US Dept. of Homeland Security Warns Global Sochi Flights of Homemade Bombs

by Tony Iozzo
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Department of Homeland Security of the United States has warned airlines with flights to the Sochi Games in Russia that toothpaste containers, or similar personal hygiene items could be used as homemade bombs.

Russia has deployed over 30,000 security troops to the Sochi Olympic Village, both in part reactive, and in part proactive to security threats. (Photo courtesy of BBC News)

The DHS authorities issued the warning to both domestic, as well as international flights heading to Sochi, Russia for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games.

Major news outlets have reported that anonymous government officials stated that ingredients could be brought on board to these flights and the bombs could be assembled either on the flight, or afterwards in the Sochi Olympic Village. The warning seems to be a proactive attempt to be consistent with Russia’s massive security efforts, as authorities did state that they haven’t identified any specific threat to the United States or the Sochi Games.

“While we are not aware of a specific threat to the homeland at this time, this routine communication is an important part of our commitment to making sure we meet that priority. As always, our security apparatus includes a number of measures, both seen and unseen, and DHS will continue to adjust security measures to fit an ever evolving threat environment,” a DHS official stated.

Security in the host city of Sochi has been amped up for several months, as the Russian government prepares for the Winter Olympics that start this week, while also combating the threat of militants operating in the Caucasus. The Kremlin has deployed over 30,000 security forces to the Sochi Olympic Village and has severely restricted access to the area. In the months leading up to the Olympics, terror groups have issued threats, and three suicide bombings in as many months have rocked cities across Russia.

“Out of an abundance of caution, [DHS] regularly shares relevant information with domestic and international partners, including those associated with international events such as the Sochi Olympics,” the DHS said in the issued statement on Wednesday.

For more information, please see:

BBC News – Sochi 2014: U.S. Warns Airlines of Russia “Toothpaste Bomb” Threat – 5 February 2014

Reuters – U.S. Warns Airports Over Possible Bomb Ingredients in Toothpaste Tubes – 5 February 2014

Russia Today – U.S. Warns of Explosives in Toothpaste Tubes on Russia Flights Ahead of Olympics – 5 February 2014

TIME World – Americans Warn Airlines of Toothpaste Bombs on Sochi Flights – 5 February 2014

 

Army Recruiting Fraud Scandal Costs US Government $29M

by Michael Yoakum
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

WASHINGTON, D.C., United States – The US Army is embroiled in scandal since news broke Tuesday that a program designed to encourage recruitment resulted in fraudulent payments of totaling in the tens of millions. More than 1,200 people are under investigation with the fraud program that occurred during the peak of the Iraq War.

A program meant to bring in more recruits descended into a free-for-all that cost taxpayers tens of millions. (photo courtesy of BBC News)

The program began in 2005 as a National Guard recruitment tool and expanded to the Army and Army Reserve, offering between $2,000 and $7,500 to recruit friends and family members. According to information provided by two Army generals at a Senate hearing, the program paid out $300M for 130,000 during the Iraq War.

One soldier reportedly accrued $275,000 in illegal bonuses according to papers released by the Senate panel. Four others reportedly obtained over $100,000 in bonuses.

High school principals and guidance counselors accepted recruitment money for students they already knew to be joining the Army. Others illegally accepted bonuses after forcing subordinates to sign up as recruiters and funnel recruitment bonuses into personal bank accounts.

This is discouraging and depressing,” said Senator Claire McCaskill, adding “Clearly, we’re talking about one of the largest criminal investigations in the history of the Army.”

McCaskill called the meeting of the Senate’s financial and contractor oversight committee Tuesday.

In a statement to the press, Army spokesman George Wright expressed the Army leadership’s outrage, saying “After internal Army investigations identified instances of fraud in Recruiting Assistance Programs, the Secretary of the Army immediately terminated those programs and their funding in February 2012.

Major General David E. Quantock, commanding general of the United States Army Criminal Investigation Command, testified fraudulent payments, believed to total $29M, could increase to nearly $100M before the end of the investigation.

McCaskill chastised the alleged offenders, saying “It is disappointing that people who wore the uniform saw a way to get one over on the government and they did. It does such a disservice to the majority of people who have served honorably.”

