“Jason – that’s the name CNN was asked to call him – slides a simulated explosive into an elastic back support. The mock bomb is as slim as a wallet; its fuse, the size of a cigarette. He wraps the support around his torso, and the bomb fits comfortably into the small of his back. [...]
“An investigation conducted last year into how police credentials were scrutinized at Jackson-Evers International Airport exposed weaknesses in the system that terrorists could exploit to bring guns aboard planes. Despite those and earlier warnings, the federal government has not moved to change the regulations.” (Clarion Ledger)
“Led by U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), and Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), a bipartisan group of 19 senators Monday urged U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff to pull the plug on new border requirements that he plans to impose beginning this Thursday.” (Government Technology)
“Facing mounting international concern over how Pakistan safeguards its nuclear arsenal, military officials Saturday insisted that their system was fail-safe and that the weapons would never fall into the hands of extremists. Retired Lt. Gen. Khalid Kidwai said his nation’s nuclear security apparatus is “second to none,” with a strictly controlled military chain of command, [...]
“The top two U.S. intelligence officials traveled secretly to Pakistan this month to press President Pervez Musharraf to allow the CIA greater latitude to operate in the tribal territories where Al Qaeda, the Taliban and other militant groups are all active, according to several officials who have been briefed on the visit. But in the [...]
“A detailed 1998 New York Police Department analysis opposed the city’s plans to locate its emergency command center at the World Trade Center but then-mayor Rudolph Giuliani’s administration overrode the objections, The New York Times reported on Saturday. “Seven World Trade Center is a poor choice for the site of a crucial command center for [...]
“Last week, an Islamist Web site called Al-Ekhlas released updated encryption software to help keep secret communications from prying eyes. The site is allegedly frequented by al-Qaida supporters. According to the Middle East Media Research Institute, the first version of the software, “Mujahideen Secrets,” was released a year ago as “the first Islamic computer program [...]
“President Bush signed a directive this month that expands the intelligence community’s role in monitoring Internet traffic to protect against a rising number of attacks on federal agencies’ computer systems. The directive, whose content is classified, authorizes the intelligence agencies, in particular the National Security Agency, to monitor the computer networks of all federal agencies [...]
“Cities are getting clobbered by Washington’s failure to reform national immigration policy, a group of mayors said Friday, and they urged Congress to take another look at legislation on the issue before the general election. “Congress needs to get their heads out of the sand on this particular issue,” said Mayor David Wallace of Sugar [...]
“Researchers at Purdue University are working with the state of Indiana to develop a system that would use a network of cell phones to detect and track radiation to help prevent terrorist attacks with radiological “dirty bombs” and nuclear weapons.” (Science Daily)