Conflict & Security archives: March-April 2004

• 30 April 2004
  

  "From Boston to Livermore, Calif., "hot labs" designed to combat bioterrorism and house the world's deadliest germs are being planned and constructed with a huge cash infusion from the federal government. Supporters of the unprecedented building boom say the new or expanded high-containment labs—there are at least 18—are essential to national security in a post-Sept. 11 world. But as the labs rise on college campuses and government installations across the country, so do concerns about safety and security. Neighbors fear that some frightening variant of Ebola virus, plague or other deadly disease could be loosed into their backyards, and are filing lawsuits and lobbying politicians to halt construction." As new labs are being built for the purpose of studying deadly diseases and biological agents, many people are working to keep labs out of their communities. Learn more about this new "not in my back yard" syndrome in USA Today.

• 29 April 2004
  

  "As the U.S. government debates changing the intelligence structure, a fledgling center created to provide 'one-stop shopping' for terrorism information is wrestling with issues of technology and secrecy. The Terrorist Threat Integration Center (TTIC), which hits the one-year mark on Saturday, was established to address the failure of intelligence agencies to 'connect the dots' and uncover the Sept. 11, 2001, plot...The TTIC is trying to meld the cultures, technology and secrets of various agencies so that its analysts can sift through terrorism information scattered around the government and try to piece together a coherent picture....But it still must overcome hurdles in technology and secrecy. The agencies that collect intelligence information on terrorism have different computer systems, illustrated by the six separate computer towers under Brennan's desk." In addition to the bureaucratic obstacles that stand in the way of intelligence sharing, there are also technological issues that institutions like the TTIC must overcome. Learn more at CNET.com.

• 28 April 2004
  

  "For military medics, the lesson that matters most from Lt. Jeff Copeland's US Marine convoy is not that it was ambushed three times by Iraqi insurgents on a single run. The key point for them: How and where were the two US casualties wounded? As US troops struggle with ongoing violence, a newly established US Navy Combat Trauma Registry is charting casualty patterns in hopes of improving troop protection. The number of US dead in April has reached 122, with nearly 900 troops wounded." In an effort to reduce the number of American casualties, the U.S. military is working to compile data on the types of wounds that American soldiers are suffering and devising ways to prevent the most common types of injury. Learn more in the Christian Science Monitor.

• 27 April 2004
  

  "Computer security experts tend not to be easily shocked by people's foolhardy, frequently cavalier attitudes toward online security. But even within this generally hardened breed, some expressed surprise over the results of a recent survey in Britain that underscored the profound vulnerability of the world's computer networks. A man posted outside a London subway station at rush hour offered a chocolate bar to random passers-by if they would reveal the password they used to log on to the Internet. Amazingly, more than 7 out of 10 took the offer....among computer experts, even this informal exercise pointed out a persistent truism: that for the millions of dollars corporations have spent on erecting firewalls and installing expensive intruder-detection systems on their networks, the weakest link in any system remains the ordinary, well-meaning but hopelessly gullible user." Learn more in the New York Times.

• 26 April 2004
  

  "For the U.S. Army, Doppler radar isn't just about more precise weather mapping and detecting wind shear. It also holds promise as an early warning system for airborne biological and chemical attacks. Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers are working with the Army to develop a detection system that would involve modifying federal radar stations in nearly three dozen cities...The threat of airborne releases of chemical or biological agents in the skies, once grist for pulp spy novels, took on new urgency after the September 11 attacks. Investigators found evidence that groups of men -- which may have included one of the hijackers -- made repeated inquiries about crop-duster planes in Florida, possibly to disperse chemical agents like the nerve agent VX, or biological poisons such as anthrax." Scientists are examining ways that they can use the Doppler radar, a system most commonly used to track weather patterns, to prevent terrorist attacks. Learn more at CNN.com.

• 23 April 2004
  

  "An electronic money transaction has been carried out in at a bank in Austria using entangled photons to create an unbreakable communications code. Although commercial quantum cryptography products already exist, none of these use entangled photons to guarantee secure communications. The link was used to transfer money between Vienna City Hall and Bank Austria Creditanstalt on Wednesday. The cryptographic system was developed by Anton Zeilinger and colleagues from the University of Vienna and the Austrian company ARC Seibersdorf Research." Scientists recently conducted a successful wire transfer using entangled photons to communicate--providing a method of completely secure communications. Learn more at the New Scientist.

