Terrorists Exploit Immigration Laws

Surprise, surprise.

A study from the Center for Immigration Studies finds that Al Qaeda and other terrorists have taken advantage of U.S. immigration laws to enter the country. The study concludes that no fewer than 94 foreigners who have been convicted or indicted on terrorism charges exploited U.S. immigration laws between 1993 and 2004 to enter or stay in the United States. The study determines that Al Qaeda's ability to infiltrate the United States for the Sept. 11 attacks was not an isolated incident.

“Crime Tax” Costs You $400 Per Year

Criminals who shoplift are costing your family $400 per year to replace those stolen goods.

A new study from the University of Florida shows some interesting items on shoplifting in America:

 Men shoplift more than women, a finding that disputes the common rule of thumb that, because there are more female shoppers than male shoppers, women shoplift more than men. "Many of them hit the film, pain relievers or batteries, steal them in large quantities and sell them, using shoplifting as a way to feed their drug habit," says criminologist Richard Hollinger.
 Overall, 8 percent of the shoppers who enter a store will steal something, with people who leave a store without paying for anything six times more likely to have stolen something than shoppers who go through the check-out line.
 The typical shoplifter falls between the ages of 35 and 54, usually has gainful employment, and is categorized as a "primary household shopper" who occasionally shoplifts merchandise that extends beyond their household budget.
 In terms of race, whites, blacks, and Hispanics are equally likely to shoplift.
 Family shoplifters use children as "distraction teams" to distract the sales clerk while the parents shoplift.

If you are hacked off about the cost to you as a decent, law-abiding citizen from thieves, wait until you read the post below…

New Shoplifting Movement Emerging

An anti-consumerism, anti-capitalist social movement that celebrates mass shoplifting is spreading in Europe and South America.

The movement is called "Yomango", which means "I steal" in Spanish, and urges followers to "liberate" merchandise from retail stores in the name of "the free circulation of goods." The group promotes shoplifting as a form of disobedience and direct action against multinational corporations. Followers steal food from supermarkets, ride transit systems without paying, and conduct coordinated shoplifting incidents. The movement has a Web site that provides news and videos about the movement's thefts and pranks. The movement has appeared recently in Germany, Chile, and Mexico. Yomango began in Spain in 2002, but the movement has its roots in Argentina.

Homeland Security Chief Tells of Plan to Stabilize Border

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff has announced a plan to stabilize the border.
It includes surveillance cameras; fences; an improved deportation process that will ship illegal immigrants home instead of setting them free; adding more beds for detainees; tracking down illegal immigrants who fail to appear for deportation hearings; and adding more judges and lawyers to the process.
The plan includes mapping the entire Mexican border and determining how many illegal immigrants are accessing each of the entry routes across the border. The department's plan emphasizes increasing the speed of the deportation process and increasing the available space at detention centers so that illegal immigrants are not simply released before their proceedings.

Suicide Bomber Blocked from U.S. by Customs

A Jordanian man who tried to land in the U.S. in 2003 was denied entry by alert U.S. Customs agents. In February, the man carried out a suicide bombing in Iraq that killed 125 people.

The suspected bomber, Ra'ed Mansour al-Banna, landed at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport on June 14, 2003, with a valid Jordanian passport and valid work visa. However, Customs agents suspected that his passport was fake, and after subjecting him to questioning and a secondary security screening process, they decided to bar him from entering the country.

I guess there really is something to the philosophy that it's better to fight them over there so we don't have to fight them here.

Al Qaeda Preparing to Attack Asian City

The French government's top terrorist investigator claims that Al Qaeda is preparing to attack an Asian city in order to cause economic harm and hurt investor confidence in the region. Japan in particular is a likely target, as are other large financial centers like Singapore and Sydney, says Jean-Louis Bruguiere. Some Asian countries have had little experience with Islamic terrorists, causing them to underestimate the risks of an attack, he says. "We are somewhat neglecting the capacity or desire of the Al Qaeda organization to destabilize the Southeast Asia region," Bruguiere warns, noting that one of Al Qaeda's key strategies is to hit economic and financial centers. Any attack on an Asian financial market, especially Japan, would shake investor confidence in the entire region, he says.

