NSA and FBI Spied on 5 High-Profile Americans Muslims - Report

US spy agencies snooped on the emails of five high- profile Muslim Americans in an effort to identify security threats, documents leaked by fugitive ex-NSA contractor Edward Snowden show.
The targets include a lawyer, professor and a political operative, according to a report published in the Intercept.

The Intercept is an online news site overseen by Glenn Greenwald, who helped publish many of Mr Snowden's
leaks.
The FBI and NSA said they only spied on Americans when they had probable cause. "The National Security Agency and FBI have covertly monitored the emails of prominent Muslim Americans... under secretive procedures intended to target terrorists and foreign spies," according to The Intercept report.

Those allegedly spied on include:
• Faisal Gill, a Republican Party operative and former Department of Homeland Security employee
• Asim Ghafoor, a lawyer who represented clients in terrorism-related cases
• Hooshang Amirahmadi, an Iranian-American professor at Rutgers University
• Agha Saeed, a former political science professor at California State University
• Nihad Awad, the executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

According to the report - the result of a three-month investigation using classified documents obtained from
Mr Snowden - all five individuals have denied involvement in terrorist activities. 'Ethnic stereotypes'
The NSA and Department of Justice quickly responded to the report, saying emails of Americans are only accessed if there is probable cause.
"It is entirely false that US intelligence agencies conduct electronic surveillance of political, religious or activist figures solely because they disagree with public policies or criticise the government, or for exercising constitutional rights," the agencies wrote in a joint statement.
The White House has ordered a review of national security agencies in the wake of the allegations, however.
"Upon learning of this matter, the White House immediately requested that the Director of National Intelligence undertake an assessment of Intelligence Community policies, training standards or directives that promote diversity and tolerance," White House national security spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said on Wednesday.
"The use of racial or ethnic stereotypes, slurs, or other similar language" is not acceptable, she added.

Edward Snowden, a former NSA contractor, leaked a trove of secure documents to international media
Several dozen civil liberties groups have also spoken out against the allegations made in The Intercept report, urging US President Barack Obama to provide a full public accounting of domestic surveillance.
It is not the first time US agencies have been accused of snooping on Americans. Previous documents leaked by Mr Snowden indicate the electronic files of thousands of citizens were scanned by the NSA.
Last year, Mr Snowden - a former NSA contractor now residing in Russia - fed a trove of secret NSA documents to news outlets including the Washington Post and the Guardian, where Mr Greenwald worked.

The US Congress has attempted to curb online snooping in the wake of the snooping revelations, with the House of Representatives passing legislation to that effect in mid-June.
The measure, added to a $570bn (£335bn) defence spending bill, would bar the NSA from collecting Americans' personal online information without a warrant.
Earlier this year the House also passed the USA Freedom Act that would limit the NSA's bulk data collection and storage of some American landline
telephone call records.

Courtesy:
BBC

Nigerian Government Investigating Politicians Linked With Boko Haram

THE Federal Government has said the Nigerian security forces, during their raid in terrorists’ forest in Bauchi, discovered some materials that linked some politicians and a prominent political party to terrorists’ activities.
The national coordinator of National Information Centre (NIC), Mr Mike Omeri, made this known on Wednesday, during a routine briefing on the current security situation in the country.

Omeri, however, vowed that the Federal Government would reveal the names of the politicians and the party involved, stressing the it would not condone involvement of politicians in security issues. He said: “after the last successful operations carried out by security forces to dislodge terrorists from their forest base in Darazo Local Government Area, end of the Balmo forest, some politicians are currently being investigated, following their link with activities in the forest.
“The politicians are being interrogated, following the recovery of some sensitive registration cards and other materials of a prominent political party that were found in the possession of some of the suspects arrested.
“Investigation is still ongoing to further unravel the identity of others that may have been involved and as soon as it is completed, we shall reveal the names of the culprits and the political party.”
Omeri, however, said the government would not condone the involvement of politicians in security matters.

