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Joe LaSorsa

The World’s Most Dangerous Waters

Shipping
The World’s Most Dangerous Waters
Forbes staff, 
The perilous rescue of captain Richard Phillips is just one episode in a worldwide renaissance of sea piracy that began a decade ago.

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In Pictures: The World’s Most Dangerous Waters

Contrary to what many people think, piracy has not been relegated to the history books. On the contrary, it has risen sharply in the last decade: The global arms trade has made it easy to access cheap and powerful weapons, and globalization has filled the oceans with cargo vessels. The plunder has spawned a new era of piracy that is dominated by machine-gun-toting gangs equipped with rocket-propelled grenades and other modern weapons ready to board, kill crews, steal cargo and even hijack and resell ships. Here’s where they strike most.

When most Americans thought of sea piracy before last week, Johnny Depp came to mind, not Somalia. But the hostage taking and perilous rescue of captain Richard Phillips is only the most high-profile episode in a worldwide renaissance of sea piracy that began a decade ago.

At its heart: the growth of global commerce in the past two decades that has crowded the oceans with cargo vessels, dry-bulk carriers and supertankers loaded with every good imaginable. The world currently transports 80% of all international freight by sea. More than 10 million cargo containers are moving across the world’s oceans at any one time.

In Pictures: The World’s Most Dangerous Waters

The heavy ocean traffic (and its cargo) spawned a surge in sea piracy and a new breed of pirates, the bloodiest the world has seen. More than 2,400 acts of piracy were reported around the world between 2000 and 2006, roughly twice the number reported for the preceding six-year period. Although pirate attacks have at least tripled during that time period, the actual number of attacks remains unclear. Shipping companies frequently do not report attacks out of concern that it could increase insurance premiums.

And nearly every group of government monitoring sea piracy believes that number is seriously undercounted. The Australian government estimates the actual number of piracy attacks is 2,000% higher. Piracy is estimated to cost between $13 billion and $16 billion every year and could cost substantially more in coming years.

“Piracy is not going away,” says Peter Chalk, an international security analyst at the RAND Institute. “In fact, it’s getting more serious and more violent, and it’s only a matter of time before you need to take it more seriously.”

That’s starting to happen. The potential of a disastrous environmental spill resulting from an attack finally forced the international community to clamp down on sea piracy. International law allows any government vessel to repress an act of piracy in international waters. On Oct. 30, 2007, two American destroyers, the USS Porter and the USS Arleigh Burke, attacked and sank two Somali pirate vessels after the pirates captured the Japanese tanker, Golden Mori.

On April 4, 2008, the luxury French yacht Le Ponant was crossing the Gulf of Aden between Yemen and Somalia when a swarm of speed boats surrounded the 32-cabin, three-masted vessel. A band of Somali pirates stormed the yacht, hijacking the vessel and taking all 30 of its crew members hostage.

A week of intense negotiations followed, ending with the release of the hostages to French military officials on April 11 in exchange for an undisclosed ransom. Shortly after the exchange, a team of French commandos tracked the pirates to a remote location in the Puntland, a breakaway region in northern Somalia. The commandos overtook them on an open stretch of desert road, attacking from helicopters and capturing six of them.

Expect more intervention. Last year, the U.N. Security Council voted in favor of a new measure that would allow the U.S. military to engage Somalian sea pirates.

But Somalia is not the only place with piracy outfits this organized. Somalia is a relative latecomer to contemporary sea piracy. Since 2000, southeast Asia has had the most dangerous waters in the world. Malaysia and the islands of the Indonesian archipelago have seen the lion’s share of sea piracy since 2000. Also troubling: the waters off Nigeria and Iraq.

Unlike the pirates of yesteryear, contemporary sea piracy is frequently carried out by highly sophisticated criminal organizations made up of seasoned fighters and equipped with speedboats, satellite phones and global positioning systems. Recently captured Somali pirates claim they belonged to an organized militia that engaged in piracy to raise funds. Organizations have started attacking from more than one ship simultaneously using a number of quasi-military tactics.

Violence has become an endemic feature of privacy, particularly over the last five to 10 years. The birth of the illicit global arms trade that emerged after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 made it easier for many (who might feel less inclined to pursue piracy if they lacked guns) to become pirates, according to Chalk. The arms trade has made cheap and powerful weapons available in many parts of the world.

Five to six years ago, when pirates attacked, they used machetes, knives and pistols. “Today,” says Noel Choong, the current director of the International Maritime Bureau’s anti-piracy office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, “they come equipped with AK-47s, M-16s, rifle grenades and [rocket-propelled grenades].”

