Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Los Alamos Physicist's Property Seized By FBI



Federal agents have seized six computers, two cameras, two cell phones and hundreds of files from a Los Alamos, N.M., physicist who for two decades has criticized the government's nuclear agenda as misguided.

An FBI spokesman in Albuquerque, Darrin E. Jones, said that the action Monday was part of "an ongoing federal investigation" and that he could provide no details.

The physicist, P. Leonardo Mascheroni, said he was told that the seizures were part of a criminal investigation into possible nuclear espionage. Mascheroni also declared his innocence.

If I were a real spy," he said Tuesday in a telephone interview, "I would have left the country a long time ago."

Mascheroni was laid off from the Los Alamos National Laboratory in 1988 and has ever since championed an innovative type of laser fusion, which seeks to harness the energy that powers the sun, the stars and hydrogen bombs.

In recent years, he has repeatedly gone to Congress to question the management of the nation's nuclear laboratories and arsenal, saying his laser was needed to ensure weapon reliability. In theory, its tiny blasts could test arms dependability, eliminating the need for underground explosions.

The secrets of hydrogen bombs and laser fusion can be similar, and the federal investigation appears to center on whether Mascheroni broke federal rules in discussing his proposed laser with a man who called himself a representative of the Venezuelan government.

Venezuela has begun exploring for uranium, but President Hugo Chavez has denied any interest in developing nuclear arms.

Federal and laboratory authorities have previously investigated him twice for security violations, Mascheroni said, adding that each time he was exonerated. He said he saw the disruptive episodes as harassment for his outspoken views.

A jihadist code of ethics?

Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- From within Libya's most secure jail a new challenge to al Qaeda is emerging.

Leaders of one of the world's most effective jihadist organizations, the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG), have written a new "code" for jihad. The LIFG says it now views the armed struggle it waged against Col. Moammar Gadhafi's regime for two decades as illegal under Islamic law.

The new code, a 417-page religious document entitled "Corrective Studies" is the result of more than two years of intense and secret talks between the leaders of the LIFG and Libyan security officials.

The code's most direct challenge to al Qaeda is this: "Jihad has ethics and morals because it is for God. That means it is forbidden to kill women, children, elderly people, priests, messengers, traders and the like. Betrayal is prohibited and it is vital to keep promises and treat prisoners of war in a good way. Standing by those ethics is what distinguishes Muslims' jihad from the wars of other nations."

The code has been circulated among some of the most respected religious scholars in the Middle East and has been given widespread backing. It is being debated by politicians in the U.S. and studied by western intelligence agencies.

In essence the new code for jihad is exactly what the West has been waiting for: a credible challenge from within jihadist ranks to al Qaeda's ideology.
While the code states that jihad is permissible if Muslim lands are invaded -- citing the cases of Afghanistan, Iraq and Palestine -- the guidelines it sets down for when and how jihad should be fought, and its insistence that civilians should not be targeted are a clear rebuke to the goals and tactics of bin Laden's terrorist network.

CNN was given exclusive access to the Abu Salim jail where the code was written to talk to the LIFG prisoners. The jail has a bloody reputation; in 1996 prison guards put down a revolt by allegedly killing more than 1,200 prisoners in less than 24 hours.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE AT CNN

2008 FBI review: Hasan did not pose threat


2008 FBI review: Hasan did not pose threat: "WASHINGTON — Nearly a year before Maj. Nidal Hasan allegedly went on a shooting rampage at the Fort Hood army post in Texas, terrorism investigators conducted an 'assessment' of him before deciding he did not pose a threat.After the shooting, the FBI is doing a new assessment — of its own conduct.The Army psychiatrist is thought to have acted alone despite repeated communications — intercepted by authorities — with a radical imam overseas, U.S. officials said Monday.


The FBI will conduct an internal review to see whether it mishandled early information about the man accused in the bloody rampage that killed 13 people and wounded 29.President Barack Obama was joining grieving families and comrades of the victims Tuesday at a memorial service at the sprawling Texas base. Hasan, awake and talking to doctors, met his lawyer Monday in the San Antonio hospital where he is recovering, under guard, from gunshot wounds in the assault.In Washington, an investigative official and a Republican lawmaker said Hasan had communicated 10 to 20 times with Anwar al-Awlaki, an imam released from a Yemeni jail last year who has used his personal Web site to encourage Muslims across the world to kill U.S. troops in Iraq.