Also the spokesperson of the Department of State Security (DSS), Marylin Ogar, has referred to the ‘Bring Back Our Girls’ protest as a franchise. Ogar said, “If it was not a franchise or an ordinary movement seeking to put more pressure on government and security operations to release this girls, there would be no need for the group to have tags,” insisting that “for them to have tags and be properly registered, we also know that they have a bank account.
“We know that they want to go to Asokoro extension and simulate some force movement where they will have foreign media and say they are matching into Sambisa and Chibok.”

Courtesy:
Tribune

Boko Haram Insists on Prisoners-for-Girls Swap, NCS Assures Chibok Girls Will Be Freed Soon

A man claiming to be a member of Boko Haram has maintained that the federal government must release its members detained in numerous facilities nationwide before the terrorist group releases the 219 Chibok schoolgirls it has held in captivity for almost three months.

Speaking on the BBC World Service, the man whose voice was disguised in order to conceal his identity, said he was a teacher or scholar in the sect and joined the group in 2004. He told the BBC that the girls were in “a state of amnesty”, healthy and eating well, adding that the Christians who refused to convert to Islam were not forced to do so as it is anti-Islamic.
The Boko Haram member maintained that the girls were taken for a specific reason and reiterated the condition
for their release, adding that the girls would be released once the federal government met the terrorist group’s
demands for a prisoner exchange deal.
“Today, if the government releases our members, tomorrow or the next day, we promise you can see all of them. As our leader Abubakar Shekau promised to the media, if the government releases our members, we will release them.”

On the condition of the girls, the Boko Haram teacher said: “I am telling a fact, they are in a state of amnesty, they don’t have a problem. Some of them have belief in Islam, some of them said they will not convert to Islam, but we did not differentiate. We are not forcing them or putting them under any pressure.
“Those who agreed to convert to Islam have been converted and those who refused we left them, we said stay. There is no forced conversion in Islam. Allah commands us to treat everyone equally. We are not differentiating them; we treat all of them equally.
“They all are healthy. They are feeding well. If you see them now, you will see that they don’t have any problem.”
He added that under the Islamic faith the killing of women and children was unacceptable except they are
the aggressors, but pointed out that some of them might get caught in the crossfire in the event of bombings or attacks.
“Under Islam, killing women and children is not acceptable. But if they are fighting you, then you must fight them. But if they don’t attack you, you leave them. Killing children and women is not accepted at all. We only go after those who give information to our enemy… But if we bomb somewhere or make arrest somewhere, it will affect them but killing women and children is not accepted,” he said.

Despite the revelations made by the Boko Haram “teacher” the Council of State, which met yesterday reiterated the position of the federal government that the abducted schoolgirls would soon regain their freedom, urging the public to be patient as the government works to wipe out terrorism.
Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, said the security of the nation topped the agenda, adding that President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) were briefed on the steps that were being taken to rescue the abducted schoolgirls.
He said military authorities also confirmed that efforts were being made and very soon there would be good news.
“It was also heartwarming to note that the issue is not whether we can rescue the girls, but the issue is how can we can rescue them in a way that we can ensure their safety so that we don't end up in the attempt to rescue them we endanger their lives.
“What also came out is the need for Nigerians to be patient because terrorism is a new challenge in Nigeria
and it is not something that goes away immediately and we have to be meticulous in our approach and
make sure that we take the best steps forward to reduce and minimise the possible loss of lives in an attempt to curb the insurgents.
“We are very satisfied the security agents know very well where the girls are located and they are on top of the situation.

Courtesy:

ThisDay Newspaper

Two British Returnees From Syria Admit Preparing to Carry Out Terrorist Acts at Woolwich Crown Court

Two men who travelled to Syria to join rebel fighters have admitted preparing to carry out terrorist acts.

Childhood friends Mohammed Nahin Ahmed and Yusuf Zubair Sarwar, both 22, from Handsworth, Birmingham, spent eight months in the wartorn country last year after contacting Islamic extremists from the UK.
The men were arrested at Heathrow by West Midlands police's counter-terrorism unit on their return in January. They each admitted one count of engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorism acts at Woolwich crown court in London on Tuesday.

More details soon...

Courtesy:
The Guardian

#BringBackOurGirls: Group Petition ICC To Serve Nigerian Govt. For Criminal Negligence, Decries Interagency Rivalry

The BringBackOurGirls group have petitioned the ICC to serve the Nigerian government for criminal negligence over its inability to rescue the over 200 schoolgirls abducted in Chibok on April 14, 2014.