Check for Sex Offenders in your Neighborhood

Now you can easily check a new Web site to see if there are any registered sex offenders in your neighborhood.

Go to http://mapsexoffenders.com for a new beta version of a free service which maps registered sex offenders in 37 states.

Remember, however, that several high profile abductions and murders have been committed by sex offenders who failed to register.

Keep your guard up and protect your children.

Police chief sues maker of Taser gun

Troubles seem to keep mounting for Taser

A police chief near Columbia, MO, has filed suit against Taser International and two police equipment supply companies, saying he was severely injured when shocked with a Taser weapon during training.
The suit by Jacob Herring adds to more than 30 others from around the country that claim Tasers caused or contributed to injuries or deaths. More than 7,000 law enforcement agencies worldwide use the devices as a nonlethal alternative to firearms, according to company numbers.

Terrorist Plot Against British Parliment Stopped

Scotland Yard believes it thwarted an al-Qaida sarin gas attack on the British Parliament, according to an internal police document.
The plot to unleash the deadly nerve gas on the House of Commons was hatched last year and uncovered through decoded e-mails on computers seized from terror suspects in Britain and Pakistan, the Sunday Times reported, citing the police memo it obtained.

Al Qaeda’s Game Plan

Knowing your enemy’s intentions or plans is a crucial part of planning for your security – either in the professional or personal arenas.

So, what’s their plan?

Terrorist newsmaker Abu Musab al Zarqawi has let Jordanian journalist Fouad Hussein in on al Qaeda’s seven-step plan to achieving total Muslim world domination.
Below is a summary of the plan, known as the Seven Phases as noted by the Word Unheard.

The First Phase. Known as "the awakening" -- this has already been carried out and was supposed to have lasted from 2000 to 2003, or more precisely from the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 in New York and Washington to the fall of Baghdad in 2003. The aim of the attacks of 9/11 was to provoke the US into declaring war on the Islamic world and thereby "awakening" Muslims. "The first phase was judged by the strategists and masterminds behind al-Qaida as very successful," writes Hussein. "The battle field was opened up and the Americans and their allies became a closer and easier target." The terrorist network is also reported as being satisfied that its message can now be heard "everywhere."

The Second Phase. "Opening Eyes" is, according to Hussein's definition, the period we are now in and should last until 2006. Hussein says the terrorists hope to make the western conspiracy aware of the "Islamic community." Hussein believes this is a phase in which al-Qaida wants an organization to develop into a movement. The network is banking on recruiting young men during this period. Iraq should become the center for all global operations, with an "army" set up there and bases established in other Arabic states.

The Third Phase. This is described as "Arising and Standing Up" and should last from 2007 to 2010. "There will be a focus on Syria," prophesies Hussein, based on what his sources told him. The fighting cadres are supposedly already prepared and some are in Iraq. Attacks on Turkey and -- even more explosive -- in Israel are predicted. Al-Qaida's masterminds hope that attacks on Israel will help the terrorist group become a recognized organization. The author also believes that countries neighboring Iraq, such as Jordan, are also in danger.

The Fourth Phase. Between 2010 and 2013, Hussein writes that al-Qaida will aim to bring about the collapse of the hated Arabic governments. The estimate is that "the creeping loss of the regimes' power will lead to a steady growth in strength within al-Qaida." At the same time attacks will be carried out against oil suppliers and the US economy will be targeted using cyber terrorism.

The Fifth Phase. This will be the point at which an Islamic state, or caliphate, can be declared. The plan is that by this time, between 2013 and 2016, Western influence in the Islamic world will be so reduced and Israel weakened so much, that resistance will not be feared. Al-Qaida hopes that by then the Islamic state will be able to bring about a new world order.

The Sixth Phase. Hussein believes that from 2016 onwards there will a period of "total confrontation." As soon as the caliphate has been declared the "Islamic army" it will instigate the "fight between the believers and the non-believers" which has so often been predicted by Osama bin Laden.

