Thursday, September 08, 2011

DTN News - AL-QAEDA PAKISTAN CONNECTION: Feds Watching Possible Terror Plot For NY, D.C.

DTN News - AL-QAEDA PAKISTAN CONNECTION: Feds Watching Possible Terror Plot For NY, D.C.
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - September 8, 2011: CBS News has learned that officials Thursday are very concerned about new information that there could be a terror strike on the 10th anniversary of 9/11, and this new potential plot could target New York or Washington, D.C.
According to CBS News correspondent Bob Orr, this threat is "specific and credible but unconfirmed," meaning that intelligence agencies across the government has picked up a threat stream from overseas, and that there is a full court press by the FBI, CIA and others to refute or corroborate the information.
Sources told CBS News that the threat specifically has come from Pakistan, which is home to terror groups, including the Pakistani Taliban, the organization behind the failed Times Square bombing attempt.
A federal law enforcement source told CBS News that operatives are acting on Osama bin Laden's wishes to time an attack to the anniversary.
While the report is unconfirmed, a number of officials say that there are enough elements lined up to have them concerned about this threat stream more so than the others they have seen in recent days.
A Federal source told CBS News that FBI and intelligence authorities are currently tracking two distinct threat streams -- one involving a car bombing threat in New York or Washington and a separate threat against bridges and tunnels in New York. It is unknown if there is a correlation between the two threats.
A White House official told CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller that President Obama was briefed about the threat Thursday morning and had been updated all day. "The United States government has already significantly enhanced its security posture in advance of the 9/11 anniversary to protect the country against possible terrorist threats," said the official. "Nevertheless, the President directed the counterterrorism community to redouble its efforts in response to this credible but unconfirmed information."
White House officials said there were no plans to change Obama's travel schedule on Sunday in light of the threat. The president is scheduled to mark the 9/11 anniversary with stops at New York's ground zero, the Pentagon and Shanksville, Pa. He will also deliver remarks Sunday night at a memorial concert at the Kennedy Center in Washington.
"It's accurate that there is specific, credible but unconfirmed threat information," Homeland Security Department spokesman Matt Chandler said in a statement. "As we always do before important dates like the anniversary of 9/11, we will undoubtedly get more reporting in the coming days."
The U.S. has not raised its official terror threat level.
Earlier, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said there was no information about a specific threat around the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks but there is "a lot of chatter."
Napolitano told reporters Thursday that "in the intel world there is lots of chatter and we are taking it very seriously."
CBS News reports that the secretary said more federal air marshals would be deployed for the anniversary but wouldn't specify other measures being taken by Homeland Security and other agencies other than that they were "preparing accordingly."

Special Section | 9/11: Ten Years Later Special Section: 9/11 Videos Special Section: 9/11 in Photos

Napolitano said Homeland Security would warn the public if a threat arose.

Asked about the threat of "lone wolves," Napolitano said it is a "key concern" that "more and more Americans in-country are being radicalized to the point of violence" and that Internet recruiting by those like U.S.-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki is having an impact, CBS News reports.

Speaking generally and not in reference to the 9/11 anniversary, Napolitano said a 9/11-style plot would be "much more difficult" to execute now than 10 years ago because of the multiple security layers now in place, better intelligence gathering and better intelligence sharing, among other improvements, CBS News reports.

Defense chief: Threat of 9/11 repeat "very real" Pictures: 9/11 images, before and after A look at United Flight 93, 10 years later

In New York, despite no specific terrorism threats against the city, thousands of extra police officers will be deployed, officials said Wednesday.

Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly, in remarks at a security conference in midtown Manhattan, cited evidence found in Osama bin Laden's compound after his death suggesting he hoped to strike on the anniversary.

"For that reason alone, we need to take precautions as if an actual plot is under way," Kelly said.

The New York Police Department plans to form a zone around the World Trade Center for a Sunday observance that President Obama and former President George W. Bush plan to attend. Along with extra officers -- the department won't reveal an exact number -- the security also will include hundreds of surveillance cameras trained on the site, Kelly said.

