Global news highlights in this issue range from scenario planning for pandemic flu to use of a coffee shop to front a money laundering operation. In Recommended Reading, we are featuring three key reports addressing causes, consequences, and intervention in terrorism: "2006 Failed States Index"; "Country Reports on Terrorism 2005"; and "Uniting Against Terrorism: Recommendations for a Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy".

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3. AML/CFT Monitor

The AML/CFT Monitor is a monthly 16-page print publication. News highlights from the past week are provided in this free email update, but detailed analysis, background information and source documents are only available to subscribers. For subscription information, email info@tamni.com.

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AML/CFT Incidents/Cases
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Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf has criticized the US for funding warlords that have been battling the emergent central government. The US has supported these militias in their current fighting against local Islamic groups that want to implement Sharia law, considering it an essential measure in the "war on terrorism". Battles between the rival forces in march killed some 90 people.
http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=worldNews&storyid=2006-05-04T113107Z_01_L04376897_RTRUKOC_0_US-SOMALIA.xml
http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,6119,2-11-1447_1926440,00.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4972800.stm
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2006/65813.htm

Lebanese President Emile Lahoud denies allegations made in a Fortune magazine  report, "Beirut bombshell", that connects the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri to the collapse of Bank al-Madina.
http://money.cnn.com/2006/05/01/news/international/lebanon_fortune_051506/index.htm
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=24219

Raul Salinas de Gortari, brother of former Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari, and his sister-in-law, Adriana Lagarde, were both acquitted on money laundering charges. They had been  accused of using French banks to send more than $3 million to Switzerland, but no evidence was found linking the transfers to drug cartels.

Nigerian officials reported that they have recovered more than $1 billion in assets and cash stolen by past leaders.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/southwest/sw203052006.html

Ireland's Special Criminal Court has set 12 December for the trial of Don Bullman, who is accused in connection with money laundering for the Irish Republican Army (IRA), of which he is believed a key member.

Douglas Shyne and Natasha Singh have been indicted in New York for running a coffee business that fronted a money laundering operation, used obtain some $5 million through altered or counterfeit checks. Among those charged with conspiracy to defraud banks are Olympic gold medalist Tim Montgomery, his coach Steven Riddick, and nine others.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/29/sports/othersports/29montgomery.html

Manten Electronics Inc. president Xu Weibo, was sentenced in New Jersey court to 44 months in prison; his wife and purchasing agent Xiu Ling Chen to 18 months; her brother and vice president Hao Li Chen to 30-months, and his wife and controller Kwan Chun Chan to six months under house arrest. They were found guilty of violating export regulations for shipping dual-use electronic equipment to entities controlled by China.
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/nj/publicaffairs/NJ_Press/files/mant0502_r.htm

Cyprus has reacted angrily to a Forbes magazine article, "Money laundering, gun-running, sex slavery. Is tiny Cyprus the world's next tax haven?" Allegations in the article go on to implicate the island in breaking UN sanctions by selling weapons to Saddam Hussein's Iraq, and hiding money for Slobodan Milosevic. The attorney general of Cyprus issued a letter accusing Forbes of publishing defamatory and prejudicial information.
http://www.forbes.com/business/global/2006/0424/050.html
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=24203
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AML/CFT Legislation and Regulation
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Sheikh Abdul-Majid Al-Zindani , a militant Islamic scholar and founder and president of Al-Eman University in Yemen, is attempting to find lawyers willing to help him have his name removed from UN and US terrorist lists, where he is believed to have provided operational support and material to Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda. International sanctions currently have no provisions for appeal or correction of their listings.
The hard-line Islamic scholar is reported to have approached "high-profile" Yemeni lawyers to help him in his defense against the United States and UN.
http://www.yobserver.com/news_10026.php

Australia's Ministry for Education, Science and Training has provided a $12 million grant to the University of Wollongong to expand research and training at the Center for Transnational Crime Prevention (CTCP).
http://www.dest.gov.au/Ministers/Media/Bishop/2006/05/b001040506.asp
http://media.uow.edu.au/news/2006/0504a/index.html

Bangladesh's Finance and Planning Minister, M. Saifur Rahman, announced that the government will no longer allow black money to be whitened, in contravention to the country's anti-money laundering laws. The black economy in Bangladesh could be as much as 50 percent of the formal economy.
http://www.thedailystar.net/2006/05/01/d605011502120.htm

The State Bank of India, the country's largest bank, has come out with comprehensive guidance on AML and Know Your Customer anti-money launder guidelines.
http://www.statebankofindia.com/viewsection.jsp?lang=0&id=0,15,111

The UK Financial Services Authority (FSA) will no longer require that companies notify FSA of the roles and responsibilities of their FSA-approved senior managers. FSA estimates this small measure will save the industry about GBP 2 million a year in administration costs.
http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pages/Library/Communication/PR/2006/043.shtml

The US Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has announced the final rule under which mutual funds are required to file Suspicious Activity Reports.
http://www.amlcftmonitor.com/2006/05/AML0701.shtml

US Treasury Secretary Snow praised FinCEN employees in this speech, which describes the importance of their work in disrupting terrorist financing as well as more traditional areas:
http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/js4235.htm
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AML/CFT Modalities
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Joseph LaForte, his brother James LaForte, Jr., their mother Tina LaForte, their father James LaForte, Sr., and friend Jaime Lynn Guli, had been arrested and charged in New York last October for mortgage fraud. These charges have now been upgraded to money laundering and conspiracy. Details of the transactions involved are provided in this article:
http://www.northcountrygazette.org/articles/050206MoneyLaundering.html

Note the FSA review of insurance intermediaries handling client money, in Critical Infrastructure/Banking, below.