• 22 April 2004
  

  "Future severe outbreaks of worms, viruses and other malicious programs are only going to be avoided with a radical new approach to computer security. So says Marcus Ranum, a senior technologist at respected security firm TruSecure and the man credited with creating the first commercial firewall. Mr Ranum says there is a growing divide between the way that organisations and end users tackle computer security. 'Although we are making huge inroads in security for corporations,' he says, 'the end users do not get it.' In particular says Mr Ranum, home users do not seem to worry about security at all." Although there are many tools that users can employ to fight against computing problems like hackers, spyware, and spam some specialists are worried that most computer users are failing to safeguard themselves from such cyberthreats. Learn more at the BBC.com.

• 21 April 2004
  

  "Major companies and government agencies are scrambling to ensure they are not vulnerable to an Internet flaw that would allow attacks that could disrupt all communication. The Department of Homeland Security issued a Technical Cyber Security Alert Tuesday, warning that 'sustained attacks' on routers between networks could lead to a 'denial-of-service condition that could affect a large segment of the Internet community.' The flaw is not new, but it was thought too difficult to exploit until researcher Paul Watson reported finding a way remote attackers could terminate network sessions." A new report suggests that the underlying technology that the internet relies upon is vulnerable to an attack that could, essentially, bring the internet down. Learn more about this issue at CNN.com.

• 20 April 2004
  

  "Spyware and adware are rivaling viruses as online pests, but not only consumers are concerned: Vendors and ISPs, who field the brunt of complaints, are gearing up for a fight...Nonviral threats were the number one reason consumers called Dell's tech support last year, said Maureen Cushman, one of three primary legal contacts for Dell's consumer business segment. 'They represented 12 percent of all tech support,' she said. 'Data shows that spyware calls are longer and require much more troubleshooting. Usually the complaint is that the computer is performing slowly. This slowness is often perceived as a hardware problem, which hurts our brand.'" In addition to creating a nuisance for users, spyware and adware are beginning to affect the profit margins of many companies. Learn more at PC World.com.

• 19 April 2004
  

  "A robotic plane deliberately dropped a bomb near a truck at Edwards Air Force Base on Sunday, marking another step forward for technology the U.S. military hopes will one day replace human pilots on dangerous combat missions...The military sees such aircraft taking part in its most dangerous missions, such as bombing enemy radar and surface-to-air missile batteries, in order to clear the path for human pilots. The Y-shaped, tailless plane has a 34-foot wingspan and weighs 8,000 pounds empty. It is the first drone designed specifically to carry weapons into combat." The successful test of an un-manned robotic plane designed to carry weapons suggests that the U.S. military might eventually use robotic planes instead of human pilots. Learn more in USA Today.

• 16 April 2004
  

  "Imagine this scenario: Computer hackers working for Al Qaeda break into Russia's nuclear weapons network, and 'spoof' the system into believing it is under attack, setting off a chain reaction, and a real nuclear counterattack... such what-ifs are among the nuclear terrorism threats that analysts are reexamining, as the learning curve of terror groups today comes closer to intersecting the vulnerabilities of atomic arsenals. A handful of Russian and American nuclear experts, both military and civilian, are quietly convening a first meeting in Moscow later this month, to launch a year-long modeling exercise to specify the new dangers." As terrorists are becoming more adept at utilizing technology, some fear that old stockpiles of nuclear weapons are becoming more vulnerable. Learn more in a startling report published in the Christian Science Monitor.

