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:
World AIDS Day 2005

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK

1. World

The tenth Euro-Med summit of leaders from EU and Mediterranean states failed to agree on a definition of terrorism but did agree on a code of conduct for counterterrorism. They agreed to:

The inability to agree a definition of terrorism has also delayed the UN, which has delayed further action on a comprehensive anti-terrorism treaty until February.
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2005/gal3292.doc.htm

The United Nations has launched an appeal for victims of war, famine, and natural disaster. The record request of $4.7 billion is the equivalent of two days global military spending, or the amount people in wealthy countries spend on two cups of coffee. As Jan Egeland, Under-Secretary-General for humanitarian Affairs explains, "In 2005, a year of unprecedented disasters, we have been tested like never before. Too often, the funds available for humanitarian assistance resemble a lottery in which some win but most lose. This is unacceptable." This consolidated appeal addresses emergencies in 26 countries.
Press:
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/EGUA-6JMMZH?OpenDocument
Donations to emergency relief:
http://ochaonline.un.org/webpage.asp?MenuID=10061&Page=1418
Business contributions:
http://ochaonline2.un.org/Default.aspx?alias=ochaonline2.un.org/businesscontributions

Three million people in Kashmir left homeless by the South Asian earthquake face the winter in relief camps with tents not insulated from the cold and without basic sanitation. The 8 October quake killed some 80,000 people, but more will die without immediate assistance. Most of the aid promised by governments has been for longer-term reconstruction, and the emergency appeal has been funded by little more than half the amount needed.
Disasters Emergency Committee
http://www.dec.org.uk
Kashmir International Relief Fund
http://www.kirf.org
Red Cross/ Red Crescent
http://www.icrc.org
Oxfam
http://www.oxfam.org/eng/programs_emer_asiaquake.htm
UNHCR
http://www.unicef.org.uk
UNICEF
http://www.unicef.org
World Food Program
http://www.wfp.org

2. Africa

In Burundi, continued instability has led the UN Security Council to extend the peacekeeping mandate for two months, to 15 January. During this time the priority will be to end the conflict with rebel Palipehutu-National Liberation Forces.
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2005/sc8564.doc.htm

The Presidents of Cameroon and Nigeria met last week to discuss settlement of the Bakassi Peninsula boundary.
http://www.un.org/Depts/dpa/prev_dip/africa/office_for_srsg/cnmc/preleas/pr082005.pdf

Democratic Republic of Congo' parliament has adopted an amnesty law for acts of war, political offenses and opinions from when the rebellion against former President Mobutu Sese Seko began in August 1996 until the transitional government was established in June 2003. Because the measure cold free those who assassinated the father of President Joseph Kabila, members of his People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy boycotted the vote. Meanwhile, an AU delegation is evaluating the need for additional troops to disarm foreign fighters attacking civilians in the east.

Eritrea and Ethiopia continued to impose restrictions on UN monitors as they continue the military buildup at their border. Ethiopia has indicated it may be willing to pull back, but details have not been forthcoming. Eight Ethiopian soldiers (originally from Eritrea) defected to Eritrea while on a raining course in Israel, leaving Israel o defuse the diplomatic fallout.

In Ethiopia, four soldiers were killed and three wounded when their military vehicle his a newly laid landmine. Ethiopia's parliament has established a panel to investigate post-election violence.

Gabon's President Omar Bongo won nearly 80 percent of the vote in elections last weekend. He has already served as president for 38 years and, following changes to the constitution two years ago, is likely to stay in power until 2012. Protests over the results led to riots that were suppressed by security forces.

In Abidjan, Ivory Coast, unknown gunmen launched an overnight raid on a barracks. Although there was shooting, no casualties were reported and the city is again calm, though tense. The deadlock over a new Prime Minister is unresolved.

Somaliland's first elected parliament opened with a fistfight when the temporary speaker adjourned the session prior to election of a permanent speaker. The confrontation ended peacefully. Students also used the occasion to protest the killing by police of a student. Stones were thrown, and police arrested several students.

The Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) says it will overcome its factional fighting to present a united front at peace talks. The National Movement for Reform and Development, a breakaway rebel faction, is not represented at the talks. They reportedly attacked a town in Darfur, killing 37 security forces, to garner a place in the peace talks. The situation is being analyzed. Meanwhile, the killing and other violence in Darfur are rising, while humanitarian assistance has dropped to a new low.

Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) has called for peace talks to resume

Zimbabwe's refusal to help thousands displaced in forced evictions and obstruction of international aid is described in the Human Rights Watch report "Evicted and Forsaken: Internally Displaced Persons in the Aftermath of Operation Murambatsvina".
http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2005/12/01/zimbab12111.htm

3. Americas

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Brazil's Congress will review the recommendation of a congressional inquiry that land invasions be classified as acts of terrorism and that leaders of the Landless Rural Workers' Movement (MST) be prosecuted. Meanwhile, Brazilian police raided areas in the Amazon to protect the hunter-gatherer Rio Parde tribe from illegal loggers, land squatters, and other exploitative businessmen.

