Feral Jundi

Friday, September 30, 2011

Al Qaeda: Anwar al-Aulaqi and Samir Khan Are Killed in Yemen!

Filed under: Al Qaeda,Yemen — Tags: , , , , — Matt @ 11:38 AM

This is fantastic news! Both of these guys have been high on the most wanted list for awhile, and they were crucial to the propaganda arm of Al Qaeda. They are also American born, which makes their deaths even better. Nothing makes me happier than to see traitors of this country get their just deserve in the form of a hellfire missile. Death to Al Qaeda!!! –Matt

Edit: 10/01/2011- It sounds like there was a third AQ individual killed in this strike, and he is a top target as well. His name is Ibrahim al-Asiri, and he is a top bomb maker responsible for the manufacture of the underwear bomb and the printer bomb used in operations. Outstanding.

Edit: 10/02/2011- On the other hand, it sounds like al-Asiri was not killed. lol

 

Anwar al-Aulaqi and Samir Khan.

 

Anwar al-Aulaqi, U.S.-born cleric linked to al-Qaeda, reported killed in Yemen
By Sudarsan Raghavan
September 30, 2011
Anwar al-Aulaqi, a radical U.S.-born Muslim cleric and one of the most influential al-Qaeda leaders wanted by the United States, was killed Friday in a U.S. drone strike in northern Yemen, Yemeni and American authorities said, eliminating a prominent terrorist recruiter who inspired attacks on U.S. soil.
The strike also killed a second U.S. citizen — Samir Khan, the co-editor of an al-Qaeda magazine — and two other unidentified al-Qaeda operatives, the Yemeni government said. But tribal leaders in the area said at least seven people were killed. They identified one of the others as al-Qaeda militant named Salem bin Arfaaj.
In Washington, senior Obama administration officials confirmed that Aulaqi, 40, a dual national of the United States and Yemen, and Khan were killed in a drone strike on their convoy.
President Obama called Aulaqi’s death “a major blow to al-Qaeda’s most active operational affiliate” and described him as “the leader of external operations for al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula,” a group known as AQAP.
“In that role, he took the lead in planning and directing efforts to murder innocent Americans,” Obama said at a ceremony honoring the outgoing chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at Fort Myer, Va.
Khan, a member of AQAP, co-edited the group’s slick English-language Internet magazine, Inspire, which was intended to recruit Westerners to al-Qaeda’s fold. Aulaqi was also believed to have played a role in creating the online-only magazine, whose first issue in July 2010 included an article titled “Making a bomb in the kitchen of your mom.” Khan, a Saudi-born U.S. citizen raised in Queens, N.Y., and Charlotte, traveled to Yemen to join AQAP and likely operated under Aulaqi’s direction, terrorism experts have said.
Mohammed al-Basha, a Yemeni government spokesman, said in an e-mail that Yemeni intelligence had pinpointed Aulaqi’s hideout and monitored his movements before the airstrike.

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Africa: LRA Crisis Tracker

Filed under: Africa,Technology — Tags: , , , , — Matt @ 10:14 AM

Excellent news, and this is great to see a resource like this.  With so much focus on the other problems of the world, these animals continue to rove the jungles of Africa and terrorize and kill. There must be a more coordinated and serious effort to kill or capture Joseph Kony and his LRA.

The other thing with this is that if you look at the concentration of incidents (heat map), you can get a basic idea where the LRA operational area is.  This is where a drone or satellite should be pointed, and a task force could be on call, just waiting to pounce on these guys as soon as movement or activity gets seen or reported.

Or how about we take every village that has ever been attacked by these scum in these areas, and do a massive lion hunt type operation?  If you can flush the LRA out of their hiding spots, and set up ambushes or blocking forces to kill them, then that might be a good use of the thousands of people who would love to see their destruction. There is strength in numbers, and something like this would empower the people.