This not only poses an enormous risk in terms of human security, but also endangers maritime security. Attacked ships can be left unmanned, turning into rogue vessels. “In many maritime choke points where attacks often occur, this creates a serious risk of a collision,” says Chalk.

“The truth is that modern piracy … is a violent, bloody, ruthless practice,” said Captain Jayant Abhyankar, deputy director of the International Maritime Bureau at a conference in Singapore, “made the more fearsome by the knowledge on the part of the victims that they are on their own and absolutely defenseless and that no help is waiting just round the corner.”

In Pictures: The World’s Most Dangerous Waters

CEOs Face Growing Threats at Home and Abroad

Friday, April 10, 2009

CEOs Face Growing Threats at Home and Abroad

FOXBusiness

Rising tempers in the U.S. about bailed-out banks, inappropriate bonuses and millions of layoffs have given a whole new definition to the term “job security” for Corporate America’s senior executives.

Given a string of high-profile kidnappings overseas and increasing confrontations with activists (see: CodePink) at home, many CEOs may now need to consider taking steps to protect their physical safety as the U.S. recession extends into its 17th month.

“The sorry fact is that too many executives are suffering from a denial syndrome that it’s never going to happen to them — until it does,” said Joseph LaSorsa, who drove former President Ronald Reagan as part of a 20-year career at the Secret Service and now owns security consulting firm J.A. LaSorsa & Associates.

Executives face a growing danger when traveling overseas and could be the victims of violence at home from angry shareholders, disgruntled employees and a disillusioned American public sick of a string of corporate bailouts.

“It’s pushing people off the deep end and it’s going to continue. We’ve added the ingredients to this makeshift bomb and it will explode,” said LaSorsa.

The biggest worry is that CEOs in the U.S. or their families could be kidnapped by criminal elements hoping to make a quick buck. These so-called “express kidnappings,” which have taken off in Mexico and Central America, are aimed at scoring a ransom from companies desperate to bring the situation to a conclusion.

“This is an increasing phenomenon occurring around the world, and as the economy continues to deteriorate we will be facing it here because it’s a quick, easy way to make money,” said LaSorsa.

While there haven’t been many high-profile cases of this type of kidnapping occurring here, angry workers in France have made locking up their managers over labor disputes become the norm, including recent examples involving 3M and Sony. Police have been apprehensive about intervening, and recent polls in France show nearly half of the population believes such a practice is acceptable.

Executive security ranges from $125 per hour to $4,000 per day, depending on the threat level. Companies typically pay for security of executives, their families and their homes. 

Kelly Klatt, CEO of Center for Security Solutions, an Orlando, Fla.-based consulting firm, said he has seen an uptick of interest in recent months from companies fearful of more outrage if the economy fails to recover soon.

“They are doing ‘what if’ planning. ‘What if it gets worse? What do we need to do to protect our management?’” said Klatt.

At the same time, LaSorsa said he is seeing companies growing more apprehensive about sending their executives abroad, with many instead opting to conduct teleconferences.

“If they don’t have to go, they shouldn’t go. If they’re not traveling with security the bottom line is they are going to be exposed,” said LaSorsa.

Even at home CEOs have proven to be easy targets. Earlier this week Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein was confronted at a recent speech by members of CodePink, a women’s anti-war activist group. The activists charged onto the stage and loudly protested against the bank bailouts, holding a sign that said “We want our $$$$$ back.”

And it’s not just the usual suspects of angry workers and angrier activists. Negotiators off the coast of Somalia are still trying to bring a peaceful resolution to the kidnapping of the captain of a hijacked container ship, which earlier this week became the first American hostage-taking by pirates in 200 years.

While his clients aren’t often in standoffs with pirates, LaSorsa said he has also seen a boost to business due to executives worried about their own security in the current environment.

LaSorsa charges $150 an hour, and said his firm provides bullet-proof vests (when needed), bodyguards armed with 9mm semiautomatic sidearms and armed chauffeurs. He said it’s also necessary to send advanced security agents to scout locations before clients arrive into what can quickly turn into a hostile environment.

LaSorsa said he sees a “domino effect” where the credit crisis has forced businesses to shut down and lay off thousands of workers, some of whom could be come threats to executives.

“That just fuels my business,” he said.

Choosing A Private Investigator or Private Investigation Agency

It is the information age. Information has become valuable in society today. The right piece of information can make or break a business or a marriage. The goal of private investigation is to track down information and people are more than willing to pay a good sum to get what they need. Information is why private investigation is a booming business and is why the internet has grown at such an amazing rate – information has become one of the most profitable commodities in the world today.

