More zero tolerance foolishness and Brady amps up the anti-gun rhetoric

http://www.examiner.com/x-4525-Seattle-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2010m3d9-Lowering-the-common-sense-threshold-in-Yakima-upping-the-ante-at-Starbucks

National Police spokesman Edward Aritonang confirmed Tuesday that anti-terrorism forces conducted two raids in Pamulang city on the outskirts of Jakarta. He says in the first raid two suspects were captured but one suspect resisted arrest and was killed by police.

He says the man, carrying a revolver, fired once at a police officer who returned fire and shot him.

Dulmatin, a top leader of the Jemaah Islamiyah militant group, is suspected of being a bomb-making specialist trained by al-Qaeda. The United States is offerring a $10 million reward for him.

He is accused of helping plan the 2002 Bali bombings, which killed 202 people on the Indonesian resort island, most of them foreign tourists. Aritonang says police will announce the man’s identity once they are sure.

He also said that during the second raid, police shot and killed two suspects on a motorcycle. They had been fleeing police and one was firing a gun.

Aritonang said the raids were based on information gleaned from 16 suspects arrested in the Indonesian province of Aceh. Since February 22, police have conducted a series of raids on a suspected Jemaah Islamiyah cell that was operating a militant training facility.

He says their role may be bigger but based on the evidence police have so far the dead men were supplying weapons and funding.

Jemaah Islamiyah is a Southeast Asian extremist group inspired by al-Qaeda. Its goal is to unite the Muslim-dominated countries in the region into an Islamic state.

JI and other terrorist groups have carried out more than 50 bombings in Indonesia since April 1999, according to the International Crisis Group.

The most recent attacks in Indonesia killed seven people and two suicide bombers in two luxury hotels in Jakarta last July.

Acting President Goodluck Jonathan fired National Security Advisor Sarki Mukhtar and replaced him with retired Lieutenant General Aliyu Gusau. Gusau held that post under former president Olusegun Obasanjo and is seen by many as a potential presidential candidate in next year’s election, having finished second to President Umaru Yar’Adua in the last ruling-party primary.

Mr. Jonathan’s move to sack a national security advisor chosen by President Yar’Adua is the latest move by the acting president to solidify his position at a time when President Yar’Adua is still recovering from a heart condition and the nation is facing renewed civil unrest.

Nigerian troops are patrolling villages near the city of Jos after Plateau state officials say the death toll from Sunday’s ethnic and religious violence could be as high as 500.

Residents in the village of Dogo Nahawa say Fulani herdsmen raided their village before dawn, shooting in the air to draw people out of their homes before attacking them with machetes and knives. Many of those killed were women and children who could not outrun their attackers.

Most Fulani herdsmen are Muslim. The villages they attacked are predominantly Christian.

Thousands of people have been killed in the last decade in and around Jos which sits on the line roughly dividing Nigeria’s mainly Muslim north and Christian-dominated south.

The area has been under a dusk-to-dawn curfew since January, when another outburst of Muslim-Christian violence in Jos killed about 325 people. Some civilians are now leaving the area, asking why their villages were left unprotected.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says the killings are “appalling” and is urging Nigerian political and religious leaders to work together to address the underlying causes of violence in the area.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says Nigerian authorities should bring the perpetrators to justice under the rule of law while respecting human rights as order is restored.

The group Human Rights Watch says Acting President Jonathan must ensure that security forces prevent reprisal attacks.

A Turkish television program remembering the victims of the 1999 earthquake that struck just east of Istanbul.  The temblor killed more than 17,000 people, and experts warn a powerful quake could strike central Istanbul at any time.   

Professor Ahmet Ercan, head of Turkey’s Geophysical Society, says he is expecting one centered 20 to 25 kilometers south of the city, estimated at 6.3 to 6.7 magnitude.  But he says the destructive force of the earthquake could be felt to be around seven to eight magnitude in certain parts of the city, because of the geology.  He says an earthquake there could also cause tsunamis.

Istanbul is no stranger to devastating quakes, being struck by 15 in the past 16 centuries.  The last was in 1894.  Istanbul city authorities are working hard to prepare for the next quake.

The city official responsible for housing, Hasan Atas, is devoting nearly all his time to purging the area of dangerous buildings, but he acknowledges he is facing an uphill  battle.

He says in just three neighborhoods there are 600 dangerous buildings in imminent danger of collapsing, and another 3,000 that should be destroyed.  He says every month a building collapses in Istanbul, especially when it is very wet or snowing.  He says if there is an earthquake under those conditions it would be a catastrophe.

But it is not only old buildings that are at risk.  On one of Istanbul numerous construction sites a new apartment block is being erected to meet the ever-growing demand for housing.  For more than a decade about 500,000 people a year have moved to the city, generating a huge demand for cheap, quick housing.  