A member of the group, Dino Melaye, who stated this yesterday, said the ICC negligence would serve the government after he wrote them on 14 grounds of criminal negligence by the federal government in the bid to rescue the Chibok girls.
He said: “With the help of two professors and a Swedish lawyer, we were able to put together a 14-count charge of criminal negligence and within this week, the federal government will be served. We
are hoping that with the help of the ICC
and the international community, our
government will be forced to expedite the action on the rescue of the schoolgirls.

“I have won some cases against the
police in a bid to ensure the continued
gathering of this sit-out and I believe that with the ICC coming in now, we will
achieve great results.”
The group also noted with dismay the
rivalry between the chief of army staff
and his air force counterpart in the rescue mission of the girls and that it was affecting the security mission in Borno State. It emphasised the need for
harmony in the effort.
The group further expressed displeasure
over the lack of results in the rescue
mission and the security situation in the
country, and noted that they would keep
on protesting until the girls were brought back safe and alive.

Courtesy:
Leadership Newspaper

Nigerian Military Arrests Boko Haram 'Foreign Mercenaries’

Nigerian military authorities have announced a successful anti-terror operation along Nigeria’s border with Niger Republic during which suspected foreign mercenaries were arrested.

In a statement on its website, defence
headquarters said troops cleared and took over the Balmo forest, which stretches from Bauchi to Jigawa State. It is also said to be linked to the fringes Sambisa forest in Borno State where the kidnapped schoolgirls are believed to have been kept days after their abduction in April. The forest had been serving as bases and hideouts for the terrorists from where they launched attacks, the military said.

“Terrorists and armed gangs operating in the forests were completely rooted out while some were captured during the operation.
“Among those captured were two foreigners who are suspected to be mercenaries.
Also captured are several weapons and equipment including power generating sets, communication equipment, vehicles, motorcycles, foodstuff and kitchen utensils,” the statement said.
It further stated that over 44 terror suspects had died in Kerenoa and adjoining communities, following an encounter with troops “who repelled their attack on the communities”.
The insurgents were said to have been armed with explosive devices and other high calibre weapons when they carried out a predawn attack on the communities “but met with stiff resistance of the troops… several of them were captured as well as weapons and ammunitions of various calibre”.

In Banki and Miyanti in Borno State at the weekend, Nigerian troops were reportedly ambushed by the terrorists, leading to the death of six soldiers and a number of the militants.

Courtesy:
The Cable

Rampaging Gunmen, Suspected Fulani Herdsmen Slaughter 45, Injure 95, Burn 200 Houses in Taraba State

At least 45 people were killed, 95 hurt and 200 houses razed in Gashaka, Bashiri, Panwen, Barimini, Sabongida Zaga and Suntai in Bali local government area of Taraba State when gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen invaded a Tiv settlement.
The incident was confirmed by the state police yesterday also stated that the chief of Tiv’s representative in Zaki Koti Anyima in Bali LGA was among those killed.

According to reports from Leadership, a witness said that, the armed men numbering over 120 invaded the villages at about 1:42am on Saturday
after a heavy downpour and engaged in shooting and burning of houses.
Ngada, who said he narrowly escaped the attack stated that over 55 people were killed by the Fulani, who injured over 95 others and razed down over 200 houses.

He said the invaders were identified to be Fulani herdsmen who had been terrorizing and killing innocent people in the southern part of the state.
“None of us knows what the Fulanis actually want. Three months ago, we all signed an agreement to put an end to all these killings, but we don’t know their reason for all these attacks and killings,” he said.

According to the spokesman of the state police command, ASP Joseph Kwaji, five people were killed by the attackers in Sabongida Zaga and Suntai districts in Bali local government area of the state.
He also confirmed that the chief of Tiv’s representative in Zaki Koti Anyima was killed by the attackers.
He noted that the command had since Friday drafted its men to the affected villages while investigation into the matter continued.

Courtesy:
today.ng

Boko Haram: Generals Are Deceiving President Jonathan With "Sexed-up Picture of Military Victories“

A senior military officer has claimed that President Goodluck Jonathan is being deceived by the high command on the true state of the anti-terror war in north-eastern Nigeria.