Because the demand for information is so high, agencies have been popping up all over to cash in. So that leaves you in the situation of making sure you find a reliable and reputable agency to work with if you ever need to hire one. What criteria can you use to judge a private investigation agency?

Availability of Resources

A private investigation agency is only as powerful as its resources. Actually, the resources are the only reason you actually need an investigation agency anyway. You need their access to private databases. You need their high tech surveillance and forensic equipment. You need their contacts on the street and those in high places. Besides fancy equipment and contacts, one of the most valuable resources of a private investigation agency is its people. A good agency has the manpower to work on your case around the clock until your case is solved. So it is important to consider the extent of resources the private investigation agency has to put to work on your case.

Expertise

Not all Private investigators are competent and experienced in all areas of the private investigative spectrum. So when choosing an agency to work with, make sure they are experienced in dealing with your type of case. Some agencies only specialize in certain type cases. You will certainly want an agency that has a lot of experience in the type of work you need. That way the chance of a positive outcome is higher and the work will probably be completed sooner which means you will have to pay less money.

Price

You probably already know that a good private investigation agency won’t come cheap. Still, there is no need to pay more than you have to. It is a good idea to shop around among different agencies and compare their qualifications against their rates so you can determine the best match for your situation and your pocketbook.

You should take your time when evaluating private investigation agencies. No matter what your case entails, it will probably be a big expense for you. The more complicated the case, the higher the expense. You might have lot at stake if your case involves your business or family so finding a highly qualified agency is imperative.

J. A. LASORSA & ASSOCIATES (www.lasorsa.com) , FORMER SECRET SERVICE AGENT, Presidential Protection – the White House, providing worldwide discreet Executive Protection, Bodyguard, Bodyguards, Physical Security Services and Training to corporate executives, dignitaries, the public, and celebrities. Operating out of our home base in South Florida, our firm’s Security Services include, but are not limited to: Estate & Yacht Security, Systems and Safe Room – Design and & Construction, Corporate Security Consulting, Workplace Violence, School Violence, School Security Expert Consultant & Training and Debugging, Anti Wiretapping, Industrial Counter Espionage & general Audio Counter-Measures.

We provide Confidential Private Investigator Services to insurance companies, businesses, financial institutions, andprivate citizens. Our team of highly experienced private investigators can provide law firms of any size with the Litigation Support Resources necessary to secure the evidence they need for any case. We provide both domestic andinternational services, to include: Antigua, Anguilla, Aruba, Barbados, Cayman Islands, Dominica, St. John, St. Thomas, St. Croix, Grenada, Montserrat, Netherland Antilles, Nevis, St. Vincent, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Turks & Caicos and Trinidad & Tobago, Bermuda, Bahamas, Puerto Rico, New York, Los Angeles, U.S. and British Virgin Islands, Cayman, Trinidad, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, Belize, Mexico, El Salvador,Venezuela and South America, Europe, Italy, Rome, Milan, Paris, Geneva, Zurich, Asia, China, the Far East, India, etc.

We also specifically provide Security Expert Witness and Litigation Support Services to the legal profession, as it relates to Premises Security, Security Negligence & Foreseeability. Negligence Security cases routinely involve: Parking Lot, Hotel, Restaurant, Bar, Night Club, Community, Sub-division, Condominium and Office Building. Additionally, our team has recently joined forces with one of the nations cutting edge Information Technologies companies to meet your Computer and Network Security needs.

Inside the Gadgets Protecting Obama

Friday, February 06, 2009

Matt Egan
FOXBusiness

Whether it’s a souped-up BlackBerry, the most fearsome Cadillac on the planet or a suit that stops speeding bullets, the businesses behind protecting the world’s most powerful person have received widespread attention from an international audience in recent weeks.

Waterloo, Ontario-based Research in Motion (RIMM: 59, -0.17, -0.29%) landed an endorsement beyond its wildest dreams when President Barack Obama refused to enter the White House without his BlackBerry device.

Detroit’s recently-bailed out General Motors (GM: 2.83, -0.01, -0.35%) scored some badly needed positive PR when the president’s new tank-like Cadillac was unveiled last month.

And a Colombian fashion designer whose bullet-resistant line of clothing has been dubbed the “Armani of Armor,” drew international attention after Obama reportedly wore a bullet-resistant suit at last month’s Inauguration.

“I can assure you there is no more difficult challenge in the world than to protect the president of the United States. It was the biggest challenge I was ever involved in,” said Joseph LaSorsa, who drove former President Ronald Reagan as part of a 20-year career at the Secret Service and owns security consulting firm J.A. LaSorsa & Associates.

RIM has easily scored the biggest marketing coup, given the intense publicity Obama’s fight to hold onto his BlackBerry received since the election.