• 15 April 2004
  

  "The press had lots of fun with the recent robot debacle in California's Mojave Desert. Competing for US$1 million in prize money, 15 vehicles headed off on a 142-mile course through some of the most forbidding terrain in the United States. None managed to navigate even eight miles. The robots hit fences, caught fire, rolled over, or sat and did nothing. However, the purpose of the event was not NASCAR for nerds but a coldly calculated plan to construct a generation of killer machines. Sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the March 13 "race" was part of the US Department of Defense's plan to make one-third of the military's combat vehicles driverless by 2015." Although the recent robot race in California ended in complete failure, the U.S. military is investing heavily in robotic technology. And while the idea of a robotic army seems like something out of science fiction, the U.S. is already using unmanned robotic vehicles in Iraq and Afghanistan. Learn more in the Asia Times.

• 14 April 2004
  

  "President Vladimir Putin on Monday reaffirmed his support for the demilitarization of space but added that Russia must be ready to counter others' moves to the contrary. In a speech to top space officials on Cosmonauts Day, which marks the 43rd anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's epochal spaceflight, Putin also hailed the Soviet Union's space glory and emphasized that space research remains a top priority for the government. Putin's statement follows February's test of what was described a pioneering new weapon that could elude missile defense systems such as the one being developed by the United States. 'For many years, space has been part of military-political rivalry,' Putin said Monday. 'Now we must do everything to demilitarize space and turn it into the arena of peaceful cooperation.'" Many argue that space will be the next frontier for an international arms race. Putin's remarks, however, suggest that perhaps the Russian President is trying to prevent space from becoming a military theater. Learn more at CNN.com.

• 13 April 2004
  

  "A U.S. robot manufacturer Monday hailed the destruction of one of its units in Iraq and said it showed how valuable the machines have become for the U.S. military. iRobot Corporation learned last week from the Pentagon that one of its units, called a PackBot, was "destroyed in action" for the first time. Its destruction meant the life of a U.S. soldier may well have been saved, the company said. The 42-pound base unit, known as the PackBot Scout, costs around $50,000 and operates in adverse conditions such as navigating steep terrain, exploring mountain caves, falling off cliffs and fording streams. When fitted with a special arm, a PackBot can reach and disrupt booby traps that have emerged as a weapon of choice among Iraqi insurgents." The first robotic "casualty" of the war in Iraq demonstrates how important robots and un-manned vehicles are becoming to the U.S. military. Learn more at CNN.com.

• 12 April 2004
  

  "Afghan fighters bristling with rocket launchers and machine guns pour into a government compound here to try to intimidate a small team of U.S. Special Forces soldiers in their midst. The Green Berets, a long way from home and two days from their base, want to destroy 10 tons of weapons found in bunkers under the hilltop headquarters of the fighters' leader, a district chief here. The atmosphere is suddenly hostile. 'If things go sour,' Special Forces Capt. Paul Toolan tells a two-man sniper crew he quickly orders into position on a rooftop, 'go for the head of the food chain.' He nods at the white-turbaned district chief standing nervously a few feet away." Today, U.S. Special Forces are playing an integral role in ongoing conflict in Afghanistan. Learn more about the varied roles that these troops play in an interesting report by Gregg Zoroya of USA Today.

• 9 April 2004
  

  "When American forces in Afghanistan shut down al Qaeda terrorist training camps, experts say the terror group moved its bases to the virtual world. The Internet is a powerful tool for the terrorist organization, not just to coordinate operations and launch attacks, but to promote its message worldwide, all at the touch of a button. Israeli terror analyst Reuven Paz believes the Internet has become the primary communication tool for al Qaeda. 'This process took place mainly after September 11 and it became the main field of activity at least for propaganda, for indoctrination, for recruitment for al Qaeda,' Paz, an analyst at the Interdisciplinary Center, says." In response to the United States' invasion of Afghanistan, members of al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations are utilizing the internet to communicate and coordinate. Learn more at CNN.com.

• 8 April 2004
  

  "In Saudi Arabia, the government has banned cash contributions in local mosques and removed cash collection boxes for charities from local shopping malls. It surmised some of that money ends up in the hands of terrorist groups. In Paris, an independent body called the Financial Action Task Force works with its 31-member nations to improve their techniques for ferreting out and eliminating flows of illegal funds to suspect groups. And across the United States, federal investigators are getting more money and staff to track unusual financial transactions. These activities are all part of the war on the financial side of terrorism." In a less visible effort to combat terrorism, many countries are working to fight terrorists by going after their funding. Yet, this task remains difficult and some argue that it is futile. Learn more in The Christian Science Monitor (link no longer active).

