Mailman to Deliver Aid in Case of Anthrax Attack

“If the nation ever faces a large-scale attack by a biological weapon like anthrax, the U.S. Postal Service will be in charge of delivering whatever drugs and other medical aid Americans would need to survive.

In an executive order released Wednesday, President Barack Obama put the Postal Service in charge of dispensing ”medical countermeasures” to biological weapons because of its ”capacity for rapid residential delivery.””

(Mailman to Deliver Aid in Case of Anthrax Attack – NYTimes.com)

Explosive device set off aboard airliner

“A passenger on an international flight bound for the United States Friday ignited a small explosive device shortly before landing in a move the White House called an attempted terrorist attack, a senior administration official said.

Another passenger on the Northwest flight from Amsterdam, Netherlands, to Detroit, Michigan, quickly helped subdue and isolate the young male suspect with the aid of the cabin crew, passenger Syed Jafry said.”

(Source: Explosive device set off aboard airliner – CNN.com)

Agency’s intelligence report violated rules

“The Department of Homeland Security issued but recalled a 2007 intelligence analysis about the Nation of Islam after deciding the document dealing with the black Muslim group broke rules on intelligence activity in the United States, officials said Wednesday.

Internal documents revealed that intelligence chiefs found analysts had ‘unintentionally and inadvertently’ violated rules governing the collection, retention and distribution of information concerning ‘U.S. persons and organizations.’ The error took place during the Bush administration, and steps have been taken to ensure it does not happen again, a DHS spokesperson said.”

(Source: Agency’s intelligence report violated rules — latimes.com)

Immigration sweep nets 280 with criminal records

“Immigration agents arrested 280 people in California in their biggest push yet to round up suspected illegal immigrants with criminal records in local communities, authorities said Friday.

More than 400 agents and local law enforcement officers fanned out across the state in the three-day search led by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

‘These are not people who we want walking our streets,’ ICE director John Morton said. ‘We’re going to focus on those people who choose to pursue a life of crime in the United States rather than pursue the American dream of education, hard work and success.’”

(The Associated Press: Immigration sweep nets 280 with criminal records)

Dallas-Fort Worth area moves to top tier of terrorism targets

“Dallas is now officially one of the nation’s top 10 terrorist targets – a designation that sounds alarming but which state and local officials have sought for years, because it means millions in federal funds to beef up security.

The Department of Homeland Security’s precise reasons remain secret, but there were plenty of educated guesses Wednesday about the many factors that justify putting Dallas on a list with New York and Washington. They include population growth, huge sports venues, economic impact, and even the fact that an ex-president calls the city home.

‘We thought they should be a top-tier city last time … considering the number of critical infrastructures, key resources, the population, soft targets, the economic importance,’ said Steven McCraw, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety and Gov. Rick Perry’s chief homeland security adviser. ‘We’re glad that the threat-based formula that Homeland Security is using finally recognizes that.’”

(Dallas-Fort Worth area moves to top tier of terrorism targets | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Headline | National News)

New York metro area to get $200 million in homeland security funds

“The feds handed New York City a nice, fat pot of homeland security cash Tuesday.

But they also upped future competition for that money by putting three more cities alongside New York atop the terror-risk list.

Of $2.7 billion in security funds being spread around the country, the New York metro area will get some $200 million – including $152 million from a pool of money dedicated to the handful of cities deemed most likely to be targeted by terrorists. “

(Source: New York metro area to get $200 million in homeland security funds)

U.S. sees homegrown Muslim extremism as rising threat

“The Obama administration, grappling with a spate of recent Islamic terrorism cases on U.S. soil, has concluded that the country confronts a rising threat from homegrown extremism.

Anti-terrorism officials and experts see signs of accelerated radicalization among American Muslims, driven by a wave of English-language online propaganda and reflected in aspiring fighters’ trips to hot spots such as Pakistan and Somalia.

Europe had been the front line, the target of successive attacks and major plots, while the U.S. remained relatively calm. But the number, variety and scale of recent U.S. cases suggest 2009 has been the most dangerous year domestically since 2001″

(U.S. sees homegrown Muslim extremism as rising threat — latimes.com)

DHS still struggling with management

“The Homeland Security inspector general’s annual compilation of major management challenges at the department touches on just about all its responsibilities: acquisition management, information technology management, emergency management, grants management, financial management, infrastructure protection, border security, transportation security, and trade operations and security.

Those challenges haven’t changed much from year to year, so in 2007, the IG began including score cards to distinguish progress in selected areas. The 2009 assessment shows moderate progress, meaning many of the critical success factors have been achieved, in three areas: acquisition, information technology and emergency management. Only modest progress was found in grants management and financial management. In no areas did the IG find substantial progress.”

(Source: DHS still struggling with management (12/3/09) — GovExec.com)

Homeland Security cancels Vegas emergency exercise

“The Department of Homeland Security has called off plans for an emergency exercise in Las Vegas after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid protested that the event could harm the region’s struggling economy.

The exercise had been planned for May and would have simulated a major security threat on the Las Vegas Strip. But Reid says that the exercise would have created unnecessary anxiety and that businesses were worried about the fallout. He wrote DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano last month and asked her to reconsider going ahead with the exercise.”

(Source: Homeland Security cancels Vegas emergency exercise – Thursday, Dec. 3, 2009 | 4:17 p.m. – Las Vegas Sun)

Napolitano says recent arrests represent a terror warning

“Al-Qaeda followers are inside the United States and would like to attack targets here and in other countries, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Wednesday night.

The secretary’s comments were striking not only for their content — they represented her bluntest assessment of terror threats within the country — but also their political context. They came one day after President Obama, in announcing his decision to send 30,000 additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan, warned that extremists have been ’sent here from the border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan to commit more acts of terror.’ “

(Napolitano says recent arrests represent a terror warning – washingtonpost.com)