“In just the first few weeks, I’ve had to engage in some of the toughest diplomacy of my life. And that was just to keep my Blackberry,” Obama joked last week, according to AFP.

“You can’t buy that kind of coverage in an advertising campaign,” said Kevin Restivo, senior software analyst at IDC. “A company typically has to spend tens or hundreds of millions of dollars. In this case, RIM has done nothing other than produce something that it’s already been producing.”

Obama’s insistence on keeping his BlackBerry underscores not just his own tech savvy, but also the ubiquitous nature of the device.

“I like the fact that we have a president who uses information technology to his benefit. It means we actually have the first information-age president,” said Bruce Schneier, a security technologist and author.

But the move doesn’t come without risks as Obama’s communications are potentially subject to illegal access from hackers and spies as well as unwanted legal access from subpoenas. To combat the illegal threat, Obama’s messages have been restricted to a tight circle of friends and will likely be re-routed to avoid RIM’s headquarters in Canada.

“Nothing is hacker-proof,” said Kevin Mitnick, a security consultant and formerly one of the world’s most famous hackers. “The National Security Agency probably put in a crypto add-on so that even if the communications were intercepted, they would be unintelligible.”

Of course there are perks included in Obama’s BlackBerry usage that most Americans live without.

“There are a lot of benefits. For example, he will never lose it. You and I have to worry about the NSA eavesdropping. The president can call the NSA and say, ‘Don’t do that,’” said Schneier.

Auto aficionados have also drooled over “The Beast,” the president’s new fortress-like Cadillac limousine. GM, which was rescued from collapse by the Bush Administration last year and reported a 51% sales drop in January, had the honor of designing and manufacturing the Obamamobile.

“Although many of the vehicle’s security enhancements cannot be discussed, it is safe to say that this car’s security and coded communications systems make it the most technologically advanced protection vehicle in the world,” Nicholas Trotta, an assistant director at the Secret Service, said in a statement.

The new presidential limo likely rides on a medium-truck GM chassis, is encased in several inches of military-grade armor, has a floor blanket made of Kevlar, ballistic-resistant windows and tires and a sealed air-circulation system to defend against gas attacks, according to an LA Times analysis.

“There’s no way to know for sure” exactly what kind of attacks it can withstand, “unless you start firing mortars at it and hopefully that never happens,” said Karl Brauer, editor-in-chief of Edmunds.com, who spotted a prototype of the vehicle in Colorado in July.

There was no guarantee that GM would land this high-profile deal as Mercedes and BMW already specialize in armored vehicles, said Brauer.

“It’s nice to see a very clearly American brand serving a very clearly American role like this. Obviously General Motors wanted the visibility they would get from this,” said Brauer.

Meanwhile, speculation has swirled that Obama was wearing a bullet-resistant coat or suit when he took the oath of office last month. Officials haven’t confirmed the reports but experts said they wouldn’t be surprised if it were the case.

True or not, the speculation has been a boon for Colombian designer Miguel Caballero, whose garments offer three levels of ballistic protection and are seven times more flexible than Kevlar vests. Caballero’s clothing can protect against anything from a 9mm pistol to fire from a Mini Uzi or an MP5 submachine gun.

In an interview with FOX Business last month, Caballero said the bullet-resistant fabrics costs $2,000 to $6,000 and are designed to “absorb the energy of the bullet.” He also said his line of clothing is catching on as they have dealers in 28 countries and have been worn by Alvaro Uribe, the president of Colombia, and Rafael Correa, the president of Ecuador.

“Protective garments are used all of the time,” said LaSorsa. “Everything in the world of protection has changed since 9/11. The protection of the president has probably been the most dramatic change.”

25,000 Deploy for Security at Inaugural

25,000 Deploy for Security at Inaugural

Most protected event ever includes 5,265 security cameras, snipers

NBC News and news services
updated 12:46 p.m. ET, Mon., Jan. 19, 2009

WASHINGTON – Security in downtown D.C. was high Monday after officials promised the largest inaugural security operation in history, with 58 federal, state and local agencies working together.

Some 25,000 police, military troops and law enforcement agents — including plainclothes officers roaming the crowds — will be on hand to handle the potentially 2 million people who could descend on the nation’s capital Tuesday.

The far-reaching security includes thousands of video cameras, sharpshooters and air patrols to safeguard President-elect Barack Obama’s swearing-in.

In addition, 155 intelligence teams will be mingling with the crowds and taking public transit to keep an eye on the situation. Snipers trained to hit a target the size of a teacup saucer from 1,000 yards away have also been deployed.

Along the Potomac River, the U.S. Coast Guard had patrol boats watching the waters and all river traffic was to be cut off Tuesday.