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4. Emerging Threat Monitor

The Emerging Threat Monitor will be published in print later this year. News highlights from the past week are provided in this free email update, but detailed analysis, background information and source documents are only available to subscribers. For more information, email info@tamni.com.

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ETM Corruption and Transnational Crime
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Indonesian police have arrested Eddie Widiono, President-Director of the state electricity company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara, for corruption in connection with falsifying fees in two generator purchases in 2004.

Raytheon's board of directors has reduced Chief Executive Officer William Swenson's salary and stock grants, lowering his compensation this year by about 20 percent, following the revelation that "Swanson's Unwritten Rules of Management" was largely cribbed from other sources.
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/micro_stories.pl?ACCT=149999&TICK=RTN&STORY=/www/story/04-24-2006/0004346311&EDATE=Apr+24,+2006
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/micro_stories.pl?ACCT=149999&TICK=RTN&STORY=/www/story/05-03-2006/0004353657&EDATE=May+3,+2006

French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin's career is in jeopardy following claims that he targeted his rival, Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy  is the Clearstream affair. The corruption scandal began to unfold when a bribery inquiry was launched in June 2001 in which a number of French officials were implicated. Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie has also recently been linked to the case.

Nigerian President Obasanjo has stopped presentation of the Nigerian Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI) audit report until the auditors trace the $250 million they found missing.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/cover/may06/04052006/f304052006.html
http://www.neiti.org/
http://www.hart-group.com/extractive-industry-transparency-initiative.php

Internal controls are the first line of defense in preventing fraud, waste, and abuse. The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that only weak control was established at the beginning of the UN/Iraq oil-for food program, which was put in place after sanctions were imposed in 1990. In this environment, corruption thrived. In "Oil for Food Program Provides Lessons for Future Sanctions and Ongoing Reform", GAO presented lessons for designing future sanctions and strengthening existing UN programs, at the House Committee on Government Reform, Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats, and International Relations:
* Assess whether the sanctions program gives undue control to the sanctioned country
* Consider the economic impact that sanctions have on neighboring countries
* Ensure that all aspects of sanctions are equally enforced
* Establish clear authority and responsibility for management, oversight, and monitoring activities
* Assess and mitigate risk as programs and funding expand
* Assess the role of internal oversight units and ensure that they have the resources and independence needed for effective oversight
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-711T
http://reform.house.gov/NSETIR/Hearings/EventSingle.aspx?EventID=42645
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ETM Economies and Financial Systems
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The Commission on Sustainable Development opened its annual meeting. Discussions focus on energy, industrial development, air pollution/atmosphere, and climate change. More than 2.4 billion people lack modern energy services, and the meeting will address extending national electricity grids, promoting trade in energy, and lowering the cost of renewable energy.
http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/csd/review.htm

The World Trade Organizations' (WTO) Trade Negotiations Committee opened discussions on 1 May. Senior officials believe that WTO is moving closer to a global trade agreement. Director General Pascal Lamy opened the meeting with a statement that consensus is doable if every delegate is flexible and shares a sense of urgency to complete the process.
http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news06_e/tnc_dg_stat_1may06_e.htm
http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/sppl_e/sppl24_e.htm

The International Monetary Fund's Asia-Pacific Regional Economic Outlook predicts robust growth, but cites the risks from rising oil prices, and tightening global financial conditions and current account imbalances. The report cites the need for balanced macroeconomic policies and strengthening domestic demand.
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2006/pr0686.htm

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) raised similar issues in their annual meeting, which called for better regional cooperation to sustain growth and expand to disadvantaged countries that will reduce the disparities shown in the "two faces of Asia".
http://www.adb.org/Media/Articles/2006/9827-Annual-Meeting-Board-of-Governors/default.asp

The IMF's Regional Economic Outlook for the Middle East and Central Asia cites above average growth of more than 6 percent, despite ongoing geopolitical tensions, but warn of high oil prices and the need for exchange rate adjustments.
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2006/pr0689.htm
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ETM Environment and Climate Change
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The first of 21 reports from the US Climate Change Science Program updates and revised conclusions from previous reports on climate change and the impact of human activity of temperature trends. Most important, "Temperature Trends in the Lower Atmosphere: Steps for Understanding and Reconciling Differences" finds there is no longer a discrepancy in the rate of global average temperature increase for the surface compared with higher levels in the atmosphere. This had previously been used to challenge the validity of climate models used to detect and attribute the causes of observed climate change. Now, there is clear evidence that human activities have affected climate change, which cannot be explained by natural processes alone.
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2006/s2623.htm

The European Union has agreed on the text of a new law, subject to a parliamentary vote, that would address health and environment concerns related to batteries and accumulators and waste batteries and accumulators, making recycling of batteries mandatory from 2008.
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=PRES/06/114&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

In Bangladesh, indigenous people are taking action to prevent a new open pit coal mine that would dislocate some 50,000 people and cause environmental damage, including falling water levels that would harm agricultural production.
http://www.thedailystar.net/2006/05/01/d60501011914.htm
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ETM Human Rights
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The use of lethal injection for executions in the United States is under judicial scrutiny in state and federal courts and the Supreme Court. A grotesque case in Ohio has fueled criticism, after an unprecedented delay as the prison team struggled to execute double murderer Joseph Lewis Clark.
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060503/NEWS02/60503011/-1/NEWS
http://www.columbusdispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/05/03/20060503-A1-02.html
http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/114665618973330.xml&coll=2
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/05/03/national/main1576011.shtml

The UN Committee on Torture has begun a standard evaluation of the US, which required of each signatory to the Convention every four years. In this first review since 9/11, US officials have faced serious questioning regarding CIA secret prisoners, ghost prisoners, prison abuse, and many other controversial issues. The US defended its record on torture, but claimed that only activities carried out within the US were relevant, and that actions in Guantanamo Bay, Iraq, Afghanistan, or other countries were outside the scope of the inquiry. It also claimed that many details could not be shared due to the need to protect intelligence. The inquiry continues.
http://www.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cat/
http://www.voanews.com/english/2006-05-05-voa54.cfm
http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAMR510702006
http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/international/ticker/detail/U_S_defends_treatment_of_terror_suspects.html?siteSect=143&sid=6688417&cKey=1146849891000
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=1926322
http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?j=181763936&p=y8y76464z

Moroccan security forces arrested human trafficking kingpin Mizanur Rahman and three accomplices. The four Bangladeshis ran the trafficking network responsible for the recent death of some 20 Bangladeshis as they attempted to reach Europe in small makeshift boats.

