Report Details Released From Topoff 4 Exercise

A Dirty Bomb is detonated somewhere in the United States releasing its radiological effects in the nearby surrounding areas.

Federal officials from many different agencies are responding to counter the effects and assess the damage.

The event is only a drill called Topoff 4 to prepare, test and train how various government agencies will respond should an actual event of this nature and scale take place in the real world.

The idea of Topoff 4 is increasing coordination through collaboration and took place from October 15-19, 2007. The event took took place in Portland, Ore.; Phoenix, Ariz.; and for the first time, the U.S. territory of Guam as well as in Washington, D.C. for federal partners.

The exercise built on past lessons learned while adding new goals, including: an increased level of coordination with U.S. Department of Defense exercises to combat global terrorism, closer cooperation with the private sector, an expanded emphasis on prevention, a deeper focus on mass decontamination and long-term recovery and remediation issues, and strengthened coordination and communications with international allies.

As stated above the exercise is based on a dirty bomb or Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) and is National Planning Scenario 11 (NPS-11). The scenario begins as terrorists, who have been planning attacks in Oregon, Arizona, and the U.S. Territory of Guam, successfully bring radioactive material into the United States. The first of three coordinated attacks occurs in Guam, with the simulated detonation of a (RDD), or “dirty bomb,” causing casualties and wide-spread contamination in a populous area near a power plant. Similar attacks occur in the hours that follow in Portland and Phoenix.

An RDD is not the same as a nuclear attack. It is a conventional explosive that, upon detonation, releases radioactive material into the surrounding area. Although it does not cause the type of catastrophic damage associated with a nuclear detonation, there are severe rescue, health, and long-term decontamination concerns associated with an RDD. Real weapons will not be used in the scenario, but the response will be mounted as if they had been.

The report that was just released outline Strengths and weaknesses that were found during the exercise. The weaknesses reportedly are that officials had problems working with radiation experts and relaying damage reports to the public.

However, the report also highlights some strengths during the exercise, such as quick responses to the mock explosions, sharing of information among agencies and helping special-needs populations like the elderly.

Department of Homeland Security officials met today for a closed-door conference with state and local emergency responders to discuss the preliminary results of the Topoff 4 last from fall.

Box of Hazardous Chemicals Found in Canada

A wooden box containing 8 500ml vials of the chemicals Chromium Trioxide, Potassium Ferro Cyanide, Potassium Chromate, and Potassium Cyanide were found hidden behind a tree stump along a BMX trail in Grand Forks, Canada.

All of the checimals found are considered dangerous and poisonous if inhaled or or ingested.

Officials say the chemicals were removed safely and are being properly disposed of.

No injuries are reported and anyone with information about how the chemicals got there is urged to report it to the authorities.

Source

30 Active Terror Plots In Britain Under Investigation

It is being reported by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith that 30 separate and active terror plots are under investigation in Great Britain.

"There are 22,000 individuals who are being monitored. There are 200 networks involved and 30 active plots," Smith said on Sunday. He also said, "We now face a threat level that is severe. It's actually growing."

The British government is currently seeking to pass legislation to extend the detention of terror suspects to 42 days from the current 28-day limit. However, the measure faces strong opposition in parliament from several parties.

Smith says that the measure is needed and is also as quoted in saying that

"We task the police and the security agencies with protecting us. Frankly, if they say to me it's getting more difficult and we need more time to investigate thoroughly, it is my duty to provide them with the tools they need, We can't wait for an attack to succeed and then rush in new powers. We have got to stay ahead. Because we now understand the scale of what is being plotted, the police have to step in earlier, which means they need more time to put evidence together."

Source

Two Arrested and Held For Cutting Undersea Cables

A while back it was widely reported that a series of undersea cables, supporting telecommunications were suspiciously being cut. Affecting vital communications in the Middle East and India. The cables which were affected belonged to Flag Telecom and caused a disruption of internet services for about two weeks.

Though it was reported at the time no ships were in the area, authorities were able to use satellite images to figure out that two ships were involved and in close proximity each time a cable had been cut.

The two ships — MV Hounslow and MT Ann — were impounded on February 19 when they reached Dubai shores for allegedly damaging the cable network in February.

One of the two ships was released after a Korean shipping company, which owns it, paid huge compensation for damages to Flag Telecom, a subsidiary of Reliance Globalcom. During police interrogation, an official of the Korean ship admitted that the vessel was passing through the area and agreed to pay USD 60,000 as damages.

The second ship, which belongs to an Iraqi company, is still in the custody of Dubai Police and the Coast Guards a police source was quoted as saying. he two sailors who were on board the vessel were arrested and would be referred to the Dubai Public Prosecution next week.

It was Reliance Globalcom who provided details of the ships by studying the satellite images of the ship movements around the area of undersea cable damage off the northern coast of Egypt and the UAE.

Bird Flu Outbreak Spreads Across Parts of Aisa

There are currently four different bird flu outbreaks in various areas of Asia at the moment including one in Russia.

The highlights of each outbreak are detailed below by region. So far bird flu outbreaks have taken 235 human lives worldwide since 2003 when the strain was first identified in China.

Research is being conducted to see if each is connected to the deadly H5N1 strain though in at least one case it is confirmed to be the H5N1 strain. Though experts are worried since this strain is usually linked to the winter migratory season and not generally seen in April.

Russia

In the village of Vozdvizhenka, Russia there is a confirmed Bird Flu outbreak. Russia's agriculture ministry which confirmed the bird flu outbreak in the Far East region of Primorye which was quarantined after scores of chickens died, and are quoted as saying “In two days, 28 out of 42 hens and guinea fowl died on a farm."

Authorities cordoned off the village, killed all other fowl on the farm and vaccinated birds in the village and nearby areas, the ministry said. The dead birds had been incinerated, they added.

South Korea
The latest outbreak of the virus was confirmed on a farm in Yeoungam, about 236 miles southwest of Seoul, South Korea. This is the 4th outbreak in the country in the last month, previous to which the country had been free of the virus for over a year.

So far, Korean officials have slaughtered more than 1 million birds in an attempt to control the outbreak of the virus.

Within the site of the latest outbreak, workers have culled an additional 470000 chickens as precaution.

In another part of the country the bird flu outbreak at a duck farm in Jeongeup in North Jeolla Province proved to be a highly pathogenic strain that can affect humans, it emerged Monday. It follows a similar outbreak at a chicken farm in Gimje in the same province.

The Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said the outbreak reported on April 3 by a duck farm in Jeongeup turned out to be of the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza.

India
Also officials in the Indian State of Tripura have ordered the culling of about 40,000 birds after an outbreak of bird flu was confirmed.

They say the virulent H5N1 strain has been detected in poultry in nearly 40 villages bordering Bangladesh.

The culling of birds would begin from Tuesday, they said.

Earlier this year, West Bengal reported an outbreak of avian influenza. In Bangladesh, the epidemic has spread to more than half the country.

The first outbreak of avian flu in India was in the western state of Maharashtra in 2006.

So far no cases of human infection have been reported either in India or Bangladesh.

Here are some excellent resources on Bird Flu From the BBC WHO CDC

Sources for the article were taken from and compiled from various news sources including The Times of India BBC and news.xinhuanet.com