Some 150 city blocks will be closed to traffic on Tuesday, and while buses will be allowed into the city, private vehicles will not.

The Army National Guard 2nd Brigade of Washington, Penn., is securing the bus routes to and from the inauguration Tuesday morning. “It’s great to be part of it,” said Scott Bukovec of Johnstown, Penn., who has worked inaugurals before, but none like this. “This is a much greater scope.”

The security forces include bomb-sniffing dogs like Samson, a 125-pound black Labrador assigned to patrol the National Mall overnight. He’s even wearing a bullet-proof vest made from a decommissioned human flak jacket.

Command center, 5,265 cameras
A multi-agency command center, run by the Secret Service eight blocks from the White House, is receiving video feeds from the 5,265 surveillance cameras spread around the city.

The center has more than 100 officials monitoring inaugural activities and public areas via live video feeds from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Metropolitan Police Department, National Park Service, District of Columbia Transportation Department, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and others.

Under the plan, if the Metropolitan Police Department needs to speak to someone at the Federal Aviation Administration, those officials are already in the same room. And each person there will have a list of radio frequencies so that one agency can easily communicate with another in the field.

The command center has five 8-foot-square monitors that can display anything from street maps to newscasts, situation reports and live camera feeds. There’s a so-called “burn bag” at every desk for disposal of classified information — and a list of nearby fast-food options.

On Sunday, snipers watched over the inaugural concert and officials responded to some suspicious packages around Washington, but all were eventually determined not to be dangerous.

“This is to be expected over the next few days, considering the security level surrounding the inauguration,” FBI spokesman Richard Kolko said.

There were also a few protesters Sunday, one group at 17th and Constitution, protesting gay rights, according to the FBI.

“It’s actually been a very quiet day,” Secret Service spokesman Malcolm Wiley said Sunday. The Secret Service is the lead agency for inauguration security operations.

No specific threats
Intelligence officials say there are no specific threats to the inauguration. But the high visibility of the event, the presence of dignitaries and the significance of swearing in the first African-American president make it a vulnerable target.

The security forces include 10,000 national guardsmen, 8,000 police, and 1,000 National Park police. Some 4,000 police are from 99 departments outside Washington, D.C.

Not only is the inauguration security the most intense ever, the inauguration will be the most heavily secured public event in U.S. history. And it’s expected to shatter the previous attendance record of 1.2 million for President Lyndon B. Johnson.

For the first time, the president declared an emergency in the District of Columbia in advance of the inauguration. That will cover 100 percent of eligible local inauguration costs for emergency protective measures on Tuesday. It is in addition to the $15 million Congress set aside for inauguration security costs.

International Security Expert Bill Stanton Supports the Use of BigString Corporation’s New Secure Instant Message

International Security Expert Bill Stanton Supports

the Use of BigString Corporation’s New Secure

Instant Message

Thu Apr 24, 2008 8:55am EDT
RED BANK, NJ, Apr 24 (MARKET WIRE) —
BigString Corporation (OTCBB: BSGC), an innovator in secure online
technology and communication, today received the support of national security
expert “Wild Bill” Stanton. Stanton, a former New York City Police officer and
security expert, has advised a host of corporations and A-list celebrities
on personal security and protection. His insightful tips and strategies for
success
have been featured on the “Today Show,” CNBC and many other news programs, as
well as in New York Magazine and a host of other print publications. BigString
launched its secure online Instant Message platform on April 16, 2008, as an
evolutionof BigString’s recallable email and messaging products.

    “Everyday we hear stories of people, from celebrities to the average
personon the street, whose online communication is used in a way that was not
intended, whether that is identity theft or instant messages copied and
passed along to third parties without consent,” Stanton said. He added,
“BigString’s new technology returns privacy and security to the consumer and
should be used by anyone who communicates in real-time online.”

    BigString IM users can send instant messages (IMs) that self-destruct
afterbeing sent.  Additionally, IMs sent via BigString’s service cannot be
copied, logged or screen-printed.

    BigString IM is a free advertising supported service available at
https://www.bigstring.com. It is available as a web version or as a free
plug-in for AOL’s AIM.

    The patent-pending technology leaves no trail or copy of the IM on any
server
once the message self-destructs. The time for self-destruction is set by the
sender, and can be set to disappear in as little as a few seconds to over an
hour.  The sender can also choose a number of visual effects for the
self-destruction. A message will disappear in real time simultaneously from
both the sending and receiving IM screens.

