By Brandon Cottrell
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America 

MOGADISHU, Somalia – A United States military strike in Somalia today has left at least two members of the al-Shabab military group dead.  Of those killed, was the group’s top explosives expert.  It is also believed that an al-Shaba commander linked to past suicide bombings was also killed in the strike.

According to Abu Mohamed, an al-Shabab member, the drone was fired at a vehicle traveling in Somalia’s Middle Juba region.  While it is not clear how he knew it was a drone strike, he said that he did not see any helicopters in the sky.

Other witnesses also confirmed that a strike had occurred and that at least two Somali men had been killed.  Several witnesses also reported seeing a drone flying away from the scene.  One of those witnesses said that he “came to the scene shortly after [he heard loud bangs] . . . [and] saw two dead bodies.  Then al-Shabab fighters came . . . and took the bodies.”

Another witness also weighed in, saying that “We don’t know who was killed but I can confirm that there was an attack, aircraft sounded over the sky and a few minutes later a heavy explosion followed. No one can dare go to check what happened, the Shebab will kill you.”

A senior US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, further confirmed the strike when he said that there was a US counterterrorism strike against a target in Somalia.  He, however, did not give any further details.

Today’s drone strike comes less than a month after a US Navy SEAL operation in Somali, where they tried to capture or kill Abdulkadir Mohamed Abdulkadir, who is one of the lead planners al-Shabab attacks.  Pentagon Press Secretary George Little, speaking about the Navy SEAL operation, said that, “While the operation did not result in [a] capture, [the operation] demonstrated that the United States can put direct pressure on al Shabab leadership at any time of our choosing.”

Furthermore, todays drone strike  indicates that US remotely piloted attacks are continuing even though President Obama has stated that the use of drone strikes, which has been criticized for causing civilian causalities, could and would be constrained.

For more information, please see:

CBS News – U.S. Drone Strike Kills Two Suspected Al-Shabab Militants In Somalia – 28 October 2013

Global Post – US Drone Strike Against Shebab In Somalia – 28 October 2013 

NBC News – US Kills Two Top Leaders Of Terror Group That Attacked Kenya Mall – 28 October 2013

Washington Times – U.S. Drone Strike Kills Two Al Shabaab Terrorists In Somalia – 28 October 2013

By Brandon Cottrell 
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America 

Two U.S. citizens were abducted when pirates attacked an oil industry vessel early Thursday.  According to the Nigerian Navy, which confirmed the piracy attack, the captain and chief engineer of the vessel were the ones abducted.  The number of pirates involved in the attack is unknown.  The FBI has begun its investigation and the attack is being treated as a kidnapping-for-ransom and not an act of terrorism.

Jack Cloonan, a specialist in international piracy, kidnapping, and extortion, has said that “If you take the Americans, you get a good price, but at the same time you bring a lot of heat on you too.”  He looks forward to seeing the initial demands because he said the initial demand provides valuable information in regards to determining who exactly they are dealing with.  He also expects the hostages to be safely released.

The Nigerian Navy has since “directed its operational command to search for and rescue the vessel and the crew members” and stated that, “right now, the search is going on, and we are tracking down the culprits.”  The Navy also added that they were not sure how the piracy attack was carried out.

An official that works for the AKE Group, a private security firm, also stated that, “All we know is this attack happened, and these were the people who were kidnapped.”

White House spokesman, Jay Carney, said the administration was “seeking additional information so that we can contribute to the safe resolution of the situation.”  He further expressed their concern about “the disturbing increase in the incidents of maritime crime, including incidents of piracy off the coast of West Africa, specifically in the Gulf of Guinea.”

This year, oil-searching vessels in the Gulf of Guinea have been targeted by pirates who abduct crewmembers of ransom.  According to Maritime Industry officials, most abductions are not reported and the ransoms are settled and paid quickly.

While the United Nations has reported that Somali piracy is at a seven-year low, there have been significant increases in piracy off the coast of West Africa.  For example, in 2012 there were more piracy attacks off the coast of West Africa than off the coast of Somalia.

The United Nations has described this difference by the “increased international policing, tougher prosecutions of pirate gangs, and greater use of private security on vessels” in Somalia.  In West Africa, however, armed private security guards are not allowed on vessels.

There have been a total of 200 incidents of piracy this year across the world, with 11 hijackings.  Most incidents involved stealing commodities and seeking ransom for hostages.  Since 2010, it is estimated that $100 million of oil products have been stolen.

American Capitan Richard Phillips, who was held hostage several years ago, may have described the threat of piracy best when offered the following statement, “If you don’t want to deal with piracy you [maritime workers] need to get another job.”