The other thing I like about this service is that data like this will help those who want to defend against the LRA. If you can see the main group moving closer to a village, then that village could be warned and the children and women could be hidden. Every little tip and report, is a vital piece to this game. The design of the website and service also reminds me a lot of Ushahidi. Check it out. –Matt

 

LRA Crisis Tracker
The LRA Crisis Tracker is a real-time mapping platform and data collection system created to bring an unprecedented level of transparency to the atrocities of the Lord’s Resistance Army.
Using information sourced from Invisible Children’s Early Warning Radio Network, UN agencies, and local NGOs, this tool allows for better response from governments, policy-makers, and humanitarian organizations.
This joint project, developed by Invisible Children and Resolve, marks the first time data surrounding the crisis has been comprehensively aggregated and made publicly available.

Website here.

 

LRA Crisis Tracker Introduction from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Cool Stuff: idIRt By Cyalume–An IR Tracking Tag That Looks Like Dirt, Sand And Concrete

Filed under: Cool Stuff,Gear Review,Law Enforcement — Tags: , , , , , — Matt @ 7:07 PM

Hat tip to Soldier Systems for this one. Police Mag did a story on this stuff as well. I like it, and simple little tricks like this could really give you an edge out there. Especially if you are wanting to track movements through specific areas of your AO, or track someone to see where they go.

The thing with this stuff is it is an infrared or IR tag that looks like dirt/sand/concrete. So no one is going to know they are walking through it unless they are looking for IR dirt specifically. This is great for criminal forensics as well, just because you could prove instantly that a person is the guy that walked through your target area. Or imagine sprinkling this all over a specific jungle trail’s foliage, and everything that moves through it is marked? Very cool stuff and check it out. –Matt

Cyalume website here.

 

Legal News: Does The OMB Policy On Inherently Governmental Conflict With The Constitution?

Filed under: Legal News,Letter Of Marque — Tags: , , , , , , — Matt @ 4:28 PM

To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water. – The enumerated powers of congress, war powers clause, Article 1, Section 8, Paragraph 11 of the US Constitution.

The other day I came across the OMB’s new policy letter on what the government deems ‘inherently governmental’.  I posted the Apendix A portion, because that has the most relevance to this discussion and to our industry.  For the most part, self defense or defense of others is not a problem, but contractors engaging in combat is.

With that said, let’s look at the legal definition of the Letter of Marque and Reprisal and the various sources that confirm that definition:

LETTER OF MARQUE AND REPRISAL, War. A commission granted by the government to a private individual, to take the property of a foreign state, or of the citizens or subjects of such state, as a reparation for an injury committed by such state, its citizens or subjects. A vessel loaded with merchandise, on a voyage to a friendly port, but armed for its own defence in case of attack by an enemy, is also called a letter of marque. 1 Boulay Paty, tit. 3, s. 2, p. 300. 2. By the constitution, art. 1, s. 8, cl. 11, congress has power to grant letters of marque and reprisal. Vide Chit. Law of Nat. 73; 1 Black. Com. 251; Vin. Ab. Prerogative, N a; Com. Dig. Prerogative, B 4; Molloy, B. 1, c. 2, s. 10; 2 Woodes. 440; 6 Rob. Rep. 9; 5 Id. 360; 2 Rob. Rep. 224. And vide Reprisal.

And then let’s look at the legal definition of combat.

COMBAT, Eng. law. The form of a forcible encounter between two or more persons or bodies of men; an engagement or battle. A duel.

So you can see here that in fact, the ability to grant a Letter of Marque and Reprisal is an enumerated power of congress. That by definition, authorizes private individual to take the property of a foreign state or the citizens and and subjects of that state. That is not self defense. This is totally a forcible encounter between two or more persons or bodies of men.

Now onto the question. How is the policy of the OMB on what is inherently governmental, not conflict with the constitution? You have one agency saying that a private individual engaging in combat for this country is not authorized, but you have our top legal document of the land saying that private individuals can participate in combat and seize the assets of an enemy if given a license or Letter of Marque by congress.

