's government has locked the gates against inquiries into the recent events that have left at least 169 and as many as 900 dead. They will not allow the Red Cross access to the wounded or detainees. Despite the heavy military presence protests continue, and it is likely the crackdown will fuel more unrest.

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5. Europe

Bosnia and Herzegovina launched the Sarajevo War Crimes chamber last month. Their first case, against Radovan Stankovic, has been referred to them by the UN tribunal, which is focusing on only the highest-level cases seen in the former Yugoslavia.

Italian police raided premises in two cities in connection with suspected Islamic militant groups, using warrants on charges of associating with international terrorist groups, falsifying documents, and money laundering. At least six people were arrested, but many are still wanted.

In southern Russia security forces killed two suspected female suicide bombers and four other suspected militants connected with Chechnya who are believed involved with attacks inside Russia. Another operation killed three militants in Chechnya, including Mumad Aliyev who was wanted on suspicion of planning a chemical weapons attack. A Russian court found six soldiers who admitted killing six Chechen civilians not guilty of murder because they said they had been ordered to do so.

The sole survivor among the hostage-takers at the Beslan school last September has gone on trial. The trial has reopened wounds among the families, who are demanding real justice for the attack, which is still under investigation. In nearby Ingushetia, four Chechens were arrested for planning a similar attack.

In Spain last weekend, small bombs went off at two chemical plants and two factories. The four attacks have been attributed to Basque separatist group ETA. To popular approval, the Spanish parliament has given permission for the government to begin peace talks if ETA abandons violence.

Britain's Electoral Commission says that postal voting should not replace the polling station, and called for new laws against fraud, and better ways to check ballots, verify identity, and police postal voting. Postal voting has been seen as open to serious abuse.
http://www.electoralcommission.gov.uk/

Northern Ireland's loyalist Democratic unionist party (DUP) has ruled out power sharing and called the Good Friday agreement dead, while republican party Sinn Fein says power sharing is the only way forward and the British and Irish governments maintain their commitment to the Agreement. Talks among the parties have been deadlocked.

Loyalist paramilitaries with the Ulster Volunteer Force (LVF) and Red Hand Commandos have been conducting a parallel investigation into the murder of Lisa Dorrian. Her body has never been found but evidence suggests a link to the LVF, which says its members were not involved and it will name other suspects.

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6. Middle East

Violence between Israelis and Palestinians had declined but recent weeks have shown a slow increase, including rocket attacks and military operations. In Gaza, near the Egyptian border, Israeli forces shot dead Hamas member Ahmad Barhoum, missiles fired at a Jewish settlement led to retaliatory fire in which one militant was killed and two escaped. There were also a number of Israeli operations targeting wanted Palestinians in the West Bank, with one Palestinian shot dead at a checkpoint.

The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights reports that security forces used excessive force against peaceful demonstrations by the banned Muslim Brotherhood. More members of the opposition group have been detained.

Iran's parliament voted to resume nuclear fuel production. Representatives from the EU will hold new talks with Iran early next week.

Iran's foreign minister promised to improve border security with Iraq and denied supporting insurgents.

Iraq's insurgency continues to intensify, with sectarian attacks so severe that Sunni mosques in Baghdad have been closed in protest at rising attacks against clerics and civilians. US forces have assumed a larger presence, including significant operations targeting insurgents that have contributed to a deteriorating refugee situation. More reports of abuse continue to emerge, including recent photographs of Saddam Hussein. Note this recent report on daily living conditions at:
http://www.iq.undp.org/ILCS/overview.htm

Israeli and Lebanese border exchanges continue.

Kuwait's parliament has voted to give women full political rights, allowing them to vote and stand for elections for the first time.

In Lebanon a UN commission will investigate the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, led by Detlev Mehlis, a prominent German prosecutor.

Syria has arrested a number of Islamists believed connected to the banned Muslim Brotherhood ahead of a ruling Ba'ath Party meeting.

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7. South Asia

In Afghanistan suspected Taleban militants ambushed and killed anti-drug workers in Helmand and Zabul, killing at least eleven people. Zabul was also the scene of a bomb attack in which one US soldier died and three were injured.

Afghan President Karzai is visiting Washington, DC, where he has demanded that steps are taken to address widespread abuse of prisoners, including torture and death, at the hands of US troops. The issue of opium production is also on the table.

Bangladesh's opposition Swami League called a national strike in protest at the killing of Korshed Alam, a party leader, outside his home on May 17. Clashes between police and demonstrators have been violent and at least 20 people have been injured and at least 50 were detained.