• 7 April 2004
  

  "Mobile phones are in the hands of millions of people around the world. And increasingly, it appears, in the hands of terrorists. The bombers who targeted commuter trains in Madrid on March 11 used the built-in alarm clock in mobile phones to set off explosives. In Jerusalem, it is believed a call to a cell phone in a rucksack set off a bomb at Hebrew University in 2002, killing seven...David Claridge, of the Risk Advisory Group, said: 'Mobile phones are relatively cheap, you can acquire them in relatively large numbers and you can build a whole stack of them at one time and place them and set them off at your leisure. It means that you can step away some considerable distance, the other side of the world, in order to initiate the explosive device.'" While the pervasive use of cell phones is generally regarded as a triumph of affordable personal technology, recent evidence suggests that terrorists are also using the devices for destructive ends. Learn more at CNN.com.

• 6 April 2004
  

  "The Bush administration's argument for shunning a global treaty on land mines rests largely on the U.S. military's use of "smart," self-destructing mines that don't linger after wars end to kill and maim civilians. But it has a quiet subtext: the expectation that future generations of mines will be so smart that soldiers can activate and deactivate entire minefields by remote control. Smart mines that are programmed to self-destruct, sometimes within hours, have been used by the U.S. military for about two decades. They accomplish the feat in a pretty low-tech manner -- with an internal clock or a battery that has to run out eventually." In the face of international debate, the United States has shown reluctance to agree to cease use of land mines. Today, however, the technology might exist to make land mines increasingly effective--and more humane. Learn more in Wired News.

• 5 April 2004
  

  "A UN project launched several years ago to try to defuse potential conflicts has begun to build on its successes. The project, developed by the UN's Environment Programme, tries to tackle environmental threats before they can push neighbouring states into war. After years of delicate negotiations, Unep recently brokered a treaty aimed at protecting the fragile Caspian Sea. Now it says many countries have learnt to trust it and to work much faster in trying to resolve their differences. The project is called the Env/Sec Initiative: Enhancing Environment and Security in South-Eastern Europe and Central Asia." After successfully brokering an agreement between a number of countries surrounding the Caspian Sea, a UN program is hoping to foster political cooperation between states by facilitating environmental agreements. Learn more in BBC.com.

• 2 April 2004
  

  "The Pentagon is rushing into service in Iraq a pair of technologies developed under its advanced research arm: a Humvee-mounted sensor for pinpointing hostile gunfire and a 'command post of the future' designed to cut down on combat leaders' travel and streamline decision-making...urgent war zone needs have prompted the Pentagon agency to get to soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan inventions ranging from handheld computerized language translators to thousands of pen-sized water purifiers." While agencies like DARPA are known for developing some rather far-fetched inventions, some recent innovations might help reduce some of the deadly threats that U.S. troops are facing. Learn more at CNN.com.

• 1 April 2004
  

  "Australia announced plans to licence the sale of ammonium nitrate fertiliser after British police seized the bomb-making ingredient during an anti-terror operation. Attorney-General Phillip Ruddock has urged state governments to move quickly to regulate the sale of the dangerous ingredient. He is proposing they issue licences to people who manufacture and sell the fertiliser while those who want to purchase the product must obtain a permit." Demonstrating that the war on terrorism can take many forms, the Australian government recently announced that it would regulate the sale of ammonium rich fertilizer. Learn more in Yahoo News (link no longer active).

• 31 March 2004
  

  "Civil rights campaigners have voiced concerns over plans to implement a global biometric identity system for air travelers. The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) is set to agree an international standard for facial recognition on all new passports. The plans have the backing of the US government and the European Union. It could create a global database of over a billion people by 2015, warned Privacy International...'We are increasingly concerned that the biometric travel document initiative is part and parcel of a larger surveillance infrastructure monitoring the movements of individuals globally,' said civil liberty groups Privacy International and the American Civil Liberties Union." While many governments support the use of biometric passports, many civil liberties groups are fighting against their use. Learn more at the BBC.com.