Following the outrage over publication of Muhammad caricatures, Israeli artists staged a contest for the best anti-Semitic cartoons. Here are the results:
http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,412390,00.html
http://boomka.org/blog/wp-content/plugins/falbum/wp/album.php?album=72057594067999377

World Press Freedom Day was on 3 May. On this occasion, the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize was awarded to Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation journalist May Chidiac, who was badly injured by a car bomb last September. The prize is named after journalist Guillermo Cano, who was assassinated in 1987 after denouncing the activities of powerful drug barons in his country, Colombia.
http://www.un.org/events/pressday/2006/
http://portal.unesco.org/ci/admin/ev.php?URL_ID=21670&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201&reload=1143624493

Ms. Chidiac was not the only victim of violence directed against the press. Indeed, 2005 was the deadliest year in a decade, with more than 150 journalists and media staff killed. So far this year there have been at least 88, most killed in Iraq.
http://www.ifj.org/default.asp?Index=3660&Language=EN
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=16793

Reporters Without Borders compiled its annual worldwide list of predators of press freedom.
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=13580

Ruhr-Universitat Bochum's Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict released the first 2006 issue of the Journal of International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (German and English). They also announced applications for two important human rights courses. The Network on Humanitarian Assistance (NOHA) offers the Master in Humanitarian Assistance. A Master of Peace and Security Studies is a transnational and interdisciplinary program for practitioners.
http://www.ifhv.de
http://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/ifhv/noha/
http://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/ifhv/hamburg/
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ETM Infectious Diseases
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Risk Management Solutions (RMS) developed the first probabilistic model for pandemic influenza. They calculated a 20 percent chance that it could be worse than 1918, which could result in as many as 100 million deaths.
http://www.rms.com/NewsPress/PR_050206_flu.asp

Most models have used the 1918 pandemic as a worst-case scenario, but that strain was far less virulent than the H5N1 strain, and travel now is much faster.

The US Implementation Plan for the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza isn't concerned about the odds. This plan acknowledges that the government would have little impact on the outcome of a major pandemic, and that people should not expect a response similar to more common disasters. Rather than relying on the government, the plan calls for corporations to take a place on the front line of prevention and response. It calls for companies, other organizations, and individuals to help manage the impact, including dealing with rationing of medical care, and a list of recommendations that range from telecommuting to face masks for coughing children. It offers no suggestions regarding how to pay for preparedness or the services required during a pandemic. These costs could well exceed the financial resources of individuals, businesses, and government agencies.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/homeland/pandemic-influenza.html

The World Economic Forum, with Booz Allen Hamilton, conducted a simulation of an influenza pandemic. Participants found that in the event of a pandemic:
* The world will shift from "one of equals" to "not all equal," as essential workers in health care and other industries need to be vaccinated so they can keep working.
* Essential services and employees need to be prioritized – before an influenza attack – to maintain continuity.
* Non-essential services must be shut down in an orderly manner.
* Telecommunications will likely be overwhelmed early in the pandemic. Some experts speculated that the Internet could shut down within two to four days of the outbreak. This implies that government and businesses must coordinate and plan for the use of alternative communications channels—and telecommuting will not be a viable option. A method of prioritizing Internet access would be needed to allow key organizations and individuals to access information and communicate necessary actions.
* Governments will likely direct the general population to stay in their homes, and to minimize social contact.
* As a result, the government may need to assume national control, as in wartime, of critical infrastructure and resources including food, fuel, and healthcare. In addition, governments will need to assume responsibility for the "last mile" in delivery of food and other critical supplies to the populace.
http://www.boozallen.com/home/about/article_news-ideas/2912247?lpid=66005
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ETM Legal Systems
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The UK inspector of prisons and chief inspector of criminal justice compiled a report discussing Maghaberry prison in Northern Ireland, finding that the maximum security facility was twice as costly as similar facilities in England or Wales. Separation of loyalist and republication prisoners is associated both with higher financial costs, but also means that prisoners are more likely to be confined to cells and are less able to participate in recreational or educational activities.
http://www.niprisonservice.gov.uk
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ETM Populations
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The European Union directive on the right to move and reside freely in the Union is one of the most visible rights conferred to EU citizens. An estimated seven million Union citizens have taken advantage of their rights and now live in another Member State of the Union. Despite this, difficulties remain, and major steps to make full freedom of movement a reality are promised.
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/06/179&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