But as architect Ekim Kaptan explains that has lead to fatal corner cutting.    

“In Turkey, all the building codes are very similar to any building codes in America and Europe.  The problem is no one obeys these rules these days,” said Kaptan.  “There [has to be] a certain amount of iron percentage to concrete, [but] most of the time to cut down cost they do not use enough metal.  Also they put [in] just enough cement to cut cost down.  Most of these buildings are not done by engineers, most of them are illegal.”

Speaking to people in the center of Istanbul, nearly everyone appears to be aware of the threat facing them.

PERSON 1: “Out of control, without any rules.  They do not obey rules and then when there is an earthquake all of them, ‘Ohhhhh so bad.’  I am living in an apartment, four flats there are, and I am the fourth.  For me I call myself ‘Chancy’ because it is top and there is nothing [to] destroy me, only the roof, but I am worrying about the rest.”

PERSON 2: “I hope [where] I am living is safe…  All the architects, the people who build buildings, make really make big mistakes, so the buildings can collapse by themselves also.”  

Such concerns are well founded, according to Professor Celal Sengor of Istanbul Technical University.  He has been studying the possible impact of a large quake on Istanbul and paints a grim picture.

“When the earthquake hits, part of these buildings will fall down, people will be trapped in them.  Some of them people will not be able to get out.  Some of these streets have natural gas pipelines going under them, they will burst, you will have fires rising [as] people try to run away.  There will be ruins, they will try and clamber up, rescue units will try [to] reach [them].  It will be complete mayhem in Istanbul,” noted Professor Sengor.

Experts say the expected quake could strike at any time.  Istanbul authorities say they are taking measures to secure the population of 14 million people, but with many living in illegally or poorly constructed housing the size of the task appears overwhelming.

The assault force also found several automatic rifles.

In the Washir District of Helmand province an Afghan-international security force searched a compound in a rural area, after intelligence information indicated militant activity. During the search the joint force captured a Taliban commander, responsible for multiple attacks against coalition forces and Afghan citizens, and a few other insurgents.

In a separate Helmand operation, a joint security force stopped a vehicle near Gorazan in the Washir district after intelligence indicated militant activity. During a search of the vehicle the force detained two suspected insurgents.

In the Garm Ser District of Helmand, an Afghan-international security force searched a compound outside the village of Fatehjang Ziarat after intelligence information indicated militant activity.

During a search of the buildings the combined force detained several suspected insurgents.

In Kandahar last night, a joint security force searched a compound in the town of Sonjaray, in the Zharay District after intelligence information indicated militant activity. While searching the compound the force detained a few suspected insurgents for further questioning.

In other operations yesterday, a joint security force found a weapons cache in an abandoned compound in the Nad-e Ali district of Helmand. The cache contained 15 rocket-propelled grenade warheads and 1,100 rounds of 7.62mmammunition. The cache was destroyed.

Another joint force in the same district searched a suspected insurgent site and found 25 bags of ammonium chloride and various Afghan documents. Afghans in the area said the shop had been closed for several months. The ammonium chloride was destroyed and the documents were seized.

No Afghan civilians were harmed during these operations.

During the combined force’s helicopter insertion, insurgents attacked the inbound aircraft with small-arms fire. While providing security for the combined force, helicopters and close-air support aircraft returned fire, killing two insurgents and allowing the force to land safely.

As the force began its movement on the objective area, attack helicopters identified and engaged five armed insurgents moving toward the force, wounding two. Commandos detained the two wounded insurgents and provided medical attention.

During a search of the area the force found and safely destroyed suicide vests, homemade explosives, rocket-propelled boosters, shaped charges and pressure-plate bombs.

As the mission continued, aerial scout teams and attack helicopters providing security for the force were engaged by small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades from 11 insurgents. The helicopters returned fire without causing civilian causalities or damage to property.

Later, the force discovered a second cache hidden inside a mosque. The cache consisted of homemade explosives, pressure-plate bombs, rocket-propelled grenades and machine-gun ammunition. The Afghan commandos were the only personnel to enter the mosque.

One insurgent leader was captured and is being held for questioning.

In operations, March 7:

– Combined security forces searched compounds in Khost following reports of militant activity and detained several suspected insurgents for questioning. The search force also uncovered several rifles and a shotgun.

– A security force in Nangarhar province captured a Taliban deputy commander. The force searched a compound after intelligence information indicated militant activity. During the search, a suspected militant fled and was wounded. He was pursued and apprehended by the force. The man identified himself as a Taliban deputy commander responsible for leading attacks and ambushes against coalition forces. He was treated for his wounds on the scene and was medically evacuated to a nearby base.