"Brazil: 'They come in Shooting': Policing socially excluded communities" is a new Amnesty International report. It concludes that a new public security plan focusing on issues such as prevention of homicides, delivery of justice and control of small arms is the only way to tackle violence and crime across the country. Instead of reducing crime, discriminatory public security policies have concentrated criminal violence and human rights violations in Brazil's shantytowns. It also fails the police, who look at being sent to a shantytown as punishment, and are often poorly trained and lack resources.
http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/ENGAMR190252005
http://web.amnesty.org/pages/bra-021205-action-eng

Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin lost a confidence vote and set new parliamentary elections for 23 January.

Ecuador has a new Supreme Court after an independent panel, in front of international monitors, selected 31 judges. Ousted President Lucio Gutierrez had dismissed most of the previously appointed court for alleged bias, precipitating a political crisis.

Mexico's Supreme Court struck down a constitutional ban on life imprisonment without parole and ruled that Chihuahua state would be permitted to impose life sentences for murder and kidnapping. The decisions suggest that Mexico will begin introducing life sentences. In addition, it means that criminals wanted in the US can be extradited even if they face a life sentence without parole. The death penalty ban remains in effect.

US President Bush promoted his "National Strategy for Victory in Iraq". He described the new publication as the unclassified version of the strategy his administration has been pursuing.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/iraq/iraq_strategy_nov2005.html

Newly declassified National Security Agency documents indicate that analysts made signals intelligence "fit the claim" of a second North Vietnamese attack on US ships in the Gulf of Tonkin on 4 August 1964,. This suggests that the decision to escalate the war in Vietnam was based on skewed intelligence, including the disclosure that there was no such attack.
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB132/press20051201.htm

In Uruguay, forensic experts have begun uncovering remains of purported victims during military rule from 1973-85. Recently elected President Tabare Vazquez, who has promised to reveal the full story of military abuse, ordered the investigation.

Four Venezuelan opposition parties have withdrawn from today's congressional election for perceived electoral bias or disputes over electronic voting machines. The boycott is likely to hand President Chavez's supporters an easy victory.

4. Asia Pacific

The Australian Government working with the States has settled on a number of amendments including changes to preventative detention and oversight included in the Anti-Terrorism Bill before Parliament. Some of the most controversial features were passed in New South Wales with only one day's debate.
http://www.ag.gov.au/agd/WWW/MinisterRuddockHome.nsf/Page/Media_Releases_2005_Fourth_Quarter_1_December_2005_-_Government_enhances_Anti-Terror_Bill_-_222205

Australia and East Timor have agreed details of sharing energy resources in the Timor Sea between them. Details will be released at a signing ceremony in January, but reports suggest that East Timor would receive half the resources from the largest natural gas field in exchange for deferring talks on the maritime boundary.

Burma's opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) confirmed that its leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been ordered to remain under house arrest. This and other actions by the military junta will be taken up at the upcoming ASEAN meeting, which could include a decision to expel the country. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma), which is based in Thailand, has published "The Darkness We See: Torture in Burma's Interrogation Centers and Prisons".
http://www.aappb.org/

East Timor's Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation (CAVR) completed its report. President Gusmao presented it to parliament but suggested that it may not be in the national interest to make it public, and that many of the recommendations were the result of "grandiose idealism". Such comments, from the national hero of independence, have provoked both disappointment and controversy. Meanwhile, the US National Security Archive released a collection of declassified documents that reveal US support for Indonesia's invasion and occupation from 1975 - 1999.
http://www.easttimor-reconciliation.org/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/indonesia/Story/0,2763,1653104,00.html
http://www.gov.east-timor.org/news_detail.asp?news_id=1474
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB174/press.htm

Indonesia's Aceh province was given permission for the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) to mark the anniversary of its founding (4 December 1976) despite security concerns, but for former rebels have decided against large celebrations to ensure no provocation will occur and demonstrate continued commitment to peace.

In West Papua, 1 December marked the 44th anniversary of their independence from Dutch colonial rule. The occasion has never been celebrated because control of the region was handed over to Indonesia in August 1962. Seven years later a referendum sanctioned Indonesian rule, but the recent publication of "An Act of Free Choice" paints a different historical picture, finding that the vote was rigged. This year, there was a heavy police presence and attempts to fly the Papuan flag were blocked, although independence leader Filep Karma reportedly flew it from his prison cell. For background, see
https://terrorismcentral.com/Newsletters/2005/112005.html https://terrorismcentral.com/Newsletters/2004/122604.html#FeatureArticle
https://terrorismcentral.com/Newsletters/2003/052503.html#FeatureArticle

Elections in Kazakhstan are expected to return President Nazarbayev to another 7-year term, but not to be either free or fair.

Kyrgyzstan's security services suggest that the September murder of member of parliament Bayaman Erkinbayev was linked to drug trafficking. Since March, three parliamentarians have been killed.

Malaysia in investigating threats posted online by a previously unknown group calling itself al-Qaeda's Southeast Asian Division.

Philippine forces are investigating reports that New People's Army (NPA) rebels killed a marine abducted from his home 24 November.

Taiwan's nationalist Kuomintang party (KMT) won mid-term elections with 17 of 23 constituencies, while the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won only six seats. The DPP chairman has resigned, and the vote may put additional pressure for dialogue with China.