Following a Department of Finance Canada consultation on pension legislation and regulation, the government has proposed changes to pension funding rules that would provide ten years instead of five for defined benefit plan sponsors to fund pension deficits, given certain conditions. Similar measures are progressing in the UK and other countries that face an aging workforce and insufficient replacement revenue to finance current retirement levels.
http://www.osfi-bsif.gc.ca/
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ETM Technology
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The Royal Society called for disclosure of how products containing nanoparticles are tested for consumer safety. This request came as the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars released an inventory of more than 200 consumer products, ranging from laptop computers to cosmetics, which use nanotechnology, and the US Senate held hearings on "Economic Development Opportunities Through Nano Commercialization"
http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/news.asp?id=4639
http://www.nanotechproject.org/index.php?id=44
http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/witnesslist.cfm?id=1867
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ETM Weapons (WMD, Proliferation)
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Iran has offered to permit intrusive International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspections if the issue of its nuclear program is removed from the Security Council and returned to IAEA. If the standoff is not resolved, Iran says it will withdraw from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT). A draft UN resolution submitted by France, the UK and the US would make legally binding the demand to suspend uranium enrichment and ensure nuclear activities are purely peaceful, paving the way for enforcement measures such as sanctions. The resolution is being circulated under the same Chapter 7 rules that were in place in the lead-up to the war in Iraq, which is being heavily criticized by China and Russia. Meanwhile, Iran is continuing uranium enrichment and research activities, and rejects "nuclear apartheid".
http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/News/2006/iranreport_sg.html
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/05/07/news/iran.php
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=24200
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-05/07/content_4516905.htm

The challenge of balancing economic and security interests for those doing business with Iran is illustrated in this article about German companies:
http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,413998,00.html

Brazil has opened a new centrifuge facility, making it one of a small group of countries capable of enriching uranium. Brazil has one of the largest uranium reserves in the world and plans to be energy independent within a decade. Safeguards with IAEA supervision are designed to prevent diversion to weapons production.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/06/AR2006050601537.html
http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/brazil/nuke.htm
http://www.iaea.org/inis/ws/countries/brazil.html

Pakistan announced that ,with the release of Mohammad Farooq (the last scientist detained for his role in AQ Khan's nuclear supermarket) investigations are closed.
http://www.dawn.com/2006/05/03/top1.htm
http://www.newkerala.com/news2.php?action=fullnews&id=52575
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4965566.stm
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/16/world/asia/16chron-khan.html?ex=1147060800&en=6962f35954f88f71&ei=5070

The possibility that an enemy could use chemical or biological weapons against US forces led to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) evaluation. "Chemical and Biological Defense: DOD Needs Consistent Policies and Clear Processes to Address the Survivability of Weapon Systems Against Chemical and Biological Threats" recommends consistent inclusion of survivability in acquisition policies, and that the associated database is comprehensive.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-592

Haiti, Niue, Suriname, Tanzania and Yemen have established national authorities in accordance with their respective obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention.
http://www.opcw.org/

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5. Critical Infrastructure Monitor

The Emerging Threat Monitor will be published in print later this year. News highlights from the past week are provided in this free email update, but detailed analysis, background information and source documents are only available to subscribers. For more information, email .

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CIM Agriculture and Food
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Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO) Director General Paul O'Sullivan addressed the Food Chain Safety and Security Strategy Conference, offering his perspective on food security with these observations:
* The most characteristic aspect of this sector, to my mind, is the extent of the interdependencies and the diversity of processes that are required to deliver food to the final consumer.
* It is perhaps also important to note that, in contrast to other critical infrastructure sectors such as electricity or communications, it is not the physical infrastructure of the food sector that is important. The food itself must be safe.
* Even when the core business processes operate 'to spec', they remain subject to the influence and, at times, devastating impact of natural disasters, pests and disease, or malicious acts.
* Malicious acts, whether they involve real acts of harm or hoaxes, can cause significant disruption to businesses and consumers alike.
* Previous experience has been that such malicious acts have been criminal in nature, driven by perpetrators either seeking to extort money or enact a form of revenge. In the case of Masterfoods, withdrawal of Mars and Snickers bars was estimated to have cost the company around $10m following an extortion attempt that received significant publicity last year. Similarly, the recall of Arnott's biscuits, triggered by another extortion attempt, had an even larger estimated cost impact of around $22m. Difficulty in identifying the extortionist led to prolonged damage to consumer confidence, no doubt exacerbating the financial impact.
* These events can have a wider impact on the community and, in extreme cases, have the potential to undermine the community's confidence in the safety and integrity of the food supply. It would not be surprising, therefore, if such an impact might hold appeal for a potential terrorist.
http://www.asio.gov.au/Media/Contents/PDF/Food Sector Speech.pdf

EU officials have lifted an export ban imposed in 1996 against export of British beef. The decision comes after a decline in cases of bovine sponiform encephalopathy (BSE, mad cow disease). Now, live cattle born after 1 August 1996 and beef from cattle slaughtered after 15 June 2005 can be exported. Some EU states, including France, need to amend legislation to allow exports, and initial markets are expected to be Greece, Italy ad the Netherlands.

Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan - are the focus of a European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and World Bank initiative that aims to boost economic growth in the crucial agriculture sector. The project plans to use a streamlined approach to finance more and smaller rural projects, mobilizing more investment and encouraging ongoing economic reform.
http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2006/1000286/index.html
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CIM Banking and Finance
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The UK Financial Services Authority (FSA) conducted a pilot review into the handling of client money by general insurance intermediaries. This work showed worrying failure by both wholesale and retail intermediaries to comply with FSA rules on client money potentially putting consumers at risk of financial loss, and therefore a large-scale review will be conducted later this year. The most serious issues found in the pilot were:
* shortfalls in client money accounts that could not be corrected;
* firms failing to do the client money calculation correctly (with some not doing it at all) or on time;
* firms failing to observe trust law and potentially risking client money;
* non-compliance with terms of risk transfer agreements (RTAs);
* firms failing to account for money held at third parties;
* a general lack of awareness of the requirement to have client money systems and controls audited; and
* clients not told about matters affecting their money.
http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pages/Library/Communication/PR/2006/045.shtml
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CIM Chemical
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The US Chemical Safety Board will investigate a propylene explosion at Huntsman Corporation's Port Arthur, Texas manufacturing plant. The facility, also known as the Light Olefins Unit (LOU), produces ethylene, propylene, cyclohexane and benzene. There were no casualties, but a major fire will force the plant to remain closed for some time. This has already led to temporary shutdowns following supply shortages for manufacturers, including Nova Chemicals Corp.
http://www.huntsman.com/index.cfm?PageID=5549&News_ID=1499&style=4544
http://www.csb.gov/index.cfm?folder=news_releases&page=news&NEWS_ID=290