The Seventh Phase. This final stage is described as "definitive victory." Hussein writes that in the terrorists' eyes, because the rest of the world will be so beaten down by the "one-and-a-half million Muslims," the caliphate will undoubtedly succeed. This phase should be completed by 2020, although the war shouldn't last longer than two years.

Bill Roggio at The Fourth Rail offers some good commentary on this plan, including some of the current successes and failures as well as the apparent strategic tipping points in the Middle East.

Shoot to Kill Suicide Bombers New Police Group Guideline

The International Association of Chiefs of Police, an international organization representing the heads of police departments across the world, has issued new guidelines recommending that officers who confront a suicide bomber should shoot the suspect in the head.

Taser Alternatives Appearing

At the request of the Department of Homeland Security for less-lethal devices for law enforcement, several manufacturers are coming up with systems that can reach out and shock and stun subjects at increasing ranges.

The popular Taser has a range that is limited to about 15 to 21 feet.

New devices include those which can be launched from a 12-gauge shotgun or a 40 mm grenade launcher, both of which are typically used in law enforcement or riot situations to launch tear gas or baton rounds.

Some of the new systems are claiming to be able to reach out and touch someone at 40 to 50 meters.

Man's Best Friend Still Best Terror Deterrent

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff calls them, a "state-of-the-art anti-terrorist tool."

Explosives-detecting dogs may be America's best defense against suicide bombers.
Paul Waggoner, the director of Auburn University's Canine and Detection Research Institute, says dogs' sense of smell is 100 to 10,000 times more powerful than human noses. Officials say that dogs are a better tool for finding potential suicide bombers than random passenger searches or security cameras.

Jim Cavanaugh, the ATF special agent in charge of the Washington field office. "We haven't found anything better."

There are several advantages to using dogs: they are mobile; curious; have the ability to detect one smell from among many; and can detect guns and ammunition on people and in cars and containers.

Sept. 11 Anniversary Fuel Truck Attacks Predicted

Al Qaeda may be seeking to launch a series of attacks in the U.S. using fuel trucks to coincide with the fourth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

The New York Times reports that a FBI group of analysts are basing their warning on overseas intelligence information, but other groups, such as the Department of Homeland Security are not sure of the quality of the intelligence.

The cities specifically being named in the warning by the analysts are New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago.

US to lower transit terrorism alert level

Reuters is reporting that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is going to lower its terrorism alert level to "elevated" from "high" for buses, subways and trains later today.

Citing unamed officials, the news organization said the decrease in the threat level was expected to take place in the evening, after rush hour.

The department had raised the alert level on July 7, after bombings on the London transport system killed more than 50 people.

Life without the Sheepdogs

From the blog of Bob Parsons, the colorful founder and president of the hot Internet company Go Daddy:
“Some say it would only take one generation.

"I’ve often read that there is a very special group of Americans. Without these individuals, it has been said that our entire way of life would disappear within one generation.

”Who are these special people? They are those individuals that when danger presents itself, in the form of gun fire, burning buildings, threats of violence, and other disgusting and complicated situations, who instead of running away and protecting themselves -- do just the opposite. These people run toward the problem, place themselves in harm’s way and handle the situation. They are most appropriately called warriors. They could be members of the military, law enforcement, emergency services, etc. The list of these callings goes on and on.

”I think it would take less than a year.

"I personally disagree with the opening statement. I don’t think that, without warriors, our way of life would disappear within one generation. It would be much sooner than that. In fact, our way of life would be gone within a few months, certainly within one year. You see, I know something about this. I know it from first-hand experience.”

Check out the entire entry for his personal experience with the collapse of law and order in an American city, his decision on using deadly force to defend his home, Grossman’s Universal Human Phobia, and a great video presentation of the 1st Marines in Falluja.

Protect Your Teen

While many parents have nightmares about the host of threats today's teens face on the streets, the worst threat could be sitting in your driveway.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, teen drivers have the highest crash risk of any age group -- about four times higher than other age groups.

Immaturity and inexperience are cited as the main causes. One solution that appears to be working to lower the death and destruction from teen car crashes is the graduated licensing program.

States that have implemented some sort of graduated licensing program have seen solid reductions:

Michigan -- 29%
North Carolina -- 23%
Ohio -- 23%
Florida -- 9%

Help protect your teen. Check with your state legislators about getting graduated licensing in your state.