Uzbekistan has continued mass trials in secret of more people allegedly connected with May's violence in Andijan.

5. Europe

Belarus has amended its criminal code to create new criminal offenses of making false information available to foreign entities or discrediting the state or its government. Enacted in parliament ahead of elections next year, these measures are intended to prevent mass protests.

A Belgian convert to Islam conducted a suicide bombing in Iraq, becoming Europe's first female suicide bomber, outside of Russia.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4488642.stm
http://www.dhnet.be/index.phtml?content=
http://www.dhnet.be/search.phtml?action=rech&results=2&search_type=1&limit=10&sec_4=1&sec_3=1&sec_8=1&sec_15=1&sec_14=1&word1=Muriel+Degauque&x=31&y=7 (in French)

The French parliament's lower house passed tough new counterterrorism laws and is considering proposals to tighten immigration controls.

In Russia, the North Ossetian parliamentary commission found that Russian security forces were partly to blame for the 2004 Beslan school siege because of failures of law enforcement significant enough to warrant consequences. They found that grenade launchers, flame-throwers and other weapons were used when the school was stormed - actions that many considered contributed to the high fatalities (331 people, mostly children). A separate investigation is expected to report next March.
http://www.interfax.com/3/109207/news.aspx
http://www.interfax.com/3/109186/news.aspx

Elections in Chechnya, deemed a farce by rebels, resulted in a pro-Moscow parliament. Although Russia has refused to negotiate with separatists since 1999, Chechnya's President Aly Alkhanov said he plans to meet with their representatives in Belgium

Britain's Independent Police Complaints Commission has launched an investigation into the conduct of Metropolitan Police Commissioner Ian Blair following the shooting of Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes soon after the 7/7 bombings.

Oxford University has hired a new building contractor and restarted work on its new laboratory. Construction has been stopped when the prior contractor's staff was subjected to threats and intimidation from animal rights activists.

Northern Ireland police have begun preparing a report for the public prosecutor on the 1972 Claudy bombing in which three car bombs killed nine people, including three children. Four people were arrested in connection with the investigation, but have been released without charge.

6. Middle East

Egypt completed the third and final round of parliamentary voting. It was preceded by mass arrests of members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood. During the election, police barred thousands of supporters from casting ballots, and there were other reports of intimidation. None of the Brotherhood won a seat outright, but 35 independents standing on behalf of the group will stand in the run-offs next week.

In Gaza there are reports that suspected militants have returned through the recently reopened Rafah border crossing. Israel warns that if militants continue to enter it will close crossings under its control. Rival clans in northern Gaza clashed in a firefight in which a policeman and four other Palestinians were killed and 40 injured. Militant raids on polling stations forced the ruling Fatah General Committee to end primary elections, void results, and reschedule the vote. Early this morning, Israeli helicopters launched missile strikes against targets in Gaza.

Iraq's multinational force operations were given credit for a decline in suicide bombings in November, to 23. Major General Rick Lynch attributed the decline to operations along the Euphrates. There was no corresponding decline in the death toll. Soon after that 1 December press conference came news of a powerful roadside bomb in which ten US Marines on foot patrol outside Fallujah were killed, and 11 injured. In Ramadi, insurgents attacked US bases and government offices with mortars and rockets, before dispersing. There were no reported casualties in that attack, but a roadside bomb in Ramadi killed four US and 11 Iraqi soldiers, and injured two. Reprisal operations by US and Iraqi forces followed these apparent shows of insurgent strength. There were a number of other attacks during the week, which was also notable for a resumption in taking of foreign hostages, including four Iranian pilgrims, a German woman, and aid workers from Britain, Canada and the US.

At this time of heightened sectarian tensions, Iraq's Kurds reached agreement with a Norwegian company for oil exploration without involvement of the central government. Elections are due on 15 December. Ahead of the poll, The Iraqi government has barred non-Iraqi Arabs from entering the country. Note Salam Pax's news blog, in which he "wades through the 327 political parties listed in Iraq's latest election guide".
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/news/archives/2005/12/01/all_tomorrows_parties.html

The US military has admitted secretly paying for favorable stories planted in Iraqi newspapers. Congressional investigation is underway in the US.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-infowar30nov30,0,5638790.story?track=tothtml

Jordan says that four alleged militants will stand trial for conspiracy to commit terrorist acts and possess firearms in connection with a plot to kill US trainers of Iraqi police.

In the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon a mass grave with at least 20 remains is being investigated and the bodies taken for DNA analysis. The site is near the former headquarters of Syrian army intelligence.

Saudi Arabian women have for the first time participated in an election as both voters and candidates, in a cote for seats on Jeddah's Chamber of Commerce. Two businesswomen, Lama al-Suleiman and Nashwa Taher, were successful. Although a small local election, this is a big step in political inclusion for Saudi women.

In Syria, the investigation into the death of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri continues. A man appeared on Syrian television claiming he had been bribed by Hariri's son to give evidence against Syria, but the UN inquiry said this was untrue and was simply propaganda similar to that used in Eastern Europe during the Cold War, meant only to discredit the Commission.