    About BigString

    BigString Corporation, owner and operator of BigString.com, is a provider of
social networking messaging applications and user-controllable email services.
In addition to permitting users to send recallable, erasable, self-destructing
emails and video emails, BigString’s patent-pending technology allows emails and
pictures to be rendered non-forwardable, non-printable and non-savable before or
after the
recipients read them, no matter what email service provider is used.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Statements about the future expectations of BigString Corporation, and all
other statements in this press release other than historical facts, are
“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, and as that term is defined in the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. BigString Corporation intends that such
forward-looking statements shall be subject to the safe harbors created
thereby. Since these statements involve certain risks and uncertainties and
are subject to change at any time, BigString Corporation’s actual results could
differ materially from expected results.

EU eyes December launch for Somalia anti-piracy

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union aims to launch a planned air and naval force in December to combat piracy threatening sea lanes off Somalia, the bloc’s foreign policy chief said Tuesday.

Piracy has soared off the coast of Somalia, with at least 30 ships hijacked this year, earning an estimated $18-30 million in ransom payments and turning the area into the world’s most dangerous waterway.

EU envoys decided Tuesday that British navy vice-admiral Philip Jones would head the bloc’s planned operation and kick-off planning with the aim to launch the operation in December, Javier Solana said in a statement.

The operation’s headquarters would be in London, the statement said.

“Javier Solana is confident that these undergoing preparations will allow the EU, in due time, to make an important contribution to the World Food Program, to the protection of vulnerable vessels off the coast of Somalia and to the fight against piracy,” the statement said.

The World Food Program requires military escorts to bring food aid to the 2.4 million people it feeds in the war-torn Horn of Africa country.

France said earlier this month that at least 10 EU countries were willing to take part in the anti-piracy operation and that it hoped the plan could be finalized next month.

The countries included France, Spain, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Cyprus, Belgium, Sweden and probably Britain, French Defense Minister Herve Morin said after talks among EU defense ministers in Deauville, France.

German Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung said EU states planned to deploy three frigates, a supply ship and three surveillance ships. He said Germany planned to send a frigate.

The sealane in the Arabian Sea between Yemen and Somalia links Asia to Europe via the Suez Canal and is critical to Gulf oil shipments.

(Reporting by Ingrid Melander)

Anti-piracy force thwarts attack on ship

Anti-piracy force thwarts attack on ship

 

By Ahmed Al-Haj – The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Dec 17, 2008 21:52:08 EST

SAN’A, Yemen — An international anti-piracy force thwarted the attempted takeover of a Chinese cargo ship off the Somali coast on Wednesday, sending in attack helicopters that fired on the bandits and forced them to abandon the ship they had boarded.

In another blow to the region’s thriving piracy trade, the Indian navy handed over 23 pirates it caught at sea to authorities in Yemen.

In Wednesday’s assault, nine pirates armed with guns overtook the Chinese ship with speedboats and boarded the vessel, said Noel Choong, who heads the International Maritime Bureau’s piracy reporting center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

He said the 30-member crew sent a distress message to the bureau as it saw the pirates approaching, then barricaded themselves inside their living quarters. Choong said the bureau quickly alerted the international naval force, which dispatched two helicopters and a warship.

“Two helicopters arrived at the scene first and helped deter the hijacking. They fired at the pirates, forcing them to flee the ship,” he said. There were no injuries during the five-hour ordeal.

“The Chinese ship is very fortunate to have escaped. This is a rare case where pirates have successfully boarded the ship but failed to hijack it,” he added.

Somali pirates, spurred by widespread poverty in their homeland, have hijacked more than 40 vessels off their country’s coastline this year. Many of the seizures have taken place in the Gulf of Aden, which lies between Somalia and Yemen and is one of the world’s busiest waterways. Many of the vessels are taken to pirate-controlled regions in Somalia, where they are held for ransom.

China’s official Xinhua News Agency identified the boat involved in the latest attempt as the Zhenhua 4 and said it belonged to China Communications Construction Co. and was registered in the Caribbean island of St. Vincent.

It was the latest in a series of attacks by Somali pirates on Chinese vessels. On Tuesday, said it was considering sending warships to the area to help battle piracy.

The announcement came during a unanimous U.N. Security Council vote to authorize nations to conduct land and air attacks on pirate bases on the coast of Somalia.

“The area is just too wide to patrol. Hopefully with the U.N. resolution, there will be more firm action to stop this menace,” Choong said.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei told the council that China was considering sending warships to the Gulf of Aden to join ships from the U.S., Russia, Denmark, Italy and other countries.

In Yemen, meanwhile, the Indian navy handed over 23 pirates arrested in the Gulf of Aden last Saturday after they threatened a merchant vessel in the lawless waters off the Yemeni coast, a Yemeni security official said.