Having concluded cleanup of deteriorating rocket fuel (melange) in Georgia, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has moved from the Caucasus to Eastern Europe and Central Asia. In addition to major environmental risks, there is a serious security threat should terrorists or other criminal groups gain access to or destroy the storage tanks.
http://www.osce.org/item/18842.html

The European Commission has fined seven companies a total of EU388 million for operating a cartel in the chemicals sector. Arkema (France), Akzo Nobel (Netherlands), FMC Foret (Spain), Kemira (Finland), Snia and Edison (Italy) and Solvay (Belgium) exchanged confidential, commercially important information, limited output, allocated market shares and customers, and fixed prices of hydrogen peroxide and perborate.
http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/560&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=fr
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CIM Commercial Facilities
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Tan Kian Hoon, chairman of Singapore's National Crime Prevention Council, discusses counterterrorism features in the way buildings are designed and managed in Business Times Singapore. He recommends a process known as the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design principles (CPTED). For example, buildings should be hardened to protect the structures from bombings, ballistic attacks, and forced entries, and perimeter defenses such as surveillance, detection, and physical barriers. Buildings should be designed to preventing collapse in an explosion, and reducing such dangers as flying glass.
http://business.times.asia1.com.sg
http://www.cpu.sa.gov.au/sa_cpted.htm
http://www.ncpc.gov.sg/pdf/CPTED%20Guidebook.pdf

Nigeria's Minister of Internal Affairs has threatened to close banks and companies who have not registered private security guards with the ministry. They claim that unlicensed guards are often unqualified or turn out to be criminals.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/niger_delta/nd103052006.html

Universities in Baghdad have implemented checkpoints and other security measures after a number of attacks that killed 25 college students and led many others to stop attending.
http://www.criticalinfrastructuremonitor.com/2006/05/CIM0701.shtml
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CIM Cybersecurity
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Mozilla has released a Firefox browser fix to address a serious security in handling JavaScript.
http://www.mozilla.org/security/announce/2006/mfsa2006-30.html

A critical buffer overflow vulnerability in the Unix and Linux X-Windows system has been identified. Patches are available.
http://secunia.com/advisories/19900
http://scan.coverity.com/news.html

Redspin offers a white paper describing the increased vulnerability presented when banks move automated teller machines (ATMs) from propriety networks to TCP/IP.
http://www.redspin.com/press_04_13_06.html

University of Calgary researchers describe new techniques to create spam that can bypass even the best filters and trick experienced users by analyzing email patterns and mimicking messages sent by friends, making if more likely that you inadvertently would access malicious items. The researchers also propose realistic solutions to mitigate these risks.
http://www.ucalgary.ca/news/april06/virus.html

SANS Institute top 20 internet security vulnerabilities spring report described eight major trends:
* Rapid growth in critical vulnerabilities being discovered in Mac OS/X including a zero-day vulnerability (OS/X still remains safer than Windows, but its reputation for offering a bullet-proof alternative to Windows is in tatters.)
* Substantial decline in the number of critical vulnerabilities in Windows Services, offset by flaws in client-side software, including the WMF vulnerability and Internet Explorer flaws, listed in Trend #3.
* Continuing discovery of multiple zero-day vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer.
* Rapid growth in critical Firefox and Mozilla vulnerabilities.
* Surge in commodity zero-day attacks used to infiltrate systems for profit motives.
* Rapid growth in three types of critical vulnerabilities allowing direct access to databases, data warehouses, and backup data (Oracle, Veritas Back-Up and SQL Injection attacks).
* A continuing surge in file-based attacks, especially using media and image files, Microsoft Excel files, and more.
* A rapidly spreading scourge of successful spear-phishing attacks, especially among defense and nuclear energy sites.
http://www.sans.org/top20/2005/spring_2006_update.php

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has taken action against two companies that secretly downloaded spyware onto unsuspecting consumers' computers. A default judgment against Sanford Wallace and Smartbot.Net orders them to give up $4,089,500 gained by exploiting a security vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer in order to distribute spyware. Odysseus Marketing and its principal, Walter Rines, who also used surreptitious spyware, were ordered to stop collecting consumer information.
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2006/05/seismic.htm

FTC also filed federal complaints charging five Web-based operations with obtaining and selling consumers’ confidential telephone records to third parties in violation of federal law. FTC is asking for a permanent halt to the sale of the phone records, and for the courts to order the operators to give up the money made through these illegal operations.
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2006/05/phonerecords.htm

A case of identity fraud has cheated aspiring British musicians out of thousands of pounds. The case involved a criminal introducing himself as AC/DC producer George Young, then obtained money, credit cards, and passports in connection with fake opportunities in the music industry.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/music/acdc-rocked-by-id-scam/2006/05/03/1146335785397.html
http://www.metalhammer.co.uk/news/article/?id=43968
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=51755

The Center for Democracy and Privacy has released Privacy Best Practices for RFID Technology (interim draft). In a related technology development, IBM has announced "clipped tags" that  "permit a consumer to disable a tag by mechanically altering the tag in such a way that the ability of a reader to interrogate the RFID tag by wireless mean is inhibited".
http://www.cdt.org/privacy/20060501rfid-best-practices.php
http://domino.watson.ibm.com/library/cyberdig.nsf/1e4115aea78b6e7c85256b360066f0d4/d25e54db29daa9aa8525707c00702c9f?OpenDocument&Highlight=0,karjoth