– In another Nangarhar operation, a security team searched a compound and captured a Taliban weapons operator responsible for acquiring weapons and ammunition for militant cells and involved in ambushes against coalition troops.

– A combined security force searched a compound in Paktika province when intelligence information confirmed militant activity. The force captured a terrorist cell subcommander responsible for ordering the killings of Afghan citizens who cooperated with the government. When directly confronted, the man identified himself and surrendered.

– In Zabul province, a combined security force searched a compound and captured a Taliban weapons facilitator responsible for weapons and supply movements to various militant cells.

– A security force searched a compound in Zabul after intelligence information indicated militant activity. During the search the security force captured a Taliban facilitator who participated in attacks on coalition forces and runs an early warning system for various militant networks.

– An Afghan civilian told forces about a weapons cache in Herat province. When a security force investigated the report, it found two rockets and detonation cord. The items were destroyed.

– Afghan forces discovered a weapons cache in a cave in Kunar province consisting of assault rifle magazines with 1,440 rounds of ammunition.

– In Paktika province, Afghan police worked with international forces to find a weapons cache consisting of 46 rocket-propelled grenade rounds, 191 high-explosives rounds, two white phosphorous rounds, 69 recoilless rifle rounds, 43 primers, 16 rocket-propelled grenade boosters, 34 assorted fuses, 88 cases of rounds, and assorted small-arms ammunition.

In operations March 6:

– A force captured a Taliban weapons facilitator in Ghazni province. The man, responsible for supplying arms to various militant networks, was captured during the search of a compound.

– A combined force discovered a weapons cache after receiving a tip from a resident in Helmand province. The cache consisted of four hand grenades, 76 boxes of rounds, 125 rounds of ammunition, two mortar fuses and other munitions. They were destroyed on site.

– A combined force searched a compound in Kandahar province after getting reports of militant activity. During the operation a few suspected militants were detained, one of whom was identified as a Taliban subcommander responsible for controlling weapons caches and explosive attacks.

– A force found a weapons cache in Kandahar province that had six homemade bombs, each containing 40 to 60 pounds of homemade explosives, a 20-pound jug of homemade explosives and small-arms ammunition. The cache was destroyed.

– In Farah province, an engineer patrol found seven Russian cluster bombs. The weapons will be destroyed.

In operations March 5:

– An insurgent commander was killed while attempting to plant a homemade bomb in Helmand province.

– Afghan forces operating with international forces in Kandahar province discovered a weapons cache including a rocket-propelled grenade, three grenades, a jug filled with various types of small-arms ammunition, multiple assault rifle magazines and a blasting cap.

“We execute foreign military sales missions in addition to our regular mission of aircraft maintenance,” explained Lt. Col. Tildon “Kye” Allen, the commander of the TASM-E. “Our FMS operations include executing maintenance on aircraft that have been sold by the U.S. military to other governments as part of the foreign military sales program.”

The first FMS mission involved maintenance on two AH64 Apache helicopters on behalf of the Dutch military.

“We performed extensive maintenance on the aircraft for the Netherlands,” explained Fabriel Ortiz, the TASM-E’s deputy commander.

The Dutch military personnel have been deployed to Afghanistan for an extended period of time, and the Netherlands military didn’t have any personnel to perform Apache maintenance. The Dutch contacted TASM-E asking if it would conduct the maintenance for the aircraft, said Ortiz

The reimbursable program is beneficial for both the TASM-E and the foreign governments. The TASM-E has all of its work funded, and the foreign governments are able to get the proper maintenance done on their equipment.

The Dutch military purchased the Apaches through the FMS program previously.

“Because the Apaches were already owned by the Dutch military, the government of the Netherlands will reimburse us directly for the aircraft maintenance,” Ortiz said.

The TASM-E also performed work in support of an FMS mission for Tunisia, albeit under slightly different circumstances.

“Tunisia purchased three UH-1H Hueys from the U.S. government under the FMS program,” Ortiz explained. “Part of the FSM agreement is that the U.S. will refurbish any aircraft sold to another government.

The TASM-E received the three UH-1Hs that were purchased by the government of Tunisia and completely refurbished them. They were torn down, inspected and then reassembled to U.S. standards. Only when they are maintained to U.S. military standards, will they be delivered to Tunisia.”

Because Tunisia did not take ownership of the aircraft, they were not responsible for the costs incurred during maintenance.

“The U.S. State Department will reimburse us for the work on the Tunisian aircraft because the maintenance performed was part of the purchase agreement,” Ortiz said.

The TASM-E is responsible for aviation maintenance, reset and limited depot activity for the European theater of operations.