The Indian sailors boarded two pirate boats and seized what was described as a substantial arms cache and equipment at the time. The security official said the pirates included 12 Somalis and 11 Yemenis.

The handover took place in the southern port of Aden, and the pirates were to be interrogated and charged in court. He stressed that Yemen has the right to try Somali pirates because their arrest took place inside Yemeni waters.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to media pending a government statement. He spoke to The Associated Press by telephone from Aden.

———

Associated Press writers Henry Sanderson in Beijing, and Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, contributed to the report.

Marine Recon Report – Afghanistan

Here is a US Marine who is not afraid to tell it like it is.  Political Correctness doesn’t mean beans to this tough young warrior. Marines seem to tell-it-all the best!! These types of  guys make our lives
livable here at home.  God bless the American riflemen. 

 

From a Recon Marine in Afghanistan

 

It’s freezing here.  I’m sitting on hard, cold dirt between rocks and shrubs
at the base of the Hindu Kush Mountains along the Dar ‘yoi Pomir River
watching a hole that leads to a tunnel that leads to a cave.  Stake out, my
friend, and no pizza delivery for thousands of miles.

I also glance at the area around my ass every ten to fifteen seconds to
avoid another scorpion sting.  I’ve actually given up battling the chiggers
and sand fleas, but them scorpions give a jolt like a cattle prod.  Hurts
like a bastard.  The antidote tastes like transmission fluid but God bless
the Marine Corps for the five vials of it in my pack.

The one truth the Taliban cannot escape is that, believe it or not, they are
human beings, which means they have to eat food and drink water.  That
requires couriers and that’s where an old bounty hunter like me comes in
handy.  I track the couriers, locate the

 

 tunnel entrances and storage facilities,type the info into the handheld,
shoot the coordinates up to the satellite link that tells the air commanders
where to drop the hardware, we bash some heads for a while, then I track and 

record the new movement.It’s all about intelligence.  We haven’t even brought in the snipers yet.
These scurrying rats have no idea what they’re in for.  We are but days away
from cutting off supply lines and allowing the eradication to begin.

I dream of bin Laden waking up to find me standing over him with my boot on
his throat as I spit into his face and plunge my nickel plated Bowie knife
through his frontal lobe.  But you know me.  I’m a romantic.  I’ve said it
before and I’ll say it again: This country blows, man.  It’s not even a
country.  There are no roads, there’s no infrastructure, there’s no
government.  This is an inhospitable, rock pit shit hole ruled by eleventh
century

 

 

warring tribes.  There are no jobs here like we know jobs.Afghanistan offers two ways for a man to support his family: join the opium
trade or join the army.  That’s it.  Those are your options.  Oh, I forgot,
you can also live in a refugee camp and eat plum-sweetened, crushed beetle
paste and squirt mud like a goose with stomach flu if that’s your idea of a
party.  But the smell alone of those ‘tent cities
of the walking dead’ is enough to hurl you into the poppy fields to
cheerfully scrape bulbs for eighteen hours a day.

I’ve been living with these Tajiks and Uzbeks and Turkmen and even a couple
of Pushtins for over a month and a half now and this much I can say for
sure: These guys, all of ’em, are Huns…actual, living Huns.  They LIVE to
fight.  It’s what they do.  It’s ALL they do.  They have no respect for
anything, not for their families or for each other or for themselves.

They claw at one another as a way of life.  They play polo with dead calves
and force their five-year-old sons into human cockfights to defend the
family honor.  Huns, roaming packs of savage, heartless beasts who feed on
each other’s barbarism.  Cavemen with AK47’s.  Then again, maybe I’m just
cranky.

I’m freezing my ass off on this stupid hill because my lap warmer is running
out of juice and I can’t recharge it until the sun comes up in a few hours.

Oh yeah!  You like to write letters, right?  Do me a favor, Bizarre.  Write
a letter to CNN and tell Wolf and Anderson and that awful, sneering, pompous
Aaron Brown to stop calling the Taliban ‘smart.’  They are not smart.  I
suggest CNN invest in a dictionary because the word they are looking for is
‘cunning.’  The Taliban are cunning, like jackals and hyenas and wolverines.
They are sneaky and ruthless and, when confronted, cowardly.  They are
hateful, malevolent parasites who create nothing and destroy  everything
else.  Smart.  Pfft.  Yeah, they’re real smart.

They’ve spent their entire lives reading only one book(and not a very good
one, as books go) and consider hygiene and indoor plumbing to be products of
the devil.  They’re still figuring out how to work a Bic lighter.  Talking
to a Taliban warrior about improving his quality of life is like trying to
teach an ape how to hold a pen; eventually he just gets frustrated and
sticks you in the eye with it.