In Canada, the Greater Ontario Transit Authority found that the scrolling messages on many of their trains was hacked to display "Stephen Harper Eats Babies" instead of the usual station and travel messages. (Stephen Harper is the Canadian Prime Minister.) A remote control device is used to program such signs, but this system was not password protected. To change it, new software is being supplied, and it will take about three days to make all the necessary changes.
http://www.exclusivead.com/Stephen Harper LED Response.pdf
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1146520226985

The Reconnex Insider Threat Index reports these leading risk indicators:
* Webmail – In line with previous Insider Threat Index findings, 89 percent of companies assessed had Webmail running over their networks.
*SSN – 89 percent of companies leaked Social Security numbers.
* CCN – 67 percent of companies exposed credit card numbers.
* Instant Messenger (IM) – Because IM can easily leave the network without detection, most organizations forbid its use, yet 78 percent of companies had IM on their networks.
* Peer-to-Peer (P2P) – P2P file sharing protocols, banned by most companies because they pose grave risks to corporate security, were found in 78 percent of companies, compared to 35 percent in all of 2005.
* Remote access protocols – These were present in 66 percent of companies.
* Rogue VOIP protocols – 22 percent of organizations had Skype on their networks.
http://www.reconnex.net/news/articles/pr_05.01.06B.asp

The UK Information Commissioner issued a guidance note recommending use of federated identity management standards and software that provides anonymity to computer users.
http://www.ico.gov.uk/eventual.aspx?pg=SR&cID=8324

The US National Governors Association's Center for Best Practices released "Protecting Privacy in Integrated Justice Systems". The brief calls for states to implement major improvements in data safeguards. Recommended privacy practices include:
*  Establishing a collaborative process to develop privacy policies for justice information sharing initiatives;
* Identifying areas where justice information sharing initiatives put individuals' privacy protections at risk;
* Conducting legal analyses of privacy laws and regulations that impact justice information sharing systems;
* Defining statewide privacy principles to govern the operation of justice information sharing initiatives;  
* Developing privacy policies that protect information in different contextual settings; and
 * Enforcing accountability and setting minimum security statewide standards for justice information sharing initiatives.
http://www.nga.org/Files/pdf/0604CJISPRIVACY.PDF

Switzerland's Consumer Protection Association is concerned by the data protection raised by two large retailers plans to launch loyalty cards tracking consumer buying habits.
http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/front/detail/Supermarket_credit_cards_cause_concern.html?siteSect=105&sid=6675133&cKey=1146498776000
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CIM Energy
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Bolivian President Evo Morales has nationalized the natural gas and oil industries, inviting foreign companies to agree to new contracts or leave within the next six months. This measure is designed to ensure that most benefits from natural resources accrue to the people of Bolivia, not to multinational corporations. Bolivian gas is mainly sold to neighboring states, and soon after the nationalization the presidents of Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela agreed to new prices for Bolivian gas. Internationally, Spain, which has significant interests in the country, says they have reached an understanding and will continue discussions over new contracts. This is not the case with other groups, which do not see Bolivia as a key player in international markets.
http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID={F5188587-7D07-41A6-AD70-DD64E993BCA2})&language=EN
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4964300.stm
http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,414056,00.html
http://www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=55734
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000086&sid=aLFQDkVP4hpA&refer=latin_america
http://www.forbes.com/2006/05/04/bolivia-petrobras-brazil-cx_po_0504autofacescan10.html
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8HD798O2.htm?campaign_id=apn_home_down&chan=db

Sanda National Laboratories report "SANDIA REPORT SAND2005-7339 (Unlimited Release) Printed January 2006, Review of the Independent Risk Assessment of the Proposed Cabrillo Liquefied Natural Gas Deepwater Port Project" says that in the worst case scenario an LNG release could extend 7.3 miles, up from an estimate of 2 miles in 2004. Now a film, "The Risks and Danger of LNG" focuses on these dangers and calls on the government to conduct large-scale tests that could help improve unreliable and inconsistent computer models.
http://www.slc.ca.gov/Division_Pages/DEPM/DEPM_Programs_and_Reports/BHP_Deep_Water_Port/RevisedDraftEIR/1aCabTransport/PDF%20Text-All%20Sections/4.02%20Public%20Safety.pdf
http://lngdanger.com/
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CIM Nuclear Reactors, Materials, and Waste
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The UK Health and Safety Executive is bringing a criminal prosecution against operators of the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant for breaching safety conditions and permitting a serious leak that was not immediately detected.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2006/e06052.htm
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CIM Public Health and Healthcare
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"Rats and Human Health in Africa" was an international workshop held in South Africa last week. Attendees from 20 countries found that rising numbers of rodents in Africa pose an increasing threat of serious diseases such as bubonic plague and Lassa fever. The problem is associated with increased urbanization and poor sanitary systems.
http://www.nri.org/news/newslatest.htm#rats
http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=270817&area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__africa/

"Progress for Children: A Report Card on Nutrition" is a new UN report that finds more than a quarter of all children under five in developing countries are underweight or poorly nourished. This contributes to 5.6 million child deaths each year, even though many remedies, such as providing vitamin A, cost just a few cents.
http://www.unicef.org/nutrition/index_33721.html

In an effort to combat childhood obesity, the US, the Alliance for a Healthier Generation has negotiated an agreement with Cadbury Schweppes, Coca Cola and PepsiCo to provide only unsweetened juice, water and low-fat milks will be sold in elementary and middle schools, with diet drinks allowed in high schools.
http://www.healthiergeneration.org/beverage.html
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2006/05/childhoodobesity.htm
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CIM Transportation
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The US National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) released an unclassified National Strategy to Combat Terrorist Travel. It cites three strategic objectives:
* Suppress Terrorists' Ability to Cross International Borders: using intelligence collection, analysis, production and dissemination; and terrorist screening and information sharing with foreign partners
* Help Partner Nations Build Capacity to Limit Terrorist Travel: through engagement with multilateral organizations; international financial and technical assistance; and denial of safe have to terrorists
Deny Terrorists Access to Resources That Facilitate Travel: by implementing global standards for travel documents, and monitoring and defeating terrorist travel facilitator networks
http://www.nctc.gov/docs/u_terrorist_travel_book_may2_2006.pdf