The officer, who cannot be named because of possible victimisation, said the day the president gets to know the true facts on ground, the country will begin to win the war against the Boko Haram insurgents.
For instance, he said contrary to last week’s claims by the defence headquarters that five soldiers were killed while repelling a Boko Haram attack in Damboa, Borno State, “we
lost far more than that number to the
militants”.

He warned that grossly downplaying
casualty figures and feeding the president with a “sexed-up” picture of military victories “can only give us false hope when we direly need to re-strategise to crush the insurgency”.
On Saturday, the military issued a statement saying its men killed “more than 50” terrorists while repelling a “daring attack” on military formations, and that five soldiers and a senior officer were killed by the insurgents. It did not give figures of the wounded.
But according to the officer who spoke with TheCable on Monday, all these claims were devised by the military high command to paint a false impression of a terrorism war that the military “is nowhere near winning as evident in the ease and frequency with which the terrorists launch attacks on soldiers and civilians”.
“If all these announcements from Abuja are true, we wouldn’t be losing men on this scale so often,” he said.
He warned that for the military to defeat Boko Haram, the first step is for the presidency and the public to be made to understand the truth about casualties on both sides, so that the right measures can be taken to bolster the capabilities of the military.
“How many terrorists did they tell you that they killed in Damboa? You see, as I speak right now, the soldiers are scattered in the bush. The insurgents dislodged their brigade because Lt-Colonel Abubakar Shumba, who was their commander, got killed.

“The soldiers who were killed belonged to Unit 195, and those who escaped have not even gone back because many soldiers were lost. Those who said five soldiers died are not telling the truth. They just want to deceive the public. They don’t want people to know the facts.
“It is hard to say the exact number of
people that died because the soldiers have not gone back to the location. As we speak, there are still a number of corpses there. Since that attack, they have not gone back. But if we calculate the number of those that died, I’m sure it’s close to 40.”
He further revealed that the soldiers are now in dire need of motivation because they are still smarting from the loss of their colleagues.
“Just now, they took about eight dead
bodies to Mamalade, 7B headquarters. The remaining ones are still in the bush. The soldiers have not even gone back to the location. But they have a new commander.
His name is Colonel Oserere,” he said.
Director of defence information, Major- General Chris Olukolade, denied that the military gave false figures on the gun battle.

“Naturally, we should be bothered about what happens to our troops and we are. We are really concerned. Let it not be said that we are giving you different figures,” Olukolade told TheCable.
“The figure we gave you is what we have and if people gave you different figures because they want to rejoice, because they are happy to hear that Nigerian soldiers have been killed, whatever they are… But I have given you the official figures that I have about that incident. As for the wounded, I don’t have the actual figure for the wounded.”

Courtesy:
The Cable

Most Wanted Terrorist in the Maghreb: Mokhtar Belmokhtar, Regroups, Plots New Attacks From Libya Base

The most wanted man in the Maghreb is operating freely in Libya and planning new terrorist attacks against Tunisia and Algeria, top experts warn.

Notorious terrorist Mokhtar Belmokhtar, alias Laaouar, intends to unify fighters returning from the Syria front and use them to strike the Maghreb, retired Tunisian Brigadier General Mokhtar Ben Nasr recently revealed.

"Since declaring his allegiance to al-Qaeda, Mokhtar Belmokhtar has stayed in Libya where he has been recruiting Syria returnees," Ben Nasr told Algeria's Echourouk daily on June 27th.

"He is trying to impose his influence on other jihadist groups in the Arab Maghreb after Tunisia's Abou Iyadh disappeared from the scene because he was banned from making media statements by a Libyan militia," the Tunisian officer said.

Algeria's El Khabar daily cited unnamed security sources as saying that Belmokhtar met with Uqba Ibn Nafi Brigade chief Khaled Chaieb (aka Abu Sakhr) and told him to free Ansar al-Sharia fighters from Mornaguia prison near Tunis.

The newspaper, which did not specify the date or place of the meeting, said the instructions also included targeting a number of oil, tourist and security facilities and some political and security officials.