OK, enough. Snuffle will be up soon so I have to get back to my hole.
Covering my tracks in the snow takes a lot of practice but I’m good at it.
Please, I tell you and my fellow Americans to turn off the TV sets and move
on with your lives.

The story line you are getting from CNN and other news agencies is utter
bullshit and designed not to deliver truth but rather to keep you glued to
the screen through the commercials.  We’ve got this one under control.  The
worst thing you guys can do right now is sit around analyzing what we’re
doing over here because you have no idea what we’re doing and, really, you
don’t want to know.  We are your military and we are doing what you sent us
here to do.

You wanna help?  Buy Bonds America.

Saucy Jack

Recon Marine in Afghanistan
Semper Fi

 

Baltimore “Unit One… Signal 13”

Baltimore “Unit One… Signal 13″

Baltimore Sun via YellowBrix

January 03, 2009

BALTIMORE, MD – Baltimore police dispatchers put out a call just after midnight yesterday that captured everyone’s attention: Unit One … Signal 13.

In other words, the police commissioner needs help – fast.

The city’s top cop, Frederick H. Bealefeld III, was alone in the basement of a Southwest Baltimore rowhouse holding a suspect at gunpoint.

A member of his executive protection unit, Peter Sullivan, was upstairs searching the house for a second man with a gun.

“I was worried about him,” Bealefeld said yesterday, referring to his fellow officer. “I’m sure he was worried about me.”

A hands-on leader, Bealefeld is known to ride around the city and has chased down the occasional suspect.

But ordinarily, at midnight on New Year’s Eve, Baltimore’s police commissioner is downtown overseeing officers assigned to the Inner Harbor during the annual fireworks display. The department bulks up its ranks, canceling all leaves so there are enough officers on hand to help with the crowds and an anticipated spike in crime because of the city’s tradition of celebratory gunfire.

With the fireworks postponed this year because of high winds, Bealefeld took advantage of the extra 1,100 officers on duty and sent them throughout the city. That meant 1,500 officers working the streets, up from about 400 on a typical night.

“You either send people home and tell people come back tomorrow, or you make use of those resources,” he said. “The overwhelming consensus was let’s make use of the resources we already had programmed and let’s put them in the neighborhoods.”

The result: In addition to the pair of guns Bealefeld seized, city officers took 46 other firearms between midnight and 3 a.m. They arrested 44 suspects on gun charges, police said. But even with the extra officers on the street, one city man was shot in East Baltimore about 1 a.m. yesterday and was on life support yesterday evening. This morning, police said the man has died.

Bealefeld participated in the patrols and initially drove with his two-member protection detail and his communications director around east-side neighborhoods.

Satisfied with coverage there, they headed to the Bridgeview-Greenlawn community on the west side, where a man had shot five people on Sunday.

“We figured that people would be on edge,” he said. “It is not rocket science. We do this every day.”

As midnight approached, Bealefeld heard gunfire.

The group drove toward it, heading to Catherine Street near Bon Secours Hospital.

Bealefeld and Sullivan jumped from the car. “We’re looking west up the alley,” Bealefeld said. “A guy walked out and started shooting. You could see the muzzle flash. You know it is a gun, a big gun.”

The men ducked into the basement of a rowhouse in the 2500 block of W. Fairmount Ave., with Bealefeld and Sullivan in pursuit.

Inside, Bealefeld and Sullivan encountered a roomful of people. The police commissioner spotted one of the suspects there and held him downstairs. Sullivan went upstairs to find the other.

“For a little minute, we were in there by ourselves,” Bealefeld said.

The second member of the commissioner’s protection unit, Annie Miller, had called for backup. She was outside and did not know which rowhouse the commissioner had entered.

Bealefeld got on the radio, too, and called in the address for the rowhouse. “I was on the radio saying Unit One,” he said.

He then added the code that set the whole force on edge: “Signal 13.”

So many cars responded to the distress call that Bealefeld worried about protection in other parts of the city, causing him to have mixed feelings about the incident.

“This is the professional dilemma of being the police commissioner and being out on the street. I was grateful for the backup. But we have other cops in the city. We have to be covering them too.”

In the end, police arrested Davon Rogers, 23, and Devin Rogers, 18. Each was charged with illegally firing a gun in the city, records show. And officers seized two sawed-off shotguns, a Remington and a Mossberg, police said.

Shortly afterward, Bealefeld fielded an angry phone call from his wife, who had become worried when he did not call her at midnight on New Year’s Eve as he normally does.

Her first question was whether he was wearing a bullet-resistant vest. He told her he was.