Intrinsic Right of Self-Defense

"There is no right more intrinsic than the right of self-defense; not free speech, not freedom of religion -- nothing. If you are set upon by attackers who do not hesitate to use every available means to injure or kill you, is there any earthly authority you can imagine that could justly deny you the right to defend your life?

"Of course not. There's no instinct more basic than this.

"The right to live is by definition the foundation of every other right. A right so implicit confers responsibility, in any rational construct. Once past the helplessness of infancy and its dependence on mother and faother for sustenance and protection, the individual's responsibility to defend and maintain one's intrinsic rights grows in proportion to one's level of maturity until, at adulthood, each of us becomes wholly responsible for himself."

Jeff Smith

Al Qaeda Threatens More UK and US Attacks

Al Qaeda's No. 2 man is threatening more attacks in London.
Ayman al-Zawahiri also issued a warning for the United States during a broadcast on Al Jazeera.

"Our message is clear -- what you saw in New York and Washington (in 2001) and what you are seeing in Afghanistan and Iraq, all these are nothing compared to what you will see next."

Murder Highlights Another Example of Parking Lot Rage

A near miss in a parking lot.

Heated words are exchanged.

And a demented, medicated, angry motorist decides to "do something about it."

The result? A father tending to his 10-month-old daughter in her car seat is shot dead by a road rager in front of dozens of witnesses.

What is it about cars and parking lots that seem to set so many people off? (For other examples, go to the Nov. 2004 Defend University Newsletter story "Cars, Rage and Weapons")

Some items from that newsletter to remember to protect yourself:

1. Cars seem to make people stupid. Road rage, parking lot rage, aggressive driving... why is it when vehicles are involved, people (and I've seen plenty of women who are in this category as well) get all hostile and puffed up?

2. Don't take anyone -- anyone -- for granted. Don't underestimate someone's ability or desire to hurt you because of their looks, age, or gender. In the above example, the attacker was 60 years old. They are upset, they are off their medication, they are out of control and they are transferring their rage at their ex (their boss, their mother, etc.) towards you.

3. Car = weapon. When someone is in or around a car the situation should automatically flash a red light to you. People carry weapons in their cars. The cops in El Paso surmise that one of every three cars on the road in that city has a handgun in it. People keep things in their cars like baseball bats, tire irons, screwdrivers, and steering wheel locks... Heck, the car itself is a weapon that can exert tons of force.

If you find yourself in a similar situation:

1. Be on guard for retaliation from the other motorist;
2. Prepare to defend yourself and your family;
3. Try to vacate the area as soon as possible.

Heed Self-Defense Fundamentals, Please

In one major U.S. metropolitan area, there is a serial rapist loose who has definitely committed at least 9 rapes and possibly an undisclosed number of others in the last 6 months.

He stalks his victims. He selects a certain type of young woman who he knows to be single and makes sure they are alone before he attacks. And he attacks them in their home or apartment.

In every single case, he has gotten in through an unlocked door or window. Every single case.

You have to keep a barrier between you and the bad guy. Lock your doors and windows. All the time. And that goes for your car doors too.

Before you start talking about all the techniques and products you need to defeat an attack, start thinking about how to prevent an attack. Awareness. Barriers. Preparedness. Knowledge.

Remember, it’s always easier to stay out of trouble than get out of trouble.

Police Overwhelmingly Support Your Gun Rights

You might not be the only one to wonder where the major disconnect is when you see anti-gun, anti-self-defense ads that say the major Police Chiefs support gun control.

In contrast, when out of the political spotlight, those same chiefs overwhelmingly support your Second Amendment rights. The new 17th Annual National Association of Chiefs of Police survey of 22,000 Chiefs and Sheriffs in the U.S. shows:

93% believe that any law-abiding citizen should be able to buy a firearm for sport or self-defense;

88% believe the death penalty serves as a deterent for criminals;

63% believe a national concealed carry permit will reduce the amount of crime;

87% believe terrorism will increase in the U.S. this year;

93% believe the national news media is not impartial in its reporting.