"The terrorist elements are incapable of confronting the internal security and national army forces," Tunisian Defence Minister Ghazi Jeribi said on Thursday (July 3rd) during the funeral of four national army soldiers killed on Wednesday when their vehicle hit a landmine planted by terrorists. "Their strategy is to plant landmines and not to confront the army forces."

He added: "Jebel Chaambi is under control, and a decision was made to storm the mountains between Jendouba and El Kef provinces."

Olfa Ayari, president of the Prisons and Correctional Institution Syndicate, dismissed Belmokhtar's call to his followers to attack Mornaguia prison.

"Let him come with all of his al-Qaeda elements and let them try," she told Magharebia. "They will be disappointed because this is Africa's most secured prison with its strong fortifications and highly-trained guards."

According to Ayari, Mornaguia prison is home to more than 500 terrorists.

"We're all accustomed to Belmokhtar's threats, which are basically propaganda after his status dropped among terrorist groups," security expert Sami Riahi said.

Tunisia's Al Maghreb daily also reported that Laaouar aimed to carry out terrorist operations in Tunisia, including bombings and assassinations of some officials.

Observers are not surprised by Belmokhtar's plan to target prisons, like what happened in Niger last year.

"Terrorist organisations are stepping up their efforts to free their jailed elements because this is the best way to maintain their loyalty," analyst Abdelhamid al-Ansari said.

Courtesy:
Magharebia

ECOWAS Step Up Cooperation To Tackle Terrorist Threat

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) called on its members to step up their security co-operation in order to tackle terrorism.
In a statement released Thursday (July 3rd) in Abuja, Nigeria, ECOWAS members expressed deep concern at
the recent deterioration of the security situation in the Malian region of Kidal, as well as the bloody and recurring attacks carried out by Boko Haram in northern Nigeria.

They vowed to strengthen the co-ordination between their security forces to fight against terrorism.
This statement echoed an appeal made a few days earlier by the ECOWAS commissioner for political affairs, peace and security, Salamatou Suleiman, who spoke of "the need for synergy of action to eliminate crime across our shared area".
"Governance and security are central to the regional strategy, which aims to make security a regional public
good and an essential service for citizens, as well as a vital component of sustainable development," she said
on June 25th.
ECOWAS forces have been on alert since the abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls by Boko Haram nearly two
months ago.
The incident sparked an unprecedented level of international mobilisation against the terrorist organisation.

"Boko Haram fighters are taking advantage of the porous borders of the north-east to escape the army
and take refuge in neighbouring countries," Malian counterterrorism expert Modibo Diarra noted.
"The problem is being taken very seriously by ECOWAS, which has declared open war against terrorism," he told Magharebia.
"The fifteen member nations said they were willing to establish a high-level partnership with central African
states to combat terrorism effectively," he explained.
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan confirmed that the problem was not Nigerian but regional.
ECOWAS has asked the UN Security Council to consider "targeted sanctions against the armed groups or individuals who impede the peace process". The council responded by officially declaring Boko Haram a terrorist organisation.

A recent international summit in Paris aimed to adopt a "battle plan" against Boko Haram, which it described as
a "terrorist sect" and a "major threat" to the region. The president of Cameroon, Paul Biya, summed it up by saying: "We are here to declare war on Boko Haram."
The leaders agreed on a number of measures, including "co-ordination of intelligence, information-sharing,
centralised management of resources, border surveillance, military presence around Lake Chad and a capacity to intervene in the event of danger", French President Francois Hollande said.
Boko Haram "is equipped with heavy weapons, a capacity to use them thanks to training provided when Mali was under terrorist occupation, and also financing", Hollande explained.
Jidou Ould Sidi, a journalist who specialises in security matters, said: "The threat is real and the region's
governments appear to have measured its scale."

Heads of state in the region are determined to strengthen their defence and security systems, and "diligently implement the United Nations and ECOWAS strategies for the Sahel", he noted.
It will take time, he cautioned.
"The security, intelligence and legal capacities of these countries are still weak," Ould Sidi said.

Courtesy:
Magharebia

Nigerian Government Would Soon End Terrorism- Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Minimah

The chief of army staff gave the assurance during an Inter-Denominational Church Service which was used to mark the 2014 Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL) at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Catholic Church, Mogadishu Cantonment in Abuja.