India's tragic farm suicides have been attributed to British-backed free trade policies. Christian Aid blamed 4,000 suicides in Andhra Pradesh on these policies and called for Britain to stop linking aid to free trade.
http://www.christianaid.org.uk

In the northeast state of Manipur fighting last weekend between rival rebels of the Zomi Revolutionary Army (ZRA) and the United National Liberation Front (UNLF). The number killed has not been verified but is thought to be at least five.

Indian troops operating in Kashmir were ambushed by suspected separatist militants and four were killed.

Nepalese troops fought Maoist rebels in the east, with more than a dozen soldiers and perhaps 100 rebels killed.

In Pakistan's Balochistan province anti-government bombings and rocket attacks continued. One person was killed and one injured as they planted a roadside bomb. 58 leading Islamic scholars issued a decree against suicide attacks.

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8. Cyberterrorism and Information Warfare

A cybercrime ring in New Jersey stole customer data from Commerce Bank, PNC Bank, Wachovia, and Bank of America, putting 676,000 accounts at risk, all of New Jersey residents, who have been notified of the security breach. Meanwhile FBI agents have searched the property of at least ten suspects in California, Minnesota and North Carolina, in connection with the LexisNexis data theft.

British and German Honeynet projects have released a new report on phishing that provides practical information on the tools and techniques phishers use and how to counter them. They review incidents including system intrusion, phishing web site preparation, message propagation and data collection and analyze the growing integration of phishing, spamming, and botnets. They provide examples of the malware used to automate harvesting of email addresses and sending of spam email as well as observations on network scanning techniques and how compromised machines are used to spread phishing emails and other spam. "Know Your Enemy: Phishing"
http://www.honeynet.org/papers/phishing/

The Sober-P worm opens a backdoor for a spam engine that links to right-wing German websites, sending them at a rate as high as ten per minute.
http://www.clearswift.com/

Cyber criminals are increasingly turning attention to the databases and other programs used to run e-commerce applications.
http://www.owasp.org
http://www.opengroup.org/jericho

The US Secret Service and CERT have issued a new "Insider Threat Study" that finds revenge is a common motive for attacks and they unsophisticated methods are commonly used.
http://www.cert.org/archive/pdf/insidercross051105.pdf

The US Government Accountability Office finds that "Federal Agencies Need to Improve Controls over Wireless Networks" in their new report.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-05-383

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9. Finance

The Coalition for International Justice reports that former Liberian President Charles Taylor is running a complex financial empire to fund armed groups and political parties across West Africa. They document sources of funds from diamonds, timber and a range of businesses, including Liberia's first mobile phone company. Much of this information has been documented before and most named entities are subject to UN sanctions.
http://www.cij.org

Germany has expelled an unnamed Jordanian man accused of being the former leader of the banned al-Aqsa group and raising funds for Hamas. He has six weeks to leave voluntarily before being deported to Jordan.

A British appeals court granted attorneys for three men tortured and detained in Saudi prisons for more than two years permission to seize Saudi assets in the UK sufficient to pay for court costs of some GBP 100,000

Two fuel laundering plants have been shut down in Northern Ireland.

Kenya's minister of Justice and Constitutional affairs is considering taking action to recover billions looted during the Kanu regime.
The International Narcotics Control Board has said that Iraq is emerging as a transit point for narcotics originating in Afghanistan en route to Asia and Europe.
http://www.incb.org/

The US Office of Foreign Assets Control added 32 companies and 31 individuals connected to the North Valle Drug Cartel to its list of Specially Designated Narcotics Traffickers (SDNTs). They are from the Grajales business group, known in Colombia as Grupo Grajales and include its head, Raul Alberto Grajales Lemos.
http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/js2440.htm
http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/js2324.htm
http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/js2031.htm
http://www.treas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/actions/
http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/reports/0511grajalescharfinall.pdf

The Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates hosted the Third International Conference on Hawala. Issues included supranational institutions, regional bodies and initiatives, the experience of hawala remitting and receiving countries, independent perspective from academia, challenges for law enforcement, developmental impact of remittances, remittances in cash-based economies, and the experience of the private sector.
http://www.cbuae.gov.aw/Hawala/HAWALAconference.htm

The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority has proposed a new prudential framework for governance. The draft is open for discussion through August 12.
http://www.apra.gov.au/media-releases/05_29.cfm