Despite that, no formal investigation was opened into Hasan, they said.Investigative officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case. Republican Rep. Pete Hoekstra of Michigan, the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, said it was his understanding Hasan and the imam exchanged e-mails that counterterrorism officials picked up.Officials said Hasan will be tried in a military court, not a civilian one, a choice that suggests his alleged actions are not thought to have emanated from a terrorist organization.Meanwhile, the Washington Post reported Tuesday that Hasan warned his medical colleagues a year and a half ago that to 'decrease adverse events' the U.S. military should allow Muslim soldiers to be released as conscientious objectors instead of fighting in wars against other Muslims.

Hasan made the recommendation in a culminating presentation to senior Army doctors at Walter Reed Medical Center, where he spent six years as an intern, resident and fellow before being transferred to Fort Hood.FBI Director Robert Mueller ordered the inquiry into the bureaus handling of the case, including its response to potentially worrisome information gathered about Hasan beginning in December 2008 and continuing into early this year.Based on all the investigations since the attack, the investigators said they have no evidence that Hasan had help or outside orders in the shootings.Hasan had been watchedEven so, they revealed the major had once been under scrutiny from a joint terrorism task force because of the series of communications going back months.

Al-Awlaki is a former imam at a Falls Church, Va., mosque where Hasan and his family occasionally worshipped.In 2001, al-Awlaki, a native-born U.S. citizen, had contact with two of the Sept. 11 hijackers, and on Monday his Web site praised Hasan as a hero.Military officials were made aware of communications between the Hasan and al-Awlaki, but because the messages did not advocate or threaten violence, civilian law enforcement authorities could not take the matter further, the officials said.


The terrorism task force concluded Hasan was not involved in terrorist planning.Officials said the content of those messages was 'consistent with the subject matter of his research,' part of which involved post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from U.S. combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.A law enforcement official said the communications consisted primarily of Hasan posing questions to the imam as a spiritual leader or adviser, and the imam did respond to at least some of those messages.No formal investigation was ever opened based on the contacts, the officials said.They said the decision to bring military charges instead of civilian criminal charges against Hasan did not mean it wasnt a terrorism case.

But it is likely authorities would have had more reason to take the case to federal court if they had found evidence Hasan acted with the support or training of a terrorist group.Investigators tried to interview Hasan on Sunday at the military hospital where he is being held, but he refused to answer and requested a lawyer, the officials said.On Monday afternoon, Hasans new civilian and military attorneys met him for about half an hour at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, said retired Col. John P. Galligan, who was hired by Hasans family.Galligan said Hasan asked for an attorney even though he is on sedatives and his condition is guarded.


'Given his medical condition, thats the smart move,' Galligan told the Associated Press on Monday night. 'Nobody from law enforcement will be questioning him.'Galligan said both he and Maj. Christopher E. Martin, Fort Hoods senior defense attorney, met Hasan. Galligan questioned whether Hasan can get a fair trial at Fort Hood, given Obamas visit to the base and public comments by the post commander, Lt. Gen. Robert Cone. Galligan also said he plans to raise the issue of Hasans mental condition.

The most serious charge in military court is premeditated murder, which carries the death penalty.The Army has not yet appointed a lead prosecutor in the case, said Fort Hood spokesman Tyler Broadway.___Associated Press writers Angela K. Brown at Fort Hood and Pamela Hess in Washington contributed to this report.Related stories* Hospital: Hood shooting suspect awake, talking* Chaplain asks for prayers for accused shooter* Casey cautions on backlash against Muslims* Suspect off ventilator, breathing on own* Obama praises those who stopped shooter* Cleric: ‘Something wrong’ with Hasan* Work deeply affect Hood suspect, uncle says* George, Laura Bush visit wounded Hood soldiers* Hood community gathers to mourn victims* Suspect in Hood shootings remains in coma* Soldiers say carnage could have been worse* Shooting suspect said goodbyes before attack* Suspect was to deploy to Afghanistan* Online support follows Hood shootings* Tragedy assistance group was at Hood during shootings* Muslim group condemns Hood shootings* Shooting suspect was set to deploy* Hasan among May 2009 officer promotions"



(Via Air Force Times - News.)