Minimah, while fielding questions from journalist on security issues at the service titled: "Combating Current National Security Challenges through Collective Effort" said: "We are going through troubled times but they will soon come to an end and we shall be glad at the end. I promise you it will come to an end and we will be victorious. The war against terrorism is a collective effort of all Nigerians and I appeal to all Nigerians to join hands in fighting this new war of terrorism. I want to thank Nigerians for standing by us, for their perseverance. I also appeal to them that terrorism is a new warfare. It requires time and patience for us to defeat it. I am very much optimistic that we will deliver. We will win the war. What we have in the North-East will certainly come to an end soon. Our job is to continue to protect and preserve the unity of this country and making it stable for prosperity. Our job is also to uphold our constitutional role, which is to defend the country’s territorial integrity from insurgency and external aggression, and provide aid to civil authority. That, we will continue to do".

The army chief while expressing optimism that terrorism would definitely end cited the Niger-Delta, Abia and Benue States, which had similar crisis before but have now become peaceful. He said the army would overcome terror as it has always done in the past.

Minimah revealed that in order to achieve victory over insurgents, it has started purchasing new equipment, training its personnel as well as the provision of a good welfare packages for its troops. He explained that the army decided to have a low-key celebration for NADCEL 2014 following the immerse security challenges currently bedeviling the nation. 

"A man does not celebrate his birthday if he is bereaved. He has to just mark his birthday. I want to salute the gallantry of our troops, who have paid the supreme price in the course of defending their fatherland. These officers and soldiers had died in their duty posts and we will not forget them" he said.

Similarly, Rev. Dawuk Danfulani, the Director, Army Chaplain (Protestant), in his sermon, expressed the need for Nigerians to faithfully unite and seek God’s support in order to end terrorism. 
The army chaplain urged citizens to collectively condemn and expose evil deeds in the society, noting that even if the person executing such did was a close relation.

"If a person is pulling down the system that is supposed to stand, you have the right to expose him or her. If we condemn collectively and expose evil-doers, they will be afraid to do evil" he said. 

Danfulani, who took his reading from the second book of Corinthians, chapter 2, verse 11, urged Nigerians not to be ignorant as children of God.

"So, we should unite and fight these perpetrators of evil. As Nigerians, as Christians and as members of the Armed Forces, since we have known the source of our problem, we should unite spiritually to fight the enemy. We must patriotically defend what God has given us,and God will ask us and punish us if we fail to defend it" Danfulani said. 

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army which was established in 1863, celebrated its 151 years of existence. Prayers were offered for the country, President Goodluck Jonathan, the Armed Forces as well as deceased military personnel. The name "Nigerian Army" was first used 100 years later when Nigeria became a republic in 1963.

It would be recalled that the Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Lt.- General Kenneth Minimah, on Friday March 20, 2014, gave an assurance that the Nigerian Army will not rest until terrorism was brought to an end.

Courtesy:
naij.com

United States 'To work With Germany' To Resolve Spy Row

A White House spokesman said he could not comment directly but efforts were being made to solve the problem.

Earlier, German Chancellor Angela Merkel voiced her concerns about the alleged US spy in German intelligence, while on a visit to China.

"It would be a clear contradiction of what I consider to be trusting co-operation" with the US, she said.

She said that if the allegations about a double agent were true, it would constitute a serious breach of trust.

"If the reports are correct, it would be a serious case," Ms Merkel said on Monday while at a news conference with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.

It is the second day of her three-day visit, which is dominated by trade issues.

The latest twist in the ongoing spying row between the two countries happened last week when a German employee of the country's foreign intelligence service (BND) was arrested.

The man is suspected of having handed over more than 200 documents over a two-year period in exchange for 25,000 euros (£20,000; $34,000).

Questioned by reporters on Monday, White House spokesman Josh Earnest praised the "valuable" relationship the US had with Germany and said: "We are going to work with the Germans to resolve this situation appropriately,"

Analysis - Stephen Evans, BBC News, Berlin

Spying is particularly sensitive in Germany, whether it's listening in to Chancellor Merkel's phone or reading secret documents meant for a parliamentary committee. Mrs Merkel grew up in East Germany where the intrusions of the secret police - the Stasi - were pervasive and poisonous. And democracy has something of a sacred quality in Germany today because of the Nazi and then the Communist years.