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10. Human Rights

The World Economic Forum's Gender Gap Report quantifies the size of the gender gap in 58 countries, including all 30 OECD countries and 28 other emerging markets. It measures the extent to which women have achieved full equality with men in economic participation, economic opportunity, political empowerment, educational attainment, and health and well being. At the bottom of the list are Venezuela, Greece, Brazil, Mexico, India, South Korea, Jordan, Pakistan, Turkey, and - at number 50 - Egypt. The US ranked 17th. Sweden came in at number one, followed by Norway, Iceland, Finland, New Zealand, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, and Australia.
http://www.weforum.org/site/homepublic.nsf/Content/Global+Competitiveness+Programme%5CWomen%27s+Empowerment%3A+Measuring+the+Global+Gender+Gap

The number of asylum seekers arriving in industrialized has continued a downward trend. Compared to the first quarter of 2003, the EU is down 31 per cent, Europe as a whole is down 34 per cent and North America is down 40 per cent. Australia and New Zealand - which between them receive less than one per cent of the total - are down 44 per cent.
http://www.unhcr.ch/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home/+kwwBmeKBg4eqGwwwwmFqnN0bIhFqnN0bItFqnDni5zFqnN0bIAFqnN0bIDzmxwwwGFqsfDm15BGowcoSnmaqd1DBGon5aGnqdGma5BnwmOahwccaoDaw5Oc1MaqcwoM51FqnN0bI/opendoc.htm

UNICEF held a regional meeting dealing with violence against children, in which abuse across South Asia was discussed, emphasizing underlying gender discrimination and inequality. The All China Women's Federation issued the first scientific study of childhood abuse in China, finding a widespread pattern that affected half of those questioned, particularly in schools.

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11. Law and Legal Issues

Yevgeny Adamov, former Russian Atomic Energy Minister, was arrested in Switzerland on a US money laundering warrant. Russia has now requested his extradition. The US has until June 30 to launch a formal extradition request, and Swiss authorities are considering which request would take precedence. Adamov has appealed, claiming diplomatic immunity.

Babar Ahmad can be extradited to the US. The British computer expert is accused of running web sites that support and encourage terrorism. The decision on his extradition is now in the hands of the home secretary, and Ahmad can also appeal to the High Court.

Anshori has gone on trial in Indonesia where he is accused of transporting the explosives used in the 2004 suicide bombing of the Australian embassy.

Tengku Muhammad Arif, senior leader of the Free Aceh movement, has been sentenced by an Indonesian military court, to life in prison for treason and on weapons charges.

Luis Posada Carriles has been taken into custody in the US for illegal entry. Both Cuba and Venezuela have asked for his extradition in connection with a 1976 airline bombing and other activities.

Denis Cunningham has been sentenced by a Northern Ireland court to 2.5 years prison for admitted membership in the Ulster Freedom Fighters.

John Thomas Donaldson, Damien john McGleenan, Paul Eugene Kelly, Neil Gerard Vallely, and Stephen Thomas McCrea have gone on trial in Northern Ireland for fuel smuggling.

William Alan Hill, already serving a life sentence for murder, has been sentenced jailed for 11 years for a sectarian pipe bombing against a Northern Ireland Social Democratic Labor Party (SDLP) office, that he did while on remand.

Nur-Pashi Kulayev, a Chechen carpenter and the only Beslan school hostage taker to have been captured alive, has gone on trial in Russia on nine charges including murder, banditry and terrorism. He has pleaded not guilty.

Pavlo Lazarenko, former Prime Minister of Ukraine, had been convicted of money laundering and extortion last June. Those charges have been overturned by a US judge, but the most serious of the 29 charges remain.

Richard Ronan O'Donnell was denied bail in Northern Ireland's High Court where he faces charges of attempting to blackmail a businessman to raise money for the Irish Republican Army (IRA).

Charles Pieri, a Corsican nationalist with the National Liberation Front for the Liberation of Corsica-Union of Fighters (FLNC-UC), was sentenced by a Paris court to 10 years in prison for racketeering and extortion to finance terrorism. Facing similar charges, Jean-Guy Talamoni, head of the pro-independence Unione Nazionale Party, was acquitted.

Agus Budi Pranoto, and Lutfi Haidaroh have been sentenced in Indonesian court to 42 months in prison for providing refuge to Noordin Mohammad Top and Azahari Husin, wanted in connection with the Bali and Australian embassy bombings.

Hazil Rahaman-Alan was sentenced to six years in prison by a British court. Suffering from depression, he had planned to commit suicide by carrying a hand grenade on to a plane.

Laurent Semenza, a former Rwandan mayor, lost his appeal against his conviction in the 1994 genocide. For the first time, the international tribunal has increased a term. Semenza will now serve 35 years.