United Arab Emirates' (UAE) President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nuhayyan announced that half of the 40 members of the Federal National Council, an advisory body, would be elected. No date was announced. UAE currently has no elected bodies.

In the West Bank, allegations of widespread fraud led Fatah to end primaries. They will let existing results stand, but called off voting in other areas.

Yemen security forces clashed with rebels in the northern province of Saada. In two days of fighting at least 16 were killed. Meanwhile, as Yemen marked the anniversary of its independence from Britain in 1967, President Ali Abdullah Saleh said that his personal intervention had prevented the US from occupying the port of Aden after the 2000 USS Cole bombing.

7. South Asia

Afghanistan's Joint Electoral Management Body (JEMB) has certified the results of the upper house of the national legislature, completing the election process. http://www.jemb.org http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=50364 The first member of this new parliament was killed today. Esmattullah Muhabat, a former mujahideen commander, and two supporters were shot dead in a dispute over a fire in a wood yard. Other attacks included a bombing by suspected Taleban that killed a district administrator and two police officers, and a suspected suicide bombing today in Kandahar that killed the bomber and a civilian. Canadian coalition forces were believed to have been the target of the attack but were unharmed.

The International Crisis Group (ICG) looks at the next steps, in "Rebuilding the Afghan State: The European Union's Role":

In Bangladesh a wave of suicide bombings continued with further attacks against the justice system. The banned Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) are believed responsible for a suicide bombing in Gazipur which killed six people and a second attack in which two policemen were killed, but the bomber survived for more than two days. At least 65 people were injured in the attacks. Two days later, another attack in Gazipur killed a government employee and injured 30. The suicide bomber survived and admitted membership in JMB and responsibility for the attack. JMB has issued threats against other members of the judicial system, journalists, politicians, aid workers, and embassies. Dozens of suspects have been arrested , including suspected suicide squad leader Obayedur Rahman.

India's Maoist rebels in Andhra Pradesh ambushed a bus and shot dead two policemen. In Uttar Pradesh, opposition politician Krishnand Rai, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was ambushed and shot dead in broad daylight, as well as his bodyguard and five other people. The attack may be linked with organized crime.

In Indian-administered Kashmir, Lashkar-e-Toiba commander Abdul Rehman of Pakistan was killed in a gunfight with Indian security forces. A number of other encounters resulted in the deaths of two security force members, eight militants, and three civilians.

Nepal's Maoists extended their unilateral ceasefire by one month, without comment from the government. ICG considers " Nepal?s New Alliance: The Mainstream Parties and the Maoists":

In Pakistan's North Waziristan region, local clerics and elders brokered a peace deal under which 35 suspected Islamic terrorists agreed to surrender. Later in the week, two tribesmen, two suspected Uzbeks, and an Egyptian were killed in an explosion as the suspected militants handled the materiel. Other reports suggest that the house was fired upon. The Egyptian was identified as an al Qaeda commander, Abu Hamza Rabia.

Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers have told the government to come up with a political settlement in 2006 or face a return to the fight for independence. A day after the ultimatum, President Rajapakse said he was ready to immediately begin talks reviewing the ceasefire brokered in 2002. The lines seem to have been drawn. This weekend, the government has blamed the Tigers for a landmine explosion and other attacks in the north in which at least nine soldiers were killed.

8. Cyberterrorism and Information Warfare

A new phishing attack uses a security configuration error in the government benefits domain to permit redirection to bogus sites soliciting personal financial data under the guise of a federal tax refund.
http://www.sophos.com/pressoffice/news/articles/2005/11/irsphish.html

Three serious security flaws permitting remote execution have been identified in Sun's Java Runtime Environment. Patches are available for Windows, Unix, Linux, and the Java Software Development Kit.
http://secunia.com/advisories/17748/
http://sunsolve.sun.com/searchproxy/document.do?assetkey=1-26-102050-1 http://sunsolve.sun.com/searchproxy/document.do?assetkey=1-26-102003-1
http://sunsolve.sun.com/searchproxy/document.do?assetkey=1-26-102017-1

An unpatched Microsoft Internet Explorer flaw is now being exploited by serious malicious Trojan attacks.
http://www.sophos.com/pressoffice/news/articles/2005/12/msexploit.html
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/advisory/911302.mspx

DSW Inc., a shoe discounter, has agreed to settle US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) charges that it:

Discount broker Scottrade has notified some of its customers that use of the eCheck Secure product on TROY Group servers may have resulted in the compromise of their personal information.
http://www.scottrade.com/security/
http://www.scottrade.com/docs/echeck.html

Anna Gorman with the Los Angeles Times wrote in the November 29 issue that " Fake ID Trade Makes a Name for Itself". She reports that "Social Security cards run about $20, green cards about $70 and a California driver's license between $60 and $250. The price jumps up for higher-quality documents, such as IDs with magnetic strips containing real information -- often from victims of identity theft." The article described the trade in false identification documents and the impact of a California state law taking effect in January. It closes a loophole under which counterfeiters could not be prosecuted for owning the equipment by making it a crime to possess scanners, computers and printers with the intent to make fake IDs.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-fakeid29nov29,0,4657609.story?track=tothtml