• 30 March 2004
  

  "A revolutionary jet engine flew faster than seven times the speed of sound in a high altitude test over the Pacific on Saturday, marking what NASA scientists hailed as a milestone in developing the 'Holy Grail' of space travel. 'It's been an outstanding, record-breaking day,' lead propulsion engineer Lawrence Huebner told a post-flight briefing... Researchers at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, on the western edge of the Mojave Desert north of Los Angeles, hope the new engine will revolutionize aviation, speeding the development of significantly faster aircraft and lowering the cost of launching payloads." The successful tests of a high-speed jet has many scientists hoping that we are about to enter a new age of more efficient space travel. Learn more in Reuters (link no longer active).

  
  
• 29 March 2004
  

  "Hackers, viruses, and other online threats don't just create headaches for Internet users -- they could also create prison sentences for corporate executives, experts say. Though business groups have lobbied successfully against laws focused on cybersecurity, companies that don't make efforts to secure their networks could face civil and criminal penalties under an array of existing laws and court decisions, according to security and legal experts...Though health-care, banking and deceptive-business laws all create security obligations, a new accounting-reform law now being phased in is likely to have the biggest impact." Although legislators are trying to prosecute hackers and cybercriminals, corporations could also find themselves liable if they neglect to protect their networks from these criminal threats. Read more in Yahoo News (link no longer active).

• 26 March 2004
  

  "In the war against malaria, public health officials have drained swamps, sprayed mosquito-killing insecticides, and doled out medication in an attempt to reduce the disease's toll. Now, researchers are looking for ways to enlist the buzzing mosquito itself in the fight. They are experimenting to see if the creature's genes can be changed or controlled in ways that destroy the malaria parasites it carries before it can pass them on to people. Researchers say an important step along this path has been taken by a team of scientists in Europe. They've discovered three mosquito genes that appear to govern how the insect's immune system responds - or fails to respond - to the parasite's presence." Read more about the ways in which scientists are hoping to genetically modify mosquitoes in order to fight malaria, in today's Christian Science Monitor.

  
  
• 25 March 2004
  

  "Authorities in DR Congo say they need help from the international community to control access to a mine which has produced uranium for nuclear bombs. The country's Mining Minister Diomi Ndongala told the BBC that dangerous activities were taking place at the Shinkolobwe mine, in Katanga province. Earlier, the UN's nuclear watchdog said it was concerned about the mine. The government says it shut down the mine, but a BBC correspondent found 6,000 illegal miners at work there." Although the government is trying to shut it down, activity at a uranium mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo has many worried that unregulated uranium mining and trading is occurring within the under-developed country. Learn more at the BBC.com.

• 24 March 2004
  

  "Computer 'spyware' is noxious and harmful and must be stopped as soon as people can figure out exactly what it is, members of a Senate subcommittee said on Tuesday. Programs that secretly track computer users' activities are becoming an online scourge rivaling 'spam' e-mail and should be outlawed before they prompt consumers to abandon the Internet, members of the Senate communications subcommittee said. But a bill sponsored by committee members will need to define the problem precisely to avoid outlawing pop-up ads and other annoying but essentially harmless technologies, consumer and business advocates said." While most lawmakers agree that spyware is bad, there is some question about the difference between spyware and other annoying, yet legal, software. Read more in Reuters (link no longer active).

• 23 March 2004
  

  "The government this spring will begin testing a way to screen rail passengers and their luggage to see if it can quickly and accurately detect security risks as part of an effort to improve railway security. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge announced the project on Monday as he outlined several ideas to improve rail security. After the March 11 railway bombings in Madrid, the administration and Congress want to make sure that terrorists don't attack the U.S. rail system." In the wake of the recent Madrid bombings, the U.S. government is committed to increasing security at train stations. Learn more in Yahoo News (link no longer active).