For more information, please see:

BBC News – US Army rocked by Iraq war recruitment fraud scheme – 4 February 2014

The Guardian – US army investigates hundreds of soldiers for recruitment fraud – 4 February 2014

The New York Times – Fraud in Army Recruiting Bonus Program May Cost Nearly $100 Million – 4 February 2014

The Washington Post – Army probes allegations of fraud by recruiters and others in enlistment referral program – 3 February 2014

USA Today – Recruiting fraud, kickback scandal rocks Army – 3 February 2014

Egypt Continues To Deny Press Freedoms; Accuses Al Jazeera Journalists of Collaborating With Terrorists

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt – While the interim government in Egypt has established a “roadmap” to democracy the military government has recently come under fire for the treatment of journalist reporting on the transition process and the brutal crackdown on Islamists organizations in the state. Al Jazeera has criticized the Egyptian government for failing to protect journalists and  abuses of press freedom claiming that several members of its staff have been beaten, threatened and unlawfully subjected to police raids. Al Jazeera has also criticized the government for failing to protect journalists after one of its journalists was shot by a sniper while reporting last year. Additionally, Al Jazeera has condemned the state for detaining its journalists for several months without charge.

Al Jazeera has documented abuses press freedom in Egypt, including abuses suffered by its own staff, since President Morsi was removed from power last year. (Photo courtesy of Al Jazeera)

Four Al Jazeera journalists are currently being held in Egypt. Peter Greste, a former correspondent for the BBC, Mohamed Fahmy, a former CNN reporter, and, Baher Mohamed a local producer were taken into custody by Egyptian forces last December. Abdullah al-Shami, A Journalist for Al Jazeera Arabic, has been held without charge in Egypt since last August. Al-Shami has been on hunger strike in protest of his detention for more than two weeks.

The Al Jazeera network has reported that it has been served with a list of 20 individuals wanted by the Egyptian government in connection with the case it claims it has against Al Jazeera’s journalists. However, Aljazeera has stated than only nine of those named are actuality on its staff.

Claims made against the journalists include accusations that members of Al Jazeera’s staff have collaborated with terrorist by taking to members of the Muslim Brotherhood during the course of their reporting last year.

The Muslim Brotherhood, longed banned under the regime of Hosni Mubarak that came to power in Egypt after Mohamed Morsi became the first Democratically elected President in the nation’s history, has been under attack by the Egyptian government which has cracked down on its members and has once again declared the organization an illegal political party.

Responding to her inclusion on the list, Sue Turton, one of the Al Jazeera journalists included on the list, has said she was astonished that a warrant for her arrest has been issued in Egypt. Turton has worked as a television journalist for almost 25 years. She said, “I have no allegiance to any political group in Egypt or anywhere else and no desire to promote any one point of view.”

Several members of the international community including major news organization have spoken out against Egypt’s treatment of journalists, including the prolonged detention of the Al Jazeera reporters. UK based media outlets, TBBC, Sky and the Daily Telegraph newspaper have issued a joint call for the immediate release of all journalists currently being detained in Egypt.

The Obama Administration has condemned the Egyptian government for this violation of press freedom. White House Spokesperson Jay Carney expressed the United States’ “deep concern” about the arrests. In a statement Tuesday he said, “The restrictions on freedom of expression in Egypt are a concern, and that includes the targeting of Egyptian and foreign journalists and academics simply for expressing their views.”

Activists are using social media to get the word out about Egypt’s detention of journalist using the hashtag #FreeAJStaff. More than 40 journalists are currently being held in Egypt.

For more information please see:

Al Jazeera – Al Jazeera Staff Charged In Egypt Are Named – 05 February 2014

Al Jazeera – Timeline: Al Jazeera’s Challenges in Egypt – 05 February 2014

CNN International – 8 Al Jazeera Journalists Charged By Egyptian Authorities, Network Says – 05 February 2014

The Guardian – British Reporters Deny ‘Aiding Terrorists’ In Work For Al Jazeera In Egypt – 05 February 2014

Al Jazeera – #FreeAJStaff campaign: ‘What if all journalists were gagged?’ – 04 February 2014

BBC News – US Urges Egypt To Free Al-Jazeera Journalists – 04 February 2014

Grenade Injures Six Students at Libyan School

By: Danielle L. Gwozdz
Impunity Watch News Reporter, Africa

TRIPOLI, Libya – At least six children have been injured by a grenade attack in a Benghazi, Libya school.

Security personnel stand in front of a court building after blasts occurred in Benghazi (photo courtesy of Reuters).

Witnesses say the grenade was thrown over a wall into a private school during a break from lessons.

The blast damaged part of the building and some victims were seriously wounded.