The World Trade Center gathering also will showcase a new police command of 212 officers dedicated to protecting the site. The officers have received special counterterrorism training, including on how to spot people conducting reconnaissance and how to respond to suicide or truck bombers.

The command conducted drills this week on evacuating the National September 11 Memorial & Museum and its adjacent plaza, which opens Monday.

Sunday's observance is one of more than 30 commemorative events scheduled for the week that the department is laboring to protect, Kelly said.

"We don't presume that ground zero alone is a potential target," the commissioner said. "That would be shortsighted."

The department also will deploy so-called quick-strike reaction forces to respond to potential threats outside lower Manhattan, Kelly said. The teams include officers in heavy armor, bomb squad technicians and hostage negotiators who will have highway patrol escorts on standby if needed.

New Yorkers will see more officers in the subways as well. Many will concentrate on busy transportation hubs such as Grand Central Terminal, Pennsylvania Station and the Herald Square subway station.

There are other security concerns: Extra patrols also will be deployed in Queens for Sunday's U.S. Open tennis finale. And the department is gearing up for next week's U.N. General Assembly, working with the Secret Service to protect 130 heads of state and coordinate 220 motorcades, Kelly said.

"In other words, we have a lot on our plate," he said. "But we have the talent and the resources to deal with it."

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DTN News - WIKILEAKS NEWS: Various Articles From International Media Originated From Wikileaks For September 8, 2011