Dara Singh, a Hindu extremist convicted in Indian court of killing an Australian missionary and his two sons in January 1999, had his death sentence reduced to life in prison

Adel Tebourski was sentenced to six years prison by a French court for membership in an Islamist cell linked to one of the Tunisian killers of Afghan resistance leader Ahmed Shah Masood ("Lion of the Panjshir Valley") and for providing financial and logistical support. Yousef el-Aouni was sentenced to two years; Abderahmane Ameroud to seven, and Mehrez Azouz, to five. Khellaf Hammam was convicted of helping organize training for French-based Islamic militants, and was sentenced to two years. Ibrahim Ketta and Azdine Sayeh were acquitted.

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12. Transportation

The US Federal Aviation Agency has put into operation a new laser warning system to prevent accidental entry into restricted space over the capital. Such an intrusion sparked a widespread evacuation last week. There are concerns that the system of colored lasers could affect vision, be misunderstood, and be misused for a prank or deliberate attack. http://www.faa.gov/news/news_home/visual_warning/ Two US-bound flights last week were diverted en route when the name of a passenger matched one on the no-fly list: both were later released. Homeland security director Chertoff plans to ask European leaders to share more information about passengers and cargo traveling to the US.
http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?content=4505

Piracy attacks have resumed in Somalia. Note this International Maritime Bureau alert:
"After a quiet spell, serious attacks have resumed off Somalia. Since 31.03.2005, three incidents were reported where pirates armed with guns and grenades have attacked ships and fired upon them. These attacks took place far away from Somali coast. Eastern and northeastern coasts of Somalia continue to be high-risk areas for hijackings. Ships not making scheduled calls to ports in these areas should stay away from the coast." Attacks have also risen significantly in Asia, usually better organized and armed, increasing risk of a terrorist attack.

The US Government Accountability Office finds that lack of security clearance at nonfederal ports hinders WMD information sharing. See "Maritime Security: New Structures Have Improved Information Sharing, but Security Clearance Processing Requires Further Attention".
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-05-394

In Israel, a Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense sub-committee reports that severe security defects identified after the Ashdod port bombing have not been rectified.
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/577678.html

The US Department of Transportation announced measures to improve hazardous rail shipments.
http://www.dot.gov/affairs/dot7805.htm

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13. Weapons of Mass Destruction

"US Nuclear Weapons Complex: Homeland Security Opportunities" from the Project on Government Oversight reports that the Department of Energy cannot adequately protect the voluminous stockpile of weapons grade nuclear material housed at 13 locations around the US. They recommend consolidating materials at fewer sites and thereby save $3 billion while improving national security.
http://www.pogo.org/p/homeland/ho-050301-consolidation.html

Britain's Nuclear Decommissioning Authority recommends that following a leak at the Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant the reprocessing facility should be shut down forever, though a final decision has not yet been made.
http://www.nda.gov.uk/

India's upper house of parliament approved a nuclear nonproliferation bill.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) today released the following
reports, testimony, and correspondence:

The World Health Organization discussed two reports on smallpox, regarding stockpiles and virus research and have approved further research on the smallpox virus.
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/notes/2005/np_wha02/en/index.html
https://terrorismcentral.com/Newsletters/2004/111404.html#FeatureArticle

Wake Forest University researchers have identified a new combination vaccine effective against pneumonic plague.
http://www1.wfubmc.edu/news/NewsArticle.htm?Articleid=1605

The World Agricultural Forum has called for radical changes in the ways water is allocated to avoid threats to agricultural productivity and food production that could lead to political instability.
http://www.worldagforum.org

Food safety is the topic of a Government Accountability Office report and testimony:
"Oversight of Food Safety Activities: Federal Agencies Should Pursue Opportunities to Reduce Overlap and Better Leverage Resources"
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-05-213
Overseeing the U.S. Food Supply: Steps Should be Taken to Reduce Overlapping Inspections and Related Activities. GAO-05-549T, May 17
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-05-549T

132 US mayors have pledged to implement Kyoto climate controls.
http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/mayor/climate/
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/14/national/14kyoto.html
http://www.rggi.org/

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14. Recently Published

Bella Bathurst, "The Wreckers: A Story of Killing Seas, False Lights and Plundered Ships", HarperCollins (UK), Houghton Mifflin (US in July)

Kemal Dervis, "A Better Globalization", Center for Global Development, Brookings Institution Press
http://www.brookings.edu/press/books/betterglobalization.htm

Aaron Glantz, "How America Lost Iraq", Penguin/Tarcher

Tsuyoshi Hasegawa, "Racing the Enemy: Stalin, Truman, and the Surrender of Japan", Belknap Press/Harvard University Press