The European Commission has adopted a proposal to require that mobile phone companies retain call and internet records for up to two years for use in counterterrorism investigations. The rule is pending approval by the European Parliament.
http://europa.eu.int/comm/justice_home/news/intro/news_intro_en.htm

9. Finance

The US Treasury designated Jainal Antel Sali, Jr., Radulan Sahiron, and Isnilon Totoni Hapilon, as terrorists supporting or committing acts with the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG). This action freezes all assets under US jurisdiction and prohibits any transactions with US entities. The Philippines and the US have both offered rewards for information leading to the capture of ASG members. Australia and the US have also submitted these names to the UN 1267 Committee for addition to its consolidated list of al Qaeda associates.
http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/js3027.htm

The European Union has added Hizbul Mujahideen, a militant group active in Indian-administered Kashmir, to its list of banned terrorist groups. This action freezes assets within the EU.
http://ue.eu.int/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/en/intm/87210.pdf

The US Treasury has added Armando Jacobo Jaar Jacir and Maria Sair Pelissier Ospina, and three companies tied to the North Valle drug cartel to the list of Specially Designated Narcotics Traffickers (SDNTs)
http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/js3028.htm

The Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) tabled its annual report to Parliament. Achievements included "creating an environment hostile to money laundering, tax evasion and other major crime". The director explained that "We pursued regulatory procedures to eliminate false name and anonymous accounts and to ensure that financial transaction reports of high quality are transmitted to AUSTRAC by cash dealers. This regulatory work complements our financial intelligence unit role in which we have worked closely with domestic law enforcement, revenue, national security and social justice agencies and with our international counterparts to incorporate our financial intelligence into their investigations". The number of suspicious activity reports related to money laundering increased by more than 60 percent.
http://www.austrac.gov.au/AUSTRAC_Annual%20Rep_final_lowres.pdf

The European Suspicious Transaction Reporting conference (ESTR) is the first in which experts from across Europe have examined the links between organized criminal activities and money laundering through banking and commerce.
http://www.sdea.police.uk/European_Suspicious_Transaction_Reporting_Conference.htm

The European Commission adopted a Communication on " The Prevention of and Fight against Terrorist Financing through enhanced national level coordination and greater transparency of the non-profit sector, including a Recommendation to the Member States". The new guidelines for national coordination includes such best practices as:

The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) released the report "Terrorist Financing: Better Strategic Planning Needed to Coordinate U.S. Efforts to Deliver Counter-Terrorism Financing Training and Technical Assistance Abroad." It summarizes efforts to counter terrorist financing, then points to the lack of an integrated strategy for addressing the threats, and points to a lack of accountability and performance measures in their efforts. Treasury disagreed with the major recommendations.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-19

Israeli prosecutors in the case of Hamas activist Ahmed Salatna, who is charged with distributing Euro 9 million to support the families of suicide bombers and fund attacks, have tied charitable donations from European charities to his actions.
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article329732.ece
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/objects/pages/PrintArticleEn.jhtml?itemNo=650591

GAO's report "Drug Control: Agencies Need to Plan for Likely Declines in Drug Interdiction Assets and Develop Performance Measures for Transit Zone Operations" says that "cocaine seizures and disruptions in the transit zone have increased about 68 percent since calendar year 2000 -- from 117 metric tons in 2000 to 196 metric tons in 2004". However, decline of available defense assets and other factors suggest that the current level of interdictions will decline, requiring appropriate planning and revised performance assessments. http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-200

"Best Practices for Improving Law Compliance in the Forest Sector" describes innovative methods governments are using to combat illegal logging that is costing some $5 billion in lost revenue.
http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2005/1000162/index.html

The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) helped produce an Armenian version of "Best Practices to Fight Corruption" and the manual, "Civil Service against Corruption: 100 facts" for a workshop in Yerevan, Armenia supporting anti-corruption, money-laundering and economic crime efforts.
http://www.osce.org/item/17141.html

10. Human Rights

The US has carried out its 1,000 execution since capital punishment was reintroduced in 1976, with the death by lethal injection of convicted murderer Kenneth Boyd.

The US Supreme Court overturned the decision of an Ohio appeals court to set aside Kenny Richey's 1987 murder conviction, sending it back to the appeals court for further review.
http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/05pdf/05-101.pdf

Singapore's chief executioner, Darshan Singh, was dismissed after his identity was exposed. He had held the position for fifty years, conducting more than 850 hangings. Singapore will fly in a new executioner for an Australian, Nguyen Tuong Van, put to death on 2 December for drug smuggling. Australian appeals for clemency, pointing to mitigating factors, were unsuccessful. Prime Minister Howard warned Singapore that the execution may harm their relations.
http://www.pm.gov.au/news/interviews/Interview1709.html

The Special Rapporteur of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment concluded his 2-week visit to the China. He reported that although torture is declining, particularly in urban areas, it remains widespread, against ethnic minorities particularly Tibetans and Uighurs, political dissidents, human rights defenders, Falun Gong practitioners and members of house-church groups. Government officials are beginning to understand and address the problem, but provided limited access for his investigation, which was frequently under surveillance. Preliminary recommendations include reform of the criminal law by adding torture as a crime, and establishing an independent complaint mechanism.
http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/677C1943FAA14D67C12570CB0034966D?opendocument