DTN News - WIKILEAKS NEWS: Various Articles From International Media Originated From Wikileaks For September 8, 2011
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - September 8, 2011: The international non-profit organization Wikileaks became world renown as a whistleblower publishing submissions of private, secret and classified media from anonymous news sources, news leaks and whistleblowers.
WikiLeaks states that its "primary interest is in exposing oppressive regimes in Asia, the former Soviet bloc, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, but we also expect to be of assistance to people of all regions who wish to reveal unethical behaviour in their governments and corporations".
Here are the news on various subjects on Wikileaks by global media/web/blogs and reactions respectively for DTN News readers and viewers;
WikiLeaks The Economist The result may be fatal for WikiLeaks, as well as embarrassingly revealing governments' misdeeds, mishaps, evasions and cover-ups. One cable has allegations that American troops executed an Iraqi family, including five small children, in 2006. ... See all stories on this topic »
Zimbabwe: Wikileaks - Great Betrayal? AllAfrica.com While it might be Okay to say, "don't shoot the messenger", that is Julian Assange and his website,WikiLeaks we have to interrogate a number of issues within the Zimbabwean context, paying special attention to diplomatic relations between Zimbabwe and ... See all stories on this topic »
WikiLeaks: Holly-Bolly joint venture difficult IBNLive.com New Delhi: Although the major Hollywood film studios have started to claim their part in Bollywood, world's largest film making market, still the growth so far should be considered slow, says a recently released WikiLeaks cable. ... See all stories on this topic »
WikiLeaks, rumors or facts? Philippine Star Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan advised the public yesterday not to read so much into purported “confidential” reports — supposed “top secret” documents — and information that have been coming out from WikiLeaks. Honasan calls upon media to go slow on ... See all stories on this topic »
WIKILEAKS: Beef imports top priority for US and Taiwan: cable Taipei Times By Shih Hsiu-chuan / Staff Reporter The longstanding impasse over US beef imports to Taiwan was an issue addressed in plenty of US diplomatic cables regarding bilateral relationships released byWikiLeaks, with the subject being termed by a top US ... See all stories on this topic »
US frustrated with Canadian control of weapons exports: Cable Montreal Gazette ... 2011 US officials were frustrated with Canadian government co-operation during an investigation into how advanced helicopter engine parts got exported and used in a Chinese attack helicopter, according to cables released by Wikileaks. ... See all stories on this topic »
WikiLeaks reveals details of US involvement in Mexican Drug War AHN | All Headline News The Mexican government is once more on the defensive after the latest WikiLeaks reports that accuse police and other officials of widespread corruption. Meanwhile, the State Department communications quoted in the reports are creating another ... See all stories on this topic »
WikiLeaks: Addis Ababa bombings the work of Meles government - WikiLeaks Abugidainfo 1. (S) SUMMARY A series of explosions were reported in Addis Ababa on September 16, killing three individuals. The GoE announced that the bombs went off while being assembled, and that the three dead were terrorists from the outlawed Oromo Liberation ... See all stories on this topic »
WikiLeaks cables reveal Australian 'middle power diplomacy' on green issues The Guardian The cables from the US embassy in Canberra, released by WikiLeaks, show that Rudd was keen to stress his pro-American credentials, given his background as a Mandarin-speaking former Beijing diplomat. At a December 2007 meeting, Rudd told the US ... See all stories on this topic » The Guardian
Social Media Week Releases List of "Top 10 Social Media Events that Shook the ... PR Newswire (press release) These events, from the Arab Spring to Wikileaks to Charlie Sheen, were all fundamentally shaped by the use of social media, and in many cases would have never happened without social networks like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. ... See all stories on this topic »
ReadWriteWeb Comprehensive WikiLeaks Timeline, Part 2 By Curt Hopkins Our original WikiLeaks timeline, including every story we had written about the organization, spanned a period of almost three years, from February 18, 2008 to December 29, 2010. It listed almost 70 posts. The WikiLeaks story has yet to end, ... ReadWriteWeb
Wikileaks and Nigerian ruling class indiscretions By alexsamade In that sense, Wikileaks are a genuine nemesis of ruling classes around the world, especially the most powerful imperialist system in human history, US imperialism. No wonder, Private Mannings, the alleged whistleblower, is kept in solitary ... Vanguard News
WikiLeaks not earth-shattering – Ramotar - Stabroek News - Guyana By Mark McGowan PPP/C presidential candidate Donald Ramotar does not believe that the contents of the recently released Wikileaks cables will negatively impact on his. Stabroek News
Gail Teixeira was honest, forthright – WikiLeaks cable : Kaieteur News By KNews The feeling of the Embassy is contained in a December 28 secret cable sent by then Charge d' Affaires, Michael Thomas. The cables were part of a cache of sensitive documents acquired by whistle-blower website, WikiLeaks, and released on ... Kaieteur News
WikiLeaks drops Bombshell on Gold Market; GATA right again | Joe ... By NewsEditor With an avalanche of ever-tantalizing news stories and upcoming nail-biting scheduled officialdom events in both Europe and the U.S. all hitting the gold. Joe Miller - Restoring Liberty
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DTN News: U.S. Department of Defense Contracts Dated September 8, 2011

DTN News: U.S. Department of Defense Contracts Dated September 8, 2011
(NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON - September 8, 2011: U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) Contracts issued September 8, 2011 are undermentioned;

CONTRACTS

MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY

The Missile Defense Agency is announcing the award of a sole-source cost-plus-award-fee modification to Raytheon Missile Systems Co., Tucson, Ariz.,under the HQ0006-10-C-0005 contract, P00017. The total value of this award is $48,014,215, increasing the total contract value from $286,518,085 to $334,532,300. Under this modification, the contractor will continue to perform engineering services and material for systems engineering, design and development support, and initial hardware fabrication for the Standard Missile-3 Block IIA missile including continued divert and attitude control system development work. The work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz. The performance period is through Oct. 31, 2011. Fiscal 2011 research, development, test and evaluation funds will be used to incrementally fund this effort. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This is not a Foreign Military Sales acquisition. The Missile Defense Agency, Dahlgren, Va., is the contracting activity.

AIR FORCE

Aerospace Testing Alliance, Tullahoma, Tenn., is being awarded $208,496,322 cost-plus-award-fee contract modification for the operation, maintenance, information management, and support of Arnold Engineering Development Center. AEDC/PK, Arnold Air Force Base, Texas, is the contracting activity (F40600-03-C-0001).