Terry McDermott, "Perfect Soldiers: The Hijackers: Who They Were, Why They Did It" HarperCollins

Zhou Meisen, "A Just Path on Earth", The People's Literature Publishing House

William Queen, "Under and Alone: The True Story of the Undercover Agent Who infiltrated America's Most Violent Outlaw Motorcycle Gang", Random House

Erik Saar with Viveca Novak, "Inside the Wire", Penguin
http://www.penguinputnam.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,0_1594200661,00.html
Radio interview:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4631899

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FEATURE ARTICLE: Ecoterrorism

Contemporary environmental movements began in the UK in the 1970s and spread to the US in the 1980s. Most of these are peaceful, but some groups have engaged in arson, bombings, vandalism, and harassment. There have been thousands of these acts, causing damages resulting in more than $100 million in damages in the US alone. Most of these acts have targeted property, and although animals have often died as a result, they deliberately avoided harming people. This has changed, with violent attacks against individuals and their homes on the increase. Families have received hate mail, death threats, and attacks on their homes. In the UK, the remains of an 82-year-old woman were removed by the Animal Rights Militia to force her son-in-law to shut down a guinea pig farm.

The increase in more extreme and violent activities has led to stricter legislation in the UK and new law in several US states as well. These groups are now considered a serious threat to domestic US security.

Last week the US Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works held hearings on Oversight on Eco-terrorism specifically examining the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) and the Animal Liberation Front (ALF). Senator Vitter of Louisiana commented on attacks by the Animal Liberation Front against Louisiana State University. Senator James M. Jeffords, of Vermont submitted a domestic terrorism report prepared by his Congressman Thompson, who was not allowed to testify. Senator Barack Obama, of Illinois emphasized respect for personal beliefs, while not engaging in acts of violence and urged greater attention to larger environmental threats including those that endanger workers and public health. .

The panel of witnesses opened with a surprising statement from John Lewis, the Deputy Assistant Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation:

He goes on to discuss the criminal activities that bring in the FBI: arson, bombings, theft, animal releases, vandalism, and office takeovers against targets ranging from research laboratories to restaurants, fur farmers to forestry services, and others.

Lewis warns that "While most animal rights and eco-extremists have refrained from violence targeting human life, the FBI has observed troubling signs that this is changing. We have seen an escalation in violent rhetoric and tactics. One extremist recently said, 'If someone is killing, on a regular basis, thousands of animals, and if that person can only be stopped in one way by the use of violence, then it is certainly a morally justifiable solution.'"

Frequency and scale is also rising: "Harassing phone calls and vandalism now co-exist with improvised explosive devices and personal threats to employees. ELF's target list has expanded to include sports utility vehicle dealerships and new home developers. We believe these trends will persist, particularly within the environmental movement, as extremists continue to combat what they perceive as 'urban sprawl.'"

The FBI has found preventing such threats "increasingly difficult, in large part because extremists in these movements are very knowledgeable about the letter of the law and the limits of law enforcement. Moreover, they are highly autonomous. Lists of targets and instructions on making incendiary devices are posted on the Internet, but criminal incidents are carried out by individuals or small groups acting unilaterally. Criminal activity by animal rights extremists and eco-terrorists in particular requires relatively minor amounts of equipment and minimal funding. Extremists of these movements adhere to strict security measures in both their communications and their operations".

Responses to such threats include intelligence, field operations, information sharing, and partnerships, as well as considering changes to federal statutes. Lewis reports that 35 FBI offices have over 150 pending investigations and gives examples of recent cases:

He concluded with a reminder that ecoterrorism is one of the highest domestic priorities.

Next, Carson Carroll, Deputy Assistant Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) discussed the history of the ALF and ELF and the measures taken by ATF to investigate the results of their attacks.

David Martosko, the Director of Research for the Center for Consumer Freedom provided details on "Environmental and Animal-Rights Terrorism and Its Above-Ground Support System", focusing on their public outreach activities and providing many illustrations of inflammatory language in publications, statements, and web sites. He asked for investigations into the financing and tax exempt status of the charitable foundations that support these activities.

Bradley Campbell, Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, described the particular vulnerabilities of the state, which has a large cluster of chemical, petroleum and other industrial plants clustered around highly populated metropolitan areas including close proximity to New York City. He expressed particular concern over threats against pharmaceutical ad biotech firms in New Jersey.

David Skorton, President of the University of Iowa, testified as to a series of events triggered by a break-in at one of the campus research facilities and the hearings concluded with Monty McIntyre, an attorney for the Garden Communities, who described the consequences of an ELF arson attack.

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