In November 2004 the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) permitted commercial airports to apply to use private screeners in place of government screeners, under the Screening Partnership Program (SPP). There were concerns over liability of private contractors, the division of responsibilities between TSA and private companies, and similar issues. The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) released "Airport Security: Progress Made to Set Up Program Using Private-Sector Screeners, but More Work Remains". This new report says that roles and responsibilities must be documented and communicated, and performance measures and targets established.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-166

The International Maritime Bureau has released its "Report on Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships". The latest statistics indicate that global piracy in the first quarter of 2006 had increased 8 percent compared to 2005, with 61 versus 56 attacks. Overall, the level of piracy has reached a plateau. This is attributed to increased law enforcement, awareness, and anti-piracy measures taken by shipmasters in high risk areas. Worldwide, Somali and Nigerian waters are most dangerous, and violent attacks are on the increase. Current alerts warn of the northeast and eastern coast of Somalia, and the Gelasa Straits in Indonesia.
http://www.icc-ccs.org/main/news.php?newsid=67
http://www.icc-ccs.org/prc/piracyreport.php

The US Department of Homeland Security released the Maritime Infrastructure Recovery Plan.
http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?content=5583

The Nigerian Trawler Owners Association has called on the government to provide better protection against pirates along coastal areas, which is harming fishing.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/business/may06/05052006/b405052006.html

A new Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) has opened in Kenya. It will provide rapid response to piracy attacks and accidents at sea.
http://www.imo.org/
http://za.today.reuters.com/news/NewsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-05-05T141150Z_01_BAN551097_RTRIDST_0_OZATP-KENYA-MARITIME-20060505.XML

Deepwater is a US Coast Guard program first designed to produce aircraft and vessels to support traditional at-sea roles, but this was expanded to address expanded counterterrorism activities. This is a very large program, and many of the plans to replace or renovate assets have been fraught with problems. The US Government Accountability Office's (GAO) new report, "Coast Guard: Changes to Deepwater Plan Appear Sound, and Program Management Has Improved, but Continued Monitoring Is Warranted" provides a current review of Deepwater's progress.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-546

The Faeroe Islands have opened an underwater tunnel, the second of its kind in the Faeroes, that unites 85 percent of the population by road, rather than sailing among the 18 islands.
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CIM Water
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An external review of the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) water policy finds the organization must "do more and do better" to turn the Water for All policy into action. Asia's water sector is critical for development and change, and to support this ADB should:
*  Increase its commitments and develops capacity on water assistance
* Develop long-term partnerships with stakeholders in its developing member countries and donors
* Build on progress made in integrated water resource management to focus on stakeholder needs and ownership
* Promote 'business unusual' in water services
* Improve its processes to ensure effective policy implementation
http://www.adb.org/Media/Articles/2006/9805-Annual-Meeting-water-policy/default.asp

The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) released "Securing Wastewater Facilities: Utilities Have Made Important Upgrades but Further Improvements to Key System Components May Be Limited by Costs and Other Constraints". The report explains:
"Wastewater facilities provide essential services to residential, commercial, and industrial users, yet they may possess certain characteristics that terrorists could exploit to impair the wastewater treatment process or to damage surrounding infrastructure. For example, large underground collector sewers could be accessed by terrorists for purposes of placing destructive devices beneath buildings or city streets".
GAO recommends that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) identify ways to better coordinate activities and share information.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-390

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6. Disaster Reduction Monitor

The Disaster Reduction Monitor will be published in print later this year. News highlights from the past week are provided in this free email update, but detailed analysis, background information and source documents are only available to subscribers. For more information, email info@tamni.com

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DRM Incidents
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To understand the devastating impact of the east African drought, read this firsthand account by pastoral elders in Ethiopia:
http://www.disasterreductionmonitor.com/2006/05/DRM0701.shtml

Angola's death toll from the cholera outbreak now exceeds 1,000: 25 deaths per day.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200605050062.html
http://www.msf.org/

Armenia's Armavia Airlines A-320 airbus crashed into the Black Sea, killing all 113 passengers and crew. Russian authorities say that bad weather is a more likely cause than terrorism, but the investigation continues, including efforts to recover the flight recorders. Two days after this incident, a second Armavia Airbus was destroyed in a fire.

An earthquake measuring 8.1 on the Richter scale, and large aftershocks, struck Tongo and issued a tsunami alert. However, a power failure on the Pacific Island nation meant they did not receive the warning. The emergency satellite system malfunctioned. Fortunately, the waves did not materialize and there was little damage and no serious injuries.
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DRM Response and Recovery
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The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) launched a new water network to serve up to 30,000 victims of the Pakistani earthquake.
http://www.unicef.org/media/media_33759.html

The US Minerals Management Service reports that hurricanes Karrina and Rita destroyed 113 petroleum platforms and damaged 457 pipelines, a sharp increase from prior estimates that may increase further as underwater inspections continue.
http://www.mms.gov
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DRM Risks
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A lava dome has formed on the southern slope of Mount Merapi volcano in Indonesia. It is one of about 129 active volcanoes in the country and last erupted in 1930, when it killed some 1,300 people.