  
  
• 22 March 2004
  

  "Some experts fear that terrorists are trying to develop thermobaric and fuel-air bombs which can be even more devastating than conventional devices. The Canadian defence research and development agency DRDC is taking the threat so seriously that it is testing thermobaric devices itself in an attempt to develop defences against them. And the US Marine Corps is using computerised war games to devise tactics that could help minimise casualties if insurgents in countries such as Iraq use thermobaric weapons in attacks." Although they do not receive as much attention as other types of weapons, some are worried about the potentially devistating effects the use of thermobaric weapons by terrorists or insurgents could have. Learn more in the New Scientist.

• 19 March 2004
  

  "To cope with the possibility that terrorists might someday detonate a nuclear bomb on American soil, the federal government is reviving a scientific art that was lost after the cold war: fallout analysis. The goal, officials and weapons experts both inside and outside the government say, is to figure out quickly who exploded such a bomb and where the nuclear material came from. That would clarify the options for striking back. Officials also hope that if terrorists know a bomb can be traced, they will be less likely to try to use one." Fearing that terrorists might attempt to use a nuclear device against the United States, the government is renewing study of fallout analysis. Learn more in today's New York Times.

  
  
• 18 March 2004
  

  "After years in which marijuana, cocaine and heroin were by far the main focus of the nation's war on drugs, the Bush administration is now attacking the rising abuse of prescription drugs. While marijuana remains the nation's most abused drug, according to government and private studies, narcotic pain relievers like OxyContin and Vicodin, along with a variety of some other prescription medications, have overtaken amphetamines to rank second." Lawmakers are working to curb the illegal use of prescription drugs in the wake of a recent study that indicates that the abuse of prescription drugs is increasing. Learn more in today's New York Times.

• 17 March 2004
  

  "In the history of American warfare, around 15 percent of the country's casualties have been caused by so-called friendly fire. In recent wars, sophisticated U.S. weaponry and increasingly confusing battlefield situations have propelled that number to more than 20 percent. But now a team from Sandia National Labs is leading a field of contenders in the creation of small radio tag sensors that could be mounted on U.S. and allied tanks and other ground vehicles, allowing friendly aircraft to recognize them and lessen the chance of an unintended aerial attack." Read more about this exciting new technology that could help reduce friendly fire casualties at Wired News.

• 16 March 2004
  "A woman in Pakistan recently struck fear among IT executives who outsource. She had obtained sensitive patient documents from the University of California, San Francisco, Medical Center through a medical transcription subcontractor that she worked for, and she threatened to post the files on the Internet unless she was paid more money." While there is heated debate about the effect that the outsourcing of IT jobs to India is having on the U.S. economy, there are also security implications that are often overlooked. Learn more in this report by Stacy Collett in Computerworld.



• 15 March 2004
  "A far-reaching proposal from the FBI, made public Friday, would require all broadband Internet providers, including cable modem and DSL companies, to rewire their networks to support easy wiretapping by police. The FBI's request to the Federal Communications Commission aims to give police ready access to any form of Internet-based communications. If approved as drafted, the proposal could dramatically expand the scope of the agency's wiretap powers, raise costs for cable broadband companies and complicate Internet product development." Read more about the FBI's proposal at CNET.com.

• 11 March 2004
  "Marines arriving in Iraq this month as part of a massive troop rotation will bring with them a high-tech weapon never before used in combat - or in peacekeeping. The device is a powerful megaphone the size of a satellite dish that can deliver recorded warnings in Arabic and, on command, emit a piercing tone so excruciating to humans, its boosters say, that it causes crowds to disperse, clears buildings and repels intruders." In many ways this new audio-weapon offers the promise of allowing troops to disperse crowds through non-lethal means. Yet, many are concerned that this new device is inhumane and wonder why the implementation of this device has not been more publicized. Learn more in a story form the Los Angeles Times (link no longer active).



• 10 March 2004
  "Pakistan's defense ministry says it has conducted its first test of a new long-range nuclear-capable missile. 'Pakistan today successfully carried out the maiden test fire of Hatf VI (Shaheen II), long-range, surface-to-surface ballistic missile,' a military statement said on Tuesday. Last October, Pakistan's military test-fired the medium range Hatf-4 missile, also known as the Shaheen I. In each case, the planned missile launches were announced in advance." Although many hope that tensions are finally beginning to ease between India and Pakistan, yesterday's test of a missile capable of reaching most major Indian cities has troubling implications. Learn more at CNN.com.