Blasts and assassinations are not uncommon in Benghazi, where security forces are battling Islamist militants tied to the Ansar al-Sharia group. Washington has listed this group as a foreign terrorist organization.

Benghazi, the city from which the 2011 uprising that toppled dictator Muammar Qaddafi stemmed, saw a series of attacks in recent months as the weak central government has tried to rein in former rebel brigades turned militias.

Fadia al-Barghathi, a spokesperson for Benghazi’s hospital, stated: “The injuries range between light and moderate.”

A security official described the force of the explosion as “weak” and said that a hunt was underway for those behind the attack.

A medic revealed that two of the six children are in critical condition and were taken to the Beghazi medical centre.

The gunmen, later in the night, attacked Al-Saiqa checkpoint at Al-Jala hospital, sparking a firefight, which, thankfully, left no injuries.

Two days ago, the son of Libya’s special forces chief was kidnapped by gunmen in Benghazi.

A military source said the abduction was aimed at pressuring the special forces to bring about the release of prisoners held by the army.

The special forces had announced last month the arrest of four suspects in possession of a hit list of officers to be targeted or had been killed.

Militia brigades often fight “turf wars” for control of areas and businesses, and they have refused to disarm.


For more information, please visit:

BBC News – Libyan blast injures six children at Benghazi school – 5 February 2014
Reuters – Blast at Libya school wounds six children – hospital, security sources – 5 February 2014
Yahoo! News – Blast at school in Libya’s Benghazi wounds six children – 5 February 2014
Al Arabia News – Blast at school in Libya’s Benghazi wounds children – 5 February 2014
The Daily Star – Playground bomb wounds 12 kids in Libya’s Benghazi: medics – 5 February 2014

 

Former Rwandan Official on Trial in France for Genocide Charges

by Tony Iozzo
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

PARIS, France – A French court began a genocide trial on Tuesday against a former Rwandan intelligence officer who fled Rwanda after the 1994 genocide.

If convicted, Simbikangwa would face life imprisonment. (Photo courtesy of Al Jazeera)

In what has been promised to be the first of several prosecutions of former Rwandan officials, Pascal Simbikangwa appeared before a panel of judges in Paris to face the charges of complicity in genocide and crime against humanity. Simbikangwa, 54, had been sought under an international arrest warrant beginning in 2008. He had been in hiding on the island of Mayotte, a French territory in the Indian Ocean.

Simbikangwa could receive a sentence of life imprisonment if he is convicted. The initial indictment, drafted by Judge Olivier Leurent, stated that Simbikangwa had stashed a massive amount of weapons in his home, as well as harassing members of the minority ethnic group- the Tutsi. Simbikangwa is a Hutu, which was the ethnic group that constituted the majority of the government during Rwanda’s 1994 genocide.

The trial is expected to last seven weeks, and the panel of judges is expected to hear from 53 witnesses. The potential witnesses include Simbikangwa’s former neighbors back in Kigali, the Rwandan capital; French historians, and former Rwandan officials. The trial is scheduled to conclude with testimony from Tharcisse Renzaho, a former politician and prefect, who was sentenced to life in prison by the United Nations’s International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.

France has widely been considered a refuge for Rwandan fugitives that participated in the country’s ethnic genocide, which killed over 800,000 people in 100 days back in 1994. Human rights groups see Simbikangwa’s trial an effort by France to shed this reputation, and end the protection of the fugitives.

France also has been accused of providing military training to the Hutus, and has never tried anyone accused of complicity in the Rwandan genocide. After restoring diplomatic relations with Rwanda in 2009, Paris appointed five judges to investigate the matter of the Rwandan fugitives and opened a police unit that specialized in genocide crimes.

In addition to the criminal case, five human rights groups have filed civil suits against Simbikangwa. On Tuesday, the civil plaintiffs included the Collective of Civil Plaintiffs for Rwanda, the group that first found Simbikangwa in Mayotte and filed a complaint against him.

In Europe, several countries including Belgium, a former colonial overseer of Rwanda, as well as Norway, have already brought Rwandans to justice in their countries.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Landmark Rwanda Genocide Trial Opens in Paris – 4 February 2014

BBC News – Rwanda Ex-Spy Chief Tried in Paris on Genocide Charges – 4 February 2014

France 24 – 20 Years On, France Confronts Rwandan Genocide – 4 February 2014

NY Times – Former Rwandan Intelligence Chief Goes on Trial For 1994 Genocide – 4 February 2014