"Outrage" runs across the political spectrum - it's not just a "chattering class" issue. Wolfgang Bosbach, for example, who is the Christian Democrat [centre-right] head of the Bundestag committee which oversees interior affairs, questioned whether the US and Germany could be considered as "partners" any more.

The first allegation of spying came just after President Obama's visit to Berlin where he was greeted as a long-lost friend. And this latest one concerns material for the very parliamentary committee set up to investigate the previous allegation. Spies spy, and no doubt spies spy on friends, but there are political consequences when they are caught at it, even if it's just in terms of a loss of goodwill.

German-US relations have been strained since it emerged that the US National Security Agency (NSA) had been monitoring Ms Merkel's mobile phone calls.

The scale of NSA surveillance was revealed by US whistleblower Edward Snowden, a former NSA contractor who remains a fugitive in Russia.

Courtesy

BBC

Islamist Terror Threat to West Blown Out of Proportion - Former MI6 Chief

The government and media have blown the Islamist terrorism threat out of proportion, giving extremists publicity which is counter-productive, a former head of Britain's intelligence service has said.

Sir Richard Dearlove, chief of MI6 at the time of the Iraq invasion, said there had been a fundamental change in the nature of Islamist extremism since the Arab Spring. It had created a major political problem in the Middle East but the west, including Britain, was only marginally affected, he told an audience in London on Monday.

Richard Dearlove said Britons spreading 'blood-curdling' terrorism messages should be ignored.

Unlike the threat posed by al-Qaida before and after the 9/11 attacks on the US in 2001, the west was not the main target of the radical fundamentalism that created the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isis), he said.

Speaking at the Royal United Services Institute, a security and defence thinktank, Dearlove made it clear that the way the government and the media were giving the extremists the "oxygen of publicity" was counter-productive.

More details soon …

Courtesy:
The Guardian

Boko Haram: Nigeria, Cameroon Hold Trans-Border Security Meeting

In an effort to stem security challenges, the second session of the Nigeria/Cameroon Trans-Border Security Committee meets in Abuja from July 8-11.

This information is contained in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by Karounwi Adekunle, the Special Assistant, Media, to the National Security Adviser, NSA.
Mr. Adekunle said that the session was being organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Office of the NSA.
He said the session will be declared open by the National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.
The spokesperson quoted the head of Nigerian delegation, Babatunde Samuel, as saying that “the purpose of the second session is to move the cooperation of both countries to the next level”.

He said this would be done by identifying ways and means of implementing security agreement.
“As brothers and neighbours, we agreed to overcome our differences and focus on shared beliefs and values -peace and security of lives and property.
“And to make positive difference to our kith and kin residing in the border areas of our countries and in the long run extend that peace and security to all citizens of Nigeria and Cameroon,” it said.

He explained that prior to the first session held in November 2013, in Yaounde, Cameroon, the presidents of the two countries resolved that there was need to deepen the bilateral relations existing between them.
Mr. Adekunle added that relations would be particularly in the area of security in order to further sustain the bond of friendship.

The border communities between Nigeria and Cameroon are some of the major bases and areas of operations of the Boko Haram insurgent group.
The sect members are known to attack Nigerian communities and flee to Cameroon, and neighbouring Niger and Chad, after the attack.

(NAN)

Premium Times

United States Bans UNCHARGED Mobiles or Laptops From US-bound flights over Bomb Fears - iPhones and Galaxies Top of the Hit List

The US has declared that it will not allow mobile phones - especially iPhones and Samsung's Galaxy - onto US bound planes from some airports in Europe, the Middle East and Africa if the devices are not charged.

The new measure, which is bound to cause chaotic scenes at airports around the globe, is part of the US Transportation Security Administration's effort to boost surveillance amid concerns that terrorists are plotting to blow up an airliner.

As part of the increased scrutiny at certain airports, security agents may ask travelers to turn on their electronic devices at checkpoints and if they do not have power, the devices will not be allowed on planes, the TSA said.