• 9 March 2004
  "If you've ever wondered how software got on your computer, and spent even more time wondering how to get it off, chances are you've encountered spyware...Late last week, Democrats Barbara Boxer of California and Ron Wyden of Oregon, and Republican Conrad Burns of Montana, introduced the Software Principles Yielding Better Levels of Consumer Knowledge (SPYBLOCK) Act. The goal is to give consumers more control over the programs they download." The recent prevelance of spyware is leading some lawmakers to pass legislation against its use. Yet, in the face of what manny consider the failure of anti-spam legislation some wonder if it is really possible for such legislation to succeed. Read more at CNN.com.



• 8 March 2004
  "A cargo ship from Japan will arrive in Tacoma, Washington, sometime next week, carrying technology that some hope will be the United States' best defense against sea-borne terrorism. The technology is the nuts and bolts of a $58 million pilot federal initiative called Operation Safe Commerce. It aims to prevent terrorists from sneaking bombs, poisons and other dangers aboard shipping containers bound for American ports. The array of sensors and communication devices will monitor the cargo throughout the journey from foreign factory to store shelves." Learn more about the implimentation of new security technology in U.S. ports in today's Wired News.



• 5 March 2004
  "Sixteen-year-old Iyad Masri started to withdraw from everyone. He read loudly from the Koran until well after midnight, and blasted tapes of Koranic verses from behind his bedroom door. His parents knew he was distraught over his younger brother's death two months ago. But they never imagined that Iyad would consider strapping a belt of explosives around his waist. In early January, he met with members of Islamic Jihad, a Palestinian militant group that rejects all compromise with Israel. He asked them to prepare him to be a martyr, a suicide bomber. Iyad died days later when the belt went off accidentally, killing only himself. The Masri family's tragedy is part of a trend that many Palestinians see as a worrisome mark of desperation: younger and younger Palestinians enlisting for suicide missions against Israel." Learn more about this new generation of terrorists in the Christian Science Monitor.



• 4 March 2004
  "The US-led coalition is developing a new tool in its 'war on terror' in Iraq -- a modern communications network including mobile phones and special radio devices for emergency services...A still-patchy mobile phone network, launched by three companies last December, already has some 225,000 subscribers, with the number increasing by about 150,000 per month, according to the ministry." There is a hope that the rapidly increasing use of cell phones in Iraq will help counter-terrorism forces by allowing them to monitor conversations and respond quickly to emergencies. Learn more in Yahoo News (link no longer active).



• 3 March 2004
  "News that Kofi Annan and other senior UN figures may have been routinely bugged by US or British security services has caused a huge political row around the world. But it will also have caused alarm among other people in the public eye who deal with sensitive information - or anyone, indeed, who values their privacy." If Kofi Annan cannot have a private conversation it begs the question, how much privacy do any of us have? Learn how new technologies are being put to use both to protect and assault privacy in BBC News.



• 2 March 2004
  "A new video surveillance system has captured the interest of military authorities after its successful use in the Iraq war. The Pentagon has ordered tests of more advanced versions for use in unmanned tanks and reconnaissance planes, encouraging the inventor, a small Scottish company, to pursue other security applications, both military and civilian. The technology, an encoding device and software developed by Essential Viewing in Glasgow, compresses video data and sends it with virtually no delay over just about any communication network, even low-capacity military radio systems. Its use in Iraq allowed commanders far from the action to see what their troops and special forces in the field were seeing." Learn more about this cutting-edge technology in the New York Times.



• 1 March 2004
  "The rebel leader hunches over the computer in the hotel lobby, a fan whirring cool air over him as he plugs into the Internet to check the world's response to his threat of attacking Haiti's capital and chats online, doing interviews with reporters. It's a daily ritual for Guy Philippe, who is paying close attention to perceptions of his rebel force at home and abroad as he plots a final drive to oust President Jean-Bertrand Aristide." Although their country is deeply impoverished, Haitian rebels utilized modern technology to gauge the international climate while ousting Aristide. Read more at CNN.com.


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