CYE Enterprises, Inc., Jacksonville, Fla., is being awarded a $25,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract to furnish all plants, materials, labor, equipment, and all operations in connection with repairing and replacing roofs, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., per the statement of work and roofing specifications. AAC/PKOA, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA2823-11-D-0012).

Jacobs Technology, Inc., Tullahoma, Tenn., is being awarded a $20,255,460 indefinite-delivery, quantity cost-plus-award-fee, and cost-reimbursement contract modification to provide technical, engineering, and acquisition support at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. AAC/PKES, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA9200-07-C-0006, P00053).

Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, Ohio, is being awarded a $14,738,940 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery requirements contract to provide technical evaluations and technical assessments of the utility and or efficacy of hazard mitigation equipment. ESG/PKS, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., is the contracting activity (SP0700-00-D-3180, delivery order 0716).

M1 Support Services, Denton, Texas, is being awarded a $10,039,809 firm-fixed-price with reimbursable line items contract modification to maintain mission-capable helicopters 24/7 at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo.; Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont.; Minot Air Force Base, N.D.; and Yokota Air Force Base, Japan, as well as performing helicopter aircrew flight equipment support at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo., and Malmstrom Air Force Base, N.D. 21 CONS/LGCZB, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., is the contracting activity (FA2517-10-C-8002, P00028).

Chromalloy Nevada, Carson City, Nev., is being awarded a $9,188,625 firm-fixed-price contract, one-year contract with four options to provide repair services for the high pressure turbine nozzle assembly. AFGLSC/848 SCMG/PKAB, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., is the contracting activity (FA8122-11-D-0015).

NAVY

The Boeing Co., Seattle, Wash., is being awarded a $166,808,999 modification to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive contract (N00019-09-C-0022) to provide funding for long lead materials in support of the low rate initial production, Lot 3, of 11 P-8A multi-mission maritime aircraft. Work will be performed in Seattle, Wash. (63.80 percent); Greenlawn, N.Y. (11.69 percent); Baltimore, Md. (10.98 percent); North Amityville, N.Y. (8.24 percent) and McKinney, Texas (5.29 percent). Work is expected to be completed in May 2015. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air System Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.

BAE Systems Information Solutions, Inc., Herndon, Va. (N65236-11-D-3850); Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc., McLean, Va. (N65236-11-D-3851); Computer Sciences Corp., Falls Church, Va. (N65236-11-D-3852); Honeywell Technology Solutions, Inc., Columbia, Md. (N65236-11-D-3853); Science Applications International Corp., McLean, Va. (N65236-11-D-3854); and Scientific Research Corp., Atlanta, Ga. (N65236-11-D-3855), are each being awarded a $40,055,252 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple-award, cost-plus-fixed-fee, performance-based contract to provide tactical and strategic and operations support services with the emphasis being on information assurance. These contracts will support the Navy and other Department of Defense and federal agencies. These contracts include options, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of these contracts to an estimated $210,568,360. Work will be performed in Charleston, S.C. (90 percent), and Washington, D. C. (10 percent), and is expected to be completed by September 2012. If all options are exercised, work could continue until September 2016. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. These multiple-award contracts were competitively procured via the Commerce Business Daily’s Federal Business Opportunities website, and the SPAWAR E-Commerce Central website, with 14 offers received. Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Atlantic, Charleston, S.C., is the contracting activity.

FOPCO, Inc.*, Kapolei, Hawaii, is being awarded $8,070,800 for firm-fixed-price task order #0016 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N62748-10-D-4019) for repair of Building 1492, Bachelor Enlisted Quarters, at Naval Station Pearl Harbor. Work will be performed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and is expected to be completed by April 2013. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Six proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Hawaii, Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam-Hawaii, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity.