Or legally agencies must abide by this policy, but congress still has this right to issue the LoM?  Anyone want to take a swipe at this one? lol  –Matt 

 

OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET
Office of Federal Procurement Policy
Publication of the Office of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) Policy
Letter 11-01, Performance of Inherently Governmental and Critical Functions
AGENCY: Office of Management and Budget, Office of Federal Procurement Policy
ACTION: Notice of Final Policy Letter
In addressing security operations, for example, the list
identifies where security operations would be inherently governmental in connection with
combat. This should not be read as a determination that all security performed in any
hostile situation other than actual combat may be performed by contractors. Rather it
means that those situations should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to determine what
security functions and activities are inherently governmental and what can be performed
by contractors with appropriate management and oversight.

Appendix A. Examples of inherently governmental functions
The following is an illustrative list of functions considered to be inherently governmental.
This list should be reviewed in conjunction with the list of functions closely associated
with inherently governmental functions found in Appendix B to better understand the
differences between the actions identified on each list.

Note: For most functions, the list also identifies activities performed in connection with
the stated function. In many cases, a function will include multiple activities, some of
which may not be inherently governmental.

1. The direct conduct of criminal investigation.

2. The control of prosecutions and performance of adjudicatory functions (other than
those relating to arbitration or other methods of alternative dispute resolution).

3. The command of military forces, especially the leadership of military personnel who
are performing a combat, combat support or combat service support role.

4. Combat.

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Maritime Security: Spain Allows Heavy Weapons On Tuna Fishing Vessels

Filed under: Indian Ocean,Letter Of Marque,Maritime Security,Spain,Weapons — Tags: , , , , , , — Matt @ 11:19 AM

You know, out of all of the countries that I have followed, Spain has been one of those countries willing to work with private security and shipping companies the most to achieve a good level of security. Unless someone can point out a better arrangement?

Especially when Spain is paying grants to Tuna boats that cover 25% of the cost to hire security, or providing military training to that security, and most of all, allowing those PSC’s to use heavy weapons. That last one is a big plus for me, just because it reflects the reality of what is out there.

I also like the idea of placing conditions on these grants. Although why not just grant the Letter of Marque? But this is an interesting way of mitigating the principal-agent problem.  Here is the quote:

“No aid shall be granted in cases of breach of Community law, Common Fisheries Policy or legislation to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activity. In these cases the aid will be refunded depending on the severity of the infringement,” the Ministry added.

Armed guards on boats are having some fantastic success against piracy. We have a 100 percent success rate. But that is no reason to get comfortable or to not evolve and stay one step ahead. Today’s pirates are consolidating, they are innovating, they are attacking using wolfpack tactics, they are using NVG’s to attack at night, and they are using weapons of war.  With that kind of enemy, we must give today’s armed guards every advantage we can.  So with that said, I give Spain high marks for this new weapons policy. –Matt

 

Heavy weapons allowed in tuna fishing vessels in the Indian Ocean
September 28, 2011
In order to combat pirates’ action in the Indian Ocean, the Ministry of Defense of Spain authorized the use of large caliber weapons — 12.70 mm — in tuna vessels fishing in these waters.
So far, the boats have been able to carry weapons of 7.62 millimetres, but the current ones are much more powerful and they are usually anchored using some kind of support.
The measure was announced by Defence Minister, Carme Chacón, after meeting with representatives of tuna vessels and of shipowners of the Spanish fleet in the Indian Ocean.
Thus, Spain is the only country with permission to carry heavy weapons and ar 15 parts on board to fight Somali pirates, Diario Montañes reported.
The initiative will be implemented as soon as the Government of Seychelles comes to approve the protocol submitted by the Spanish government with details of the agreement.
According to Chacón, it is “almost imminent” to carry such weapons in the Spanish vessels.
When asked about the possibility of managing an operation similar to Atalanta in the Gulf of Guinea, following the increase of crime in these waters, Chacón dismissed it.

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