KZFW Aeronautical Frequencies

120.7750

Lubbock

High

124.8750

Blue Ridge

Low

126.1500

San Angelo

Low Discrete

126.3000

ClintonMsherman

Low

126.4500

Lubbock

Low

126.5750

Cumby

High

126.7250

Scurry

Low Discrete

126.7750

Gainesville

Low

127.0000

Mineral Wells

Low Discrete

127.1500

Dublin

Low Discrete

127.4500

Abilene

Low Discrete

127.6000

Blue Ridge

Low Discrete

127.7000

Lubbock

Low Discrete

127.9500

Wichita Falls Nr 2

High

128.1000

Ardmore

Low Discrete

128.1250

Marshall

Ultra High

128.2000

El Dorado

Low Discrete

128.3250

Dublin

High

128.4000

Clinton Sherman

Low Discrete

132.0200

Cumby

Low

132.0750

San Angelo

High

132.2000

Mc Alester

Low Discrete

132.2750

Shreveport

High

132.4500

Oklahoma City

High

132.8500

Cumby

Low Discrete

132.9750

Ardmore

High

133.1000

Hobbs

Low Discrete

133.2500

Keller

Low Discrete

133.3000

Waco

Low Discrete

133.5000

Wichita Falls Nr 2

Low Discrete

133.7000

Big Spring

Low Discrete

133.8750

Shreveport

High

133.9000

Oklahoma City

Low

133.9500

Texarkana

Low Discrete

134.0250

Tyler

High

134.1500

Gainesville

Low Discrete

134.1500

Gainesville

Low Discrete

134.2500

Abilene

High

134.4000

Fort Worth

Low

134.4750

Texarkana

High

134.5500

Paducah

High

135.1000

Marshall

Low Discrete

135.2500

Tyler

Low

135.2750

Keller

Low

135.3750

Dublin

Low

135.4500

Mc Alester

High

135.6000

Mineral Wells

Low

135.7500

Scurry

High

227.4000

Frankston

High

236.5000

Shreveport

Low

243.0000

Shreveport

Low/High

251.1500

Tyler

High

254.3000

Blue Ridge

Low Discrete

263.0500

Texarkana

Low Discrete

265.1000

Frankston

Low Discrete

269.2000

Marshall

Low Discrete

269.5000

Waco

Low Discrete

269.6500

Mc Alester

High

270.0000

Ardmore

High

272.7500

El Dorado

High

276.0000

Lubbock

High

278.5000

Wichita Falls Nr 1

High

279.6500

Tyler

Low

281.5500

Marshall

Ultra High

282.2000

Abilene

Low

284.6000

Texarkana

High

285.5500

Keller

Low Discrete

285.6500

Shreveport

High

286.6000

Lubbock

High

290.2000

ClintonMsherman

Low Discrete

290.5500

Abilene

High

291.6500

MidlandOb

High

292.1000

Lubbock

High

295.9000

Lubbock

High

296.0000

Wichita Falls Nr 2

High

298.8500

Scurry

Low Discrete

298.9000

Oklahoma City

Low

307.2000

Blue Ridge

Low

307.3500

Mineral Wells

Low

316.1000

Plainview

Low Discrete

317.7000

Abilene

Low

317.7500

Cumby

Low

322.4500

Cumby

High

322.5500

San Angelo

Low Discrete

327.1000

Paducah

High

327.1500

Ardmore

Low Discrete

327.8000

Marshall

High

338.3500

Mc Alester

Low Discrete

339.1000

Paducah

Low

339.8000

Clinton Sherman

Low

343.8500

Gainesville

Low

346.2500

Monroe

Low Discrete

346.3000

Brownwood

Low

348.6500

Paducah

High

350.2000

Big Spring

Low Discrete

350.3500

Wichita Falls Nr 2

Low Discrete

351.9000

Dublin

High

360.6000

Mineral Wells

Low Discrete

360.7000

Wichita Falls Nr 2

High

360.7500

Cumby

Low Discrete

362.3000

Lubbock

Low Discrete

363.1000

Oklahoma City

High

364.8000

Shreveport

High

377.1000

Gainesville

Low Discrete

379.2500

Scurry

High

380.0500

Brownwood

Low Discrete

380.2000

Keller

Low

380.3000

Fort Worth

Low

381.6500

Dublin

Low Discrete

384.9000

Wichita Falls Nr 2

High

385.6000

Hobbs

Low Discrete

387.0000

Dublin

Low

391.2000

Wichita Falls Nr 1

High

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