DEFENSE MEDIA ACTIVITY

Omnitec Solutions, Inc., was issued a modification (subject to availability of fiscal 2012 funds) exercising the third option year on the current contract HQ0028-09-C-0017. Award is a firm-fixed-price commercial service contract in support of the Defense Media Activity Public Web Management System. Estimated value of modification is $9,927,491.60. The period of performance starts Oct. 1, 2011. Defense Media Activity-East Contracting Office, Fort George Meade, Md., is the contracting activity.

*Small business

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources
U.S. DoD issued No. 768-11 September 8, 2011
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DTN News - ISRAELI DEFENSE NEWS: Elbit Successfully Completed Customer Acceptance Tests Of First 30mm Unmanned Turret Supplied To The Brazilian Army

DTN News - ISRAELI DEFENSE NEWS: Elbit Systems Successfully Completed Customer Acceptance Tests Of First 30mm Unmanned Turret Supplied To The Brazilian Army
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - September 8, 2011: Haifa, Israel -- Elbit Systems Ltd. ("ESLT") announced that it has successfully concluded customer acceptance tests of first 30mm unmanned turret UT30BR, integrated into the Brazilian IVECO 6X6 Guarani vehicle.
The unmanned turret was fielded at CAEx (the Brazilian Army's Marambaia testing facility in Rio de Janeiro), testing all its operational functions as well as firing both static and moving targets. The tests were successfully completed, complying to all requirements and to the customer's full satisfaction.
In 2009, after a bid between world leading turrets manufacturers, Elbit Systems was selected to supply unmanned turrets to the Brazilian Army's Land Forces. This multi-year program holds great potential to the company in terms of future procurement.
Earlier this year (2011), Elbit Systems' Brazilian subsidiary, AEL SISTEMAS SA, ("AEL") was awarded a framework contract, for the supply of UT30BR 30 mm Unmanned Turrets to the Brazilian Army’s Land Forces, as part of the Guarani Project.
Elbit Systems' unmanned turret is a complete system, incorporating a 30mm automatic cannon, a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun, a Laser Warning System (LWS), commander panoramic sight and smoke grenade launchers. In addition to the aforementioned elements, Elbit Systems' unmanned turret is fully dual axis stabilized and combines an automatic target tracker.
The unmanned turret features Elbit Systems' proprietary technology, answering a suitable solution to the asymmetric warfare challenges. The unique design, operated from within the crew compartment without exposure to external hazards, is based on extensive battlefield experience in full scale and low intensity conflicts, and attests to Elbit Systems' leadership in the field of turret and fire control systems.
About Elbit Systems
Elbit Systems Ltd. is an international defense electronics company engaged in a wide range of programs throughout the world. The Company, which includes Elbit Systems and its subsidiaries, operates in the areas of aerospace, land and naval systems, command, control, communications, computers, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance ("C4ISR"), unmanned aircraft systems ("UAS"), advanced electro-optics, electro-optic space systems, EW suites, airborne warning systems, ELINT systems, data links and military communications systems and radios. The Company also focuses on the upgrading of existing military platforms, developing new technologies for defense, homeland security and commercial aviation applications and providing a range of support services.
For additional information, visit: http://www.elbitsystems.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) regarding Elbit Systems Ltd. and/or its subsidiaries (collectively the Company), to the extent such statements do not relate to historical or current fact. Forward Looking Statements are based on management's expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks and uncertainties, which are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual future results, performance and trends may differ materially from these forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including, without limitation: scope and length of customer contracts; governmental regulations and approvals; changes in governmental budgeting priorities; general market, political and economic conditions in the countries in which the Company operates or sells, including Israel and the United States among others; differences in anticipated and actual program performance, including the ability to perform under long-term fixed-price contracts; and the outcome of legal and/or regulatory proceedings. The factors listed above are not all-inclusive, and further information is contained in Elbit Systems Ltd.'s latest annual report on Form 20-F, which is on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release. The Company does not undertake to update its forward-looking statements.
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