The US Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs released "Hurricane Katrina: A Nation Still Unprepared".
http://hsgac.senate.gov/_files/Katrina/FullReport.pdf
http://hsgac.senate.gov/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Links.Katrina

Two recent reports form the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) address issues with wildfires. "Wildland Fire Management: Update on Federal Agency Efforts to Develop a Cohesive Strategy to Address Wildland Fire Threats" explains that the number of acres burned by wildland fires from 2000 to 2005 was 70 percent greater than in the 1990s,  while federal fire management appropriations tripled. Six different federal agencies are involved in managing and responding to wildfires, but still have not developed a coordinated and cohesive strategy. Catastrophic damage will continue to increase until an adequate long-term federal response is implemented and operational. In a related matter, the small trees, limbs and brush ("woody biomass") left after thinning vegetation on public lands may be developed commercially to help underwrite the cost of thinning.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-671R
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-336
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DRM Mitigation
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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced a milestone in the expanded US tsunami warning system. 24-hour staffing and more detection buoys will allow speedier forecasting.
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2006/s2620.htm

New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin presented the consolidated Hurricane Preparedness Plan for the 2006 hurricane season, which begins 1 June. The plan envisions a complete evacuation, with no refuge of last resort. The stadium that was used unsuccessfully as a refuge during Hurricane Katrina would be a staging post for moving residents, primarily on trains. The city has not yet completed a contract with Amtrak to cover these requirements.
http://secure.cityofno.com/portal.aspx?portal=46&tabid=38
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-5/1146986995259510.xml

The International Federation of Employee Benefits Plans (IFEB) issued "Disaster Planning". In addition to providing sample plans and checklists that incorporate new threats of avian influenza, the 550-page publication incorporates survey results that find:
* 53 percent of organizations have a disaster plan, and 27 percent are planning to create one within a year
* Recent disasters have led 67 percent of those with a plan to update it
* Most disaster plans include employee counseling or assistance programs, and emergency payroll distributions or cash advances
http://eservice.ifebp.org/site/vision_productsearch.asp?TrackID=&VID=&CID=&ABSTRACTQTY=&DID=&page=1&MODE=2&PRODUCT=6177

The US Department of Treasury announced an interim final rule as part of its implementation of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Extension Act of 2005 (TRIA). It addresses changes to the types of commercial property and casualty insurance covered by TRIA, clarifies requirements for insurers in satisfying the mandatory insurance availability provisions, and implements a new Program Trigger loss threshold that must be met before the Federal government potentially shares in insured losses.
http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/js4242.htm

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7. Recommended Reading

Three key reports addressing causes, consequences, and intervention in terrorism were released last week.

Foreign Policy magazine and the Fund for Peace released the "2006 Failed States Index". Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo top the list, followed by Ivory Coast, Iraq, Zimbabwe, Chad, Somalia, Haiti, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. Eleven of the 20 most failed states are in Africa. The least failed of the 146 nations examined was Norway. The rankings are determined by 12 criteria, such as demographic pressures, movement of people, legacy of vengeance, economic factors and so forth.
http://www.fundforpeace.org/
http://www.foreignpolicy.com

The US Department of State released "Country Reports on Terrorism 2005". In introducing the report, Special Coordinator for Counterterrorism Henry Crumpton discussed trends noted in the report:
*
* More threats emerging from small cells and even individuals, some with more autonomy, therefore they are more difficult to detect and engage. ... We may face a larger number of smaller attacks, less meticulously planned and local, rather than transnational in scope.
* Terrorists groups are becoming more sophisticated. They use technology, especially the internet, to improve their global reach, intelligence collection and operational capacity.
* Increasing integration of terrorist and criminal enterprises.
* We have denied Iraq as a safe haven for Saddam Hussein's terrorist regime, for remnants of Abu Nidal, for Palestine Liberation Front leader Abu Abbas and Ansar al-Sunna, which operated a base near the Iranian border. This year's report includes a chapter on terrorist safe haven, including cyberspace.
* For some terrorists Iraq is also a cause. Networks that support the flow of foreign terrorists to Iraq have been uncovered in several parts of the world.
* Again in 2005, Iran remained the most active sponsor of terrorism.
http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/rm2/65482.htm
http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/crt/c17689.htm

Statistics for this report were compiled by the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC). All items listed are approximate:
* 11,000 terrorist attacks occurred in 2005 and resulted in over 14,600 deaths.
* Iraq accounted for just over 30 percent of worldwide attacks (3500) and 55 percent of fatalities (8300)
* 630 attacks accounted for just over 50 percent of the total fatalities
* 54 percent of attacks were against facilities and/or resulted in no casualties
* At least a quarter of worldwide victims were Muslim, most in Iraq
* Other noncombatants frequently killed or injured were police (6,600), children (1000), government officials (300), clergy/religious figures (170), teachers (140), journalists (110)
* The vast majority of fatalities were from armed attacks and bombings.
* 360 suicide bombings accounted for 20 percent of fatalities
* 56 Americans were killed in terrorist attacks in 2005; 47 of these in Iraq
http://wits.nctc.gov/

For historical perspective, supporting documents and analysis, consider "Patterns of Global Terrorism" edited by TerrorismCentral's Anna Sabasteanski.
http://www.berkshirepublishing.com

Last, but most important, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan released "Uniting Against Terrorism: Recommendations for a Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy". The recommendations follow from a fundamental conviction that "terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, committed by whomever, wherever and for whatever purposes, in unacceptable and can never be justified". It builds on these fundamental components, originally presented at the Madrid conference last year:
* Dissuading people from resorting to terrorism or supporting it;
* Denying terrorists the means to carry out an attack;
* Deterring States from supporting terrorism;
* Developing State capacity to defeat terrorism, and;
* Defending human rights
From these categories come specific recommendations for member states to prevent the use of biological weapons, terrorist use of the Internet, and so forth. The General Assembly is scheduled to begin consultations on this strategy and other counter-terrorism issues on 11 May.
http://www.un.org/unitingagainstterrorism/sgstatement.html
http://www.un.org/unitingagainstterrorism/