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw wrote to US Secretary of State Rice on behalf of the EU to request clarification regarding the use of EU airports and countries to host CIA prisons and prisoner transfers. Secretary Rice said that she will respond. Meanwhile, German magazine Der Spiegel cites a government list of at least 437 flights suspected of being operated by the CIA in German airspace, the UK and other EU countries are conducting internal investigations, and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is beginning legal action to stop "extraordinary renditions".
http://www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk/press/2005/torture-flights.shtml
http://www.guardian.co.uk/humanrights/story/0,,1567896,00.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/29/AR2005112901665.html
http://www.europarl.eu.int/news/expert/infopress_page/019-3073-335-12-48-902-20051130IPR03072-01-12-2005-2005--false/default_en.htm
http://www.spiegel.de/panorama/0,1518,388416,00.html (in German)
http://www.aclu.org/

Human Rights Watch, demanding the release of "ghost detainees" has released a list naming some of those held by the US indefinitely and incommunicado without legal rights or access to council.
http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2005/11/30/usdom12113.htm

Oil company Total will pay 5.2 million Euros ($6.1 million) to Burmese villagers used by the Burmese army as forced labor while building a gas pipeline. The settlement was made without liability, as Total denies it was aware of any use of forced labor, although it acknowledges the practice is prevalent in Burma.
http://burma.total.com/
http://www.total.com/en/press/press_releases/pr_2005/051129_myanmar_agreement_sherpa_8205.htm

December 2 marked the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery.

11. Law and Legal Issues

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Diepreye Alamieyeseigha is being prosecuted in Nigeria's Code of Conduct Tribunal where its charges of corruption and failure to declare assets are not limited by government immunity. He had fled the UK where he had been granted bail on money laundering charges, but says he is willing to return.

Haradin Bala was sentenced by the UN court in The Hague to 13 years in prison for torture and murder in connection with his activities with the Kosovo Liberation Army during fighting with Serbian forces in 1998. Two associates, Fatmir Limaj and Isak Musliu, were acquitted.

Anibal dos Santos Junior ("Anibalzinho") was allowed a new trial in Mozambique court since he previously had been convicted in absentia of the murder of journalist Carlos Cardoso, who had been investigating a bank fraud. In the first trial, the son of then President Chissano had been implicated.

Alexandros Giotopoulos, leader of November 17, and 14 other convicted members of the radical group have appeared in Greek court to appeal their convictions for more than 2,500 crimes of murder and violence over the course of a 25-year leftist campaign that began as resistance to military rule.

Paul Kamara has been freed on appeal in Sierra Leone court, following an October 2004 sentence to two years in prison for seditious libel in connection with articles critical of the president he had written for his For Di People newspaper.

Metin Kaplan ("Caliph of Cologne") faces a new trial after a Turkish appeals court overturned his life sentence following his treason and terrorism conviction, ruling there were procedural errors and inadequate investigation.

David Keogh, a British civil servant, and parliamentarian research Leo O'Connor have been charged in London under the Official Secrets Act for allegedly leaking the secret government memorandum in which US President Bush reportedly discussed bombing Al-Jazeera in Qatar.

Rachid Ramda has been extradited from the UK to France, where the Algerian is wanted over a 1995 Paris Metro bombing. Two High Court judges rejected his appeal, and the British Home Office said that, after ten years, all avenues of appeal had been exhausted.

Zeev Rosenstein faces extradition from Israel, where the organized crime boss had been detained on an international arrest warrant, to the US where he is wanted for drug trafficking. This follows an Israeli Supreme Court ruling and is pending Justice Minister approval or a possible appeal.

Alan Sessions, a Royal Marine, has been awarded a 6-figure settlement from Britain's Ministry of Defense in compensation for post-traumatic stress disorder that followed the 1989 Royal Marines' School of Music bombing in which 11 young men were killed and 27 injured by the Irish Republican Army.

12. Transportation

The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has increased random screenings and reduced the number of prohibited items permitted on planes. TSA has made these changes to avoid predictability and allow increased focus on serious threats such as explosives. The suggestion that these measures were taken to address increased traffic without a corresponding increase in the number of screeners was denied.
http://www.tsa.gov/public/display?theme=40&content=090005198018c349

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) explains that the US Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS) was moved in 2003 from TSA to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and now back after achieving only limited surge capacity or cross-training. Their report "Aviation Security: Federal Air Marshal Service Could Benefit from Improved Planning and Controls" recommends adoption of key practices in successful transitions and better management controls.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-203

Somali pirates freed the Kenyan-owned MV Torgelow after intervention from tribal leaders. Both the freighter and its crew of ten were released, but fear they may be hijacked again on their return voyage. Pirates continue to hold a number of other vessels, including three fishing boats, two dhows, and a sugar freighter.

The International Maritime Bureau continues to maintain an alert warning for Somalia's northeast and east coast:

Bangladesh's Department of Shipping asked port authorities in Chittagong and Mongla to take extra security measures following suicide bombings on two courts. An increase in the security level is pending return of the director general from international travel.