Increased vigilance:
US intelligence officials are concerned that al-Qaida is trying to develop a new and improved bomb that could go undetected through airport security. No doubt the new measures have the potential to create frantic searches for chargers at airports and one US source familiar with the matter said laptop computers are also among the devices security screeners may also require passengers to turn on.

US officials are concerned that a cellphone, tablet, laptop or other electronic device could be used as a bomb by Yemen-based al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and the Islamist Nusra Front, al Qaeda's affiliate in Syria.

In 2009 a Yemen-linked bomb-maker, Ibrahim al-Asiri, built an underwear bomb used in the failed effort to bring down a Detroit-bound airliner, and his devices were implicated in other plots.

The Islamist Nusra Front, Al Qaeda’s affiliate involved in fighting with Syrian rebels to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad, is also thought to be plotting an airliner attack, according to intelligence reports.

The TSA did not disclose which airports would be conducting the additional screening, however it was reported last week that passengers at British airports traveling to the US are facing extra checks on phones.

An official told the BBC that London's Heathrow was among the airports.

US officials singled out smartphones including iPhones made by Apple Inc and Galaxy phones made by Samsung Electronics Co Ltd for extra security checks on U.S.-bound direct flights from Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Special attention:
The TSA in the US has announced that iPhones and Samsung Galaxy phones will come under strict scrutiny. US security officials said they fear bombmakers from the Yemen-based al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) have figured out how to turn the phones into explosive devices that can avoid detection.

They also are concerned that hard-to-detect bombs could be built into shoes, said the officials, who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue.

A US official said that other electronic devices carried by passengers also are likely to receive more intense scrutiny and travellers may be asked to power up laptops, iPads, tablets and Kindles.

A TSA statement said: ‘As the travelling public knows, all electronic devices are screened by security officers.

‘During the security examination, officers may also ask that owners power up some devices, including cell phones.

‘Powerless devices will not be permitted onboard the aircraft. The traveller may also undergo additional screening.’

Airlines or airport operators that fail to strengthen security could face bans on flights entering the United States, the officials said.

The US Homeland Security Department announced on Wednesday plans to step up security checks, but they offered few details on how airlines and airports will implement them.

US Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said at the time: ‘We will work to ensure these necessary steps pose as few disruptions to travellers  as possible.’

An official familiar with the matter said the United States believes that while it is possible there may be some additional delays at security checkpoints, at most major airports passengers will not be seriously inconvenienced.

The official said most passengers taking long-distance flights arrive well in advance of scheduled departures, leaving time for extra screening.

But he said the United States could not rule out disruptions in countries where airport infrastructure and security procedures are less sophisticated.

In his weekly radio phone-in programme, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg warned last week that travellers may have to get used to the extra checks.

‘I don’t think we should expect this to be a one-off temporary thing,’ he said. ‘We have to make sure the checks are there to meet the nature of the new kinds of threats.’

‘Whether it is for ever – I can’t make any predictions. But I don’t want people to think that this is just a sort of a blip for a week. This is part of an evolving and constant review about whether the checks keep up with the nature of the threats.’

US-based airlines had little to say about the enhanced security. American Airlines spokesman Matt Miller said the Department of Homeland Security had been in contact with American on the issue, but declined to comment further.

Luke Punzenberger, a spokesman for United Airlines said: 'We work closely with federal officials on security matters, but we are not able to discuss the details of those efforts.'

US security agencies fear bombmakers from AQAP and the Islamist Nusra Front, al Qaeda's affiliate in Syria, are collaborating on plots to attack U.S.- or Europe-bound planes with bombs concealed on foreign fighters carrying Western passports, the officials said.

AQAP has a track record of plotting such attacks. Its innovative bombmaker, Ibrahim al-Asiri, built an underwear bomb used in a failed 2009 effort to bring down a Detroit-bound airliner, and his devices were implicated in other plots.

There was no immediate indication U.S. intelligence had detected a specific plot or timeframe for any attack.

US officials say the United States has acquired evidence that Nusra and AQAP operatives have tested new bomb designs in Syria, where Nusra is one of the main Islamist groups fighting to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad.

Courtesy:

MailOnline