 

For more information, please see:

ABC News – Pirates Singled Out Americans in Ship Attack Off Nigeria, Official Says – 24 October 2013

BBC – Nigeria Pirate Attack: US Sailors Seized – 24 October 2013

New York Times – Pirates Abduct Two Americans on Oil Ship Off Nigerian Coast – 24 October 2013

Reuters – Pirates Kidnap Two U.S. Sailors Off Nigerian Coast – 24 October 2013

By Brandon Cottrell
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

WASHINGTON, D.C., United States – As U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in France today, Le Monde, an authoritative newspaper, published a report based on the secret documents leaked by Edward Snowden.  It is expected that France’s Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius will discuss this issue with Kerry during his visit.

Adding already to the previous disclosures of the N.S.A’s worldwide surveillances in Germany, England. Brazil, and Mexico, today’s report stated that the N.S.A. recorded over 70 million digital communications in France over the span of one month.  It is believed that businesses, officials, and terror suspects were specifically targeted.

France’s American Ambassador, Charles Rivkin, stated that, “These kinds of practices between partners are totally unacceptable and we must be assured that they are no longer being implemented.”  Additionally Manuel Valls, France’s Interior Minister, called today’s report “shocking” and that it “will require explanation.”

While the report did not state what the N.S.A. was exactly looking for in the communications it recorded, it was clear that the N.S.A. took a “vacuum-cleaner approach” and recorded all communications, including telephone calls and instant messages.  The recorded communications were then sorted into two categories coded “Drtbox” and “Whitebox,” though no further explanation for the categories was given.  It is also not clear how many of the messages were actually listened to or read and how the data was stored- transcriptions of what was communicated or who were parties to the communication.

A statement issued by the White House stated that the latest disclosure has “distorted our activities” but also “raise[s] legitimate questions for our friends and allies about how these capabilities are employed.”  The statement further said that, “President [Obama] made clear that the United States has begun to review the way that we gather intelligence, so that we properly balance the legitimate security concerns of our citizens and allies with the privacy concerns that all people share.”

The report in France also comes on the heels of an article in Der Spiegel, a German news magazine, where the Mexican government responded to reports that the U.S. hacked former Mexican President Felipe Calderon’s email.  The Mexican government stated that, “This practice is unacceptable, illegitimate and against Mexican and international law ” and that “in a relationship between neighbors and partners, there is no room for the practices alleged to have taken place.”

The N.S.A. in a statement said it would not “comment publicly on every specific alleged intelligence activity, and as a matter of policy we have made clear that the United States gathers foreign intelligence of the type gathered by all nations.”  Additionally, the U.S. State Department said it was discussing the matter with Mexico through diplomatic channels.

 

Fore more information, please see:

BBC – Mexico Strongly Condemns Alleged US Electronic Spying – 20 October 2013

BBC – Snowden Leaks: US Seeks To Ease France Spy Anger – 21 October 2013

CNN – Mexico Lashes Out Against Report Of U.S. Spying – 21 October 2013

New York Times – New Report of N.S.A. Spying Angers France – 21 October 2013

by Michael Yoakum
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

NEW YORK CITY, New York – Ben Emmerson, a UN special rapporteur on human rights and counter-terrorism, publicized findings of his report Friday which announced that at least 479 civilians have been killed by drone strikes in Pakistan since 2004.  The report’s release came ahead of a General Assembly debate schedule for October 25.

The report, which Emmerson began research on in January, involved interviews with local US elements in Pakistan.  Emmerson said that the CIA’s involvement in the drone program has created “an almost insurmountable obstacle to transparency.”  The report emphasizes that national security considerations are an unacceptable justification for withholding data on civilian casualties.

While Emmerson notes that a number of international legal issues relating to drone use need to be resolved, he believes that there is a place for their use within humanitarian law.  BBC News reports that Emmerson’s fear with drones is that lack of consensus on how to use them in armed conflict could become increasingly dangerous.

Emmerson’s report has no binding authority; however, the UN Human Rights Council will use the report in determining whether the US has committed human rights violations in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Yemen.

Human rights concerns aside, the use of drones is unlikely to decline in the near future. Already China has begun training with drones for use in armed conflicts, and Japan is looking to acquire drones by 2015.

Emmerson expects the expanding role of drones as a policing tool will lead states to prefer targeting enemies under war parameters over capturing them.

“The expansive use of armed drones by the first states to acquire them, if not challenged, can do structural damage to the cornerstones of international security and set precedents that undermine the protection of life across the globe in the longer term,” Emmerson’s report said.

For more information, please see:

BBC News – UN investigator presses US to publish drone attack data – 18 October 2013

Asahi Shimbun – Almost 500 civilians killed in drone attacks, U.N. study finds – 19 October 2013

Chicago Tribune – Pakistan tells U.N. at least 400 civilians killed by drone strikes – 19 October 2013

International Business Times – Drone Attacks In Pakistan Killed 400 Civilians In Last 10 Years; UN Investigator Urges US To Declassify Data – 19 October 2013

Reuters – Pakistan tells U.N. at least 400 civilians killed by drone strikes – 19 October 2013