The Philippine Navy and reserve, in collaboration with the maritime industry, held the "Pagasame 05" anti-terror training exercise in Mindanao to test capabilities to address piracy and other threats.

Under the US Megaports Initiative, China has agreed to install nuclear and radiological detection equipment at its ports.

The International Maritime Organization launched SAFEMED project for Euro-Mediterranean Co-operation on Maritime Safety and Prevention of Pollution from Ships to address flag State implementation and monitoring of classification societies; safety of navigation and traffic monitoring; of the marine environment; human element issues; and security of ships and port facilities.
http://www.imo.org/
http://www.rempec.org

The UK House of Commons Transport Committee issued a preliminary report of security, warning that "We have no doubt that the threat to the traveling public in the UK from terrorist attacks remains grave". Limitations in communications, detection of dangerous packages and in coordination efforts, among other things, remain.
UK Transport Security - preliminary report
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmselect/cmtran/637/637.pdf

13. Weapons of Mass Destruction

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) conference on Operational Safety Performance in Nuclear Installations says that nuclear power plants are performing better then 20 years ago but there is no room for complacency in their continued safe operation.
http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/News/2005/plant_safety.html

The Gulf Cooperation Council's Secretary General called for NATO to help eliminate nuclear arms in the Middle East to ensure the Gulf is not "sandwiched by arms here and arms there", particularly referring to Israel and Iran's nuclear programs and other WMD.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=20480

In a meeting of Collective Security Treaty members, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Syrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan have agreed to coordinate efforts to counter WMD threats.
http://www.dkb.gov.ru/ (In Russian)

The Australian Strategic Policy Institute released "Plague Anatomy: Health security from pandemics to bioterrorism". The paper "argues that public health surveillance of, and response to, emerging infections and biological terrorism are closely related. Biological terrorism sits at one end of a continuum of biological threats to our health and wellbeing. At the other end are located pandemics of infectious disease like influenza and HIV/AIDS, which still sweep away millions each year. Somewhere in between lie emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases like SARS, West Nile virus, Marburg virus, Ebola, and bird flu, as well as a growing list of infections becoming resistant to antibiotics. Compared to all these, biological terrorism is a much more unlikely danger. Nevertheless, the covert release of a biological agent into a civilian population has fearful potential that has long been recognised."
http://www.aspi.org.au/publications.cfm?pubID=84

"The Bug Stops Here: Force Protection and Emerging Infectious Diseases" concludes:

Saudi Arabia's Cabinet has approved legislation to implement the Chemical Weapons Convention.

The US State of New Jersey announced new security requirements for its 140 chemical plants. It is the first state to require enforceable measures to protect against terrorist attacks.
http://www.nj.gov/cgi-bin/governor/njnewsline/view_article.pl?id=2815

The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) issues two reports related to chemical security. "Chemical Regulation: Approaches in the United States, Canada, and the European Union" compares requirements for chemical companies to develop basic physical and impact data, notify of usage changes, and whether there are requirements for setting priorities, assessment of current chemicals, or pollution prevention plans. "Environmental Protection: More Complete Data and Continued Emphasis on Leak Prevention Could Improve EPA's Underground Storage Tank Program" addressed contamination of soil and groundwater from leaking underground
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-217R
storage tanks.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-45

14. Recently Published

Richard Belfield, "The Assassination Business: A History of State Sponsored Murder", Carroll and Graf

Paul Berman, "Power and the Idealists: Or, The Passion of Joschka Fisher and Its Aftermath", Soft Skull Press

Richard Clarke, "The Scorpion's Gate", Putnam (fiction)

Council of Europe, " Identity and travel documents and the fight against terrorism ", Council of Europe Publishing. http://book.coe.int/sysmodules/RBS_page/admin/redirect.php?id=36&lang=EN&produit_aliasid=1984

Council of Europe, "The protection of witnesses and collaborators of justice ", Council of Europe Publishing.
http://book.coe.int/sysmodules/RBS_page/admin/redirect.php?id=36&lang=EN&produit_aliasid=1985

Council of Europe, " Special investigation techniques in relation to serious crimes including acts of terrorism ", Council of Europe Publishing.
http://book.coe.int/sysmodules/RBS_page/admin/redirect.php?id=36&lang=EN&produit_aliasid=1986

Mike Davis, "The Monster At Our Door: The Global Threat of Avian Flu", The New Press

Victor Davis Hanson, "A War Like No Other: How the Athenians and Spartans Fought the Peloponnesian War", Random

Marc Siegel, "False Alarm: The Truth About the Epidemic of Fear", Wiley

Dan Tynan, "Computer Privacy Annoyances", O'Reilly.
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/privacyannoy/

FEATURE ARTICLE: World AIDS Day 2005

The Joint UN Program on HIV/AIDS Epidemic Update 2005 reports that the number of worldwide HIV infections has risen to more than 40 million, the highest level ever, up from an estimated 37.5 in 2003. This year, more than three million people died of AIDS-related illnesses, including more than 500,000 children.

Infection rates increased in all regions except the Caribbean, with some five million new infections this year. However, sustained HIV prevention programs and behavioral changes led to some decreases in the rate of infection. In Kenya adult prevalence rated dropped from their peak of ten percent in the 1990s to seven percent in 2003. Among pregnant women, the rate of HIV fell from 26 percent in 2003 to 21 percent in 2004. UNAIDS Executive Director Dr. Peter Piot urged an urgent increase in the scale and scope of HIV prevention programs. Expanded treatment programs are also needed. HIV treatment this year averted as many as 350,000 additional deaths. Universal access to prevention, treatment, and care underlies the needed comprehensive response.

The World Bank addresses the impact of the pandemic. They explain, "HIV/AIDS is rapidly reversing the hard-won development achievements of previous years. Fighting HIV/AIDS and other contagious diseases is one of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which aim to halve poverty and broadly improve welfare by the year 2015. Given the dominant impact of HIV/AIDS on development, we recognize HIV/AIDS must be at the centre of the development agenda."

Crucially, the World Bank warns that "HIV/AIDS is a major threat to global health, development and security. About 39.4 million people are currently living with HIV/AIDS. Five million became HIV positive in 2004 alone. More than 60 million people have been infected with HIV since it was first documented more than 24 years ago. There are 14,000 new infections every day. More than 95 % of people living with HIV/AIDS are in developing countries. About half of all new adult infections are among young people, aged 15 to 24. UNAIDS predicts in the 45 worst-affected countries, 68 million people will die sooner than they would have without AIDS, in the years between 2000 and 2020. The best forecasts are that another 45 million people will become infected with HIV in 126 low- and middle-income countries between 2002 and 2010, unless current treatment and prevention efforts are expanded dramatically."

Furthermore, "Research which [The World Bank] sponsored, published in July 2003, found the long-term effects of HIV/AIDS could be much worse than originally predicted in severely affected countries unless urgent steps are taken to fight the epidemic more vigorously. The report, 'The Long-run Economic Costs of AIDS: Theory and an Application to South Africa', warned previous estimates, which predicted a fall of between 0.3 and 1.5 percent in GDP as a result of the epidemic, were too low. By killing mostly young adults, AIDS robs children of one or both parents to love raise and educate them. It seriously affects the basis of economic growth over the long-term. The study argued a country like South Africa could face economic collapse unless it aggressively increased its response to the epidemic."

The World Bank concludes that "HIV/AIDS not only threatens economic and social growth, it can also even threaten political stability in some countries."

One measure of this is in the impact of HIV/AIDS on those in uniformed services, including peacekeeping, security and military forces. UNAIDS offered "On the Front Line", updating UN policies and programs for HIV/AIDS education and prevention, testing, counseling, treatment, and international cooperation.

When the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1308, calling for strategic programs addressed to peacekeeping operations, HIV/AIDS was perceived as a medical problem outside the purview of the ministries of interior or defense. Five years later, uniformed service personnel are recognized as a high-risk group for contracting HIV, and national, regional, and international action has been taken to address the security dimensions of the pandemic.

"On the Front Line" explains that "Because it primarily affects young adults - the backbone of any society - AIDS undermines vital national institutions and weakens the foundations on which national security depends....In countries with high prevalence, AIDS can pose a threat to military readiness and cohesion. As the Namibian depute Defence Minister has advised, '[AIDS] is inflicting misery in the region and affecting military and security establishments to the core'." The impact on the uniformed services spreads to a state's civilian population through personal interactions during service and following demobilization.

The UN strategy to address this problem targets international and regional security groups, such as UN and AU peacekeepers and the populations that surround the peacekeeping missions, as well as national security groups such as the military and police, border guards, customs officials, former combatants, and future peacekeepers. Working with these groups, the strategy relies on three key principles:

For implementation, UNAIDS works within a cross-functional framework that includes leadership and advocacy, development of partnerships, policy and technical support, monitoring and evaluation, and mobilization of financial resources. Examples of recent efforts include:

Such efforts are particularly important to the UN at a time when there is an unprecedented volume of peacekeeping operations over the past two years. New missions were established in Liberia, Burundi, Ivory Coast, Haiti, and Sudan. Democratic Republic of Congo's mission is being expanded to more than 17,000. As the report explains, "As of May 2005, 105 countries contribute in excess of 66,000 uniformed peacekeepers - including troops, military observers, and civilian police - to 18 missions in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Taking into account troop rotations, this currently amounts to approximately 100,000 uniformed personnel being involved in UN peacekeeping annually and the figure is set to rise with major deployments under way to Sudan."

To help reduce HIV infection among these forces, AIDS advisers are assigned to nine missions. These and smaller missions are supported by other advisers, volunteers, and professionals. Working with local resources, they provide pre-deployment training, in-mission raining, condom promotion and post-exposure prophylaxis kits, voluntary counseling and testing, outreach to local communities, and monitoring and evaluation.

To illustrate how this works, the report provides a number of case studies, including this one on Brazil:

There are many challenges in such programs, including leaders reluctant to address the epidemic, rotation hampering consistent response, inadequate funding, a general lack of technical capacity, balancing HIV testing with human rights and treatment needs, and consistency of programs during and after demobilization. Despite such challenges, UNAIDS, its partners and member states have made significant progress. We must maintain and even increase this momentum.

World AIDS Day is marked on 1 December each year.

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