War On Terror News

Catholic Church Rescued by Baghdad Police

Baghdad Police Free Hostages at Church

VoA News: Iraqi security forces have stormed a church in central Baghdad and freed hostages who had earlier been seized by gunmen.

A police spokesman says the operation to free the hostages is over and the situation at the church is now under control.  In the attack, the gunmen had overwhelmed security guards at the church, killing two of them. There are reports that several Catholic parishioners were wounded in the violence.

On word of the attack, a Vatican spokesman had appealed for a quick resolution of the hostage crisis, the latest in a series of attacks by Iraqi insurgents linked to al-Qaida.

1 Nov 2010 Moments of Silence #HonorTheFallen 1PM-1:14 EDT

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother”. Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten. (W.Shakespeare)

REQUEST that all afford my Brothers a Moment of Silence each on Monday beginning 1:00 PM, Eastern Time.  REQUEST that each Moment of Silence be dedicated each Monday to my Fallen Brothers in order of notification since prior Monday.  1PM Eastern is Kabul 22:30/10:30PM, Baghdad 20:00/8PM, London 18:00/6PM, San Diego 10AM.  This time accommodates those in London, Baghdad & Kabul as well as Congress and across the United States.

#MoS #MilitaryMon 1PM to 1:02 EDT: PFC #Bowe Bergdahl, Kidnapped by Taliban, Two Minutes until he comes home #MIA #SOT #MoS

#MoS #MilitaryMon 1:02-1:03 EDT: SPC Ronnie J. Pallares, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 10/23/10, Ghazni, AFG, 27th ENG Bn

#MoS #MilitaryMon 1:03-1:04 EDT: SFC Charles M Sadell, Colombia, MO 10/24/10, Arif Kala, AFG 1/71st Cavalry, 10th MTN Div

#MoS #MilitaryMon 1:04-1:05 EDT: SPC Steven L DuPont, LaFayette, LA 10/24/10, Rangrizan, AFG 3/2 Stryker Cavalry

#MoS #MilitaryMon 1:05-1:06 EDT: SSG Aracely Gonzalez O'Malley, Brawley, CA 10/22/10 Mazar-E-Sharif, AFG, 311th Signal CMD

#MoS #MilitaryMon 1:06-1:07 EDT: SPC Thomas A Moffitt, Wichita, KS 10/24/10 Paktika, AFG, 2/506th 101st AA Div 

#MoS #MilitaryMon 1:07-1:08 EDT:  PFC David R Jones, St Johnsville, NY 10/24/10 Baghdad, Iraq, 2/3 ACR 

#MoS #MilitaryMon 1:08-1:09 EDT: SFC Phillip C Tanner, Sheridan, WY 10/26/10 Ali Al Salem, Kuwait 106th Trans, 101st AA Div 

#MoS #MilitaryMon 1:09-1:10 EDT: SGT Michael D Kirspel, Hopatcong, NJ 10/27/10 Khwaja Kinti, AFG 3/6 FA, 10th MTN Div 

#MoS #MilitaryMon 1:10-1:11 EDT: LCpl Terry E Honeycutt, Waldorf, MD 10/27/10 Helmand, AFG 2/9 2nd MarDiv 

#MoS #MilitaryMon 1:11-1:12 EDT: SSG Adam L Dickmyer, Winston-Salem, NC 10/28/10 Kandahar, AFG 2/502 101st AA Div

#MoS #MilitaryMon 1:12-1:13 EDT: SPC Pedro A Maldonado, Houston, TX 10/29/10 Kandalay, AFG 1/502 101st AA Div

#MoS #MilitaryMon 1:13-1:14 EDT: SPC Diego A Solorzanovaldovinos, Huntington Park, CA 10/29/10 Yahya Khel, AFG 1/506th 101st AA Div

American Confirmed as Somali Prime Minister

Somali Parliament Approves New Prime Minister

VOA News: Somalia's parliament has approved a new prime minister, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed.

About three-fourths of the 392 lawmakers present endorsed the prime minister in the vote in Mogadishu Sunday.

The vote was delayed for more than a week because of a dispute between President Shiekh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, who appointed Mr. Mohamed, and the speaker of parliament.  The speaker called for a secret ballot, while the president demanded that votes be cast openly.

RIP SPC Diego A Solorzanovaldovinos

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

            Spc. Diego A. Solorzanovaldovinos, 24, of Huntington Park, Calif., died Oct. 29 in Landstuhl, Germany, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit on Oct. 27 with small arms fire in the Yahya Khel district in Afghanistan.  He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 506nd Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare)  Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

French Airline First European to Land in Baghdad

European Airline Sets Sites on Baghdad

VOA News: A commercial airplane taking off from Western Europe has landed in Iraq for the first time in nearly 20 years. The plane, operated by France's Aigle Azur airline, took off from Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris late Saturday and touched down at Baghdad International Airport early Sunday.

Officials said this first flight was largely ceremonial, and that most of the passengers were French diplomats and business leaders.

Mobilizing the Balkh Government

MAZAR-E-SHARIF, Afghanistan – Sixteen keys to vehicles were given to the Balkh Provincial Governor, Usted Mohammad Noor Atta, by Col. Bill Burleson, the Commander of 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, during a ceremony in Mazar-e Sharif, Oct. 26.

These vehicles will enhance the reach of the Balkh District governors to the people of the province.

Extending the reach of GIRoA
by Capt. Jodi Witt 1st BCT, 10th MTN Div

"The Balkh Government Vehicle project was a fun and rewarding experience in helping out the local Government of Afghanistan in getting their message to their people," said Sgt. 1st Class Jose Rosales, from 1st BCT Civil-Military Operations.

The ceremony included a round table discussion with local media present and transitioned into an outdoor event where all vehicles were on display.

More Bombs Found at Turkish Bombing Site

Turkish Police Find More Bombs in Istanbul

VoA News: Turkish police say they are working to disable additional bombs found at the site of a suicide bombing in Istanbul.

Police Chief Huseyin Capkin said the bombs were discovered following a suicide attack Sunday that wounded 10 police officers and 12 civilians. He said two of the wounded were in serious condition and that the suicide bomber was killed.

Bomb Wounds 22 in Turkey

Suicide Bomb Blasts Turkish Police

VoA News: Police in Turkey are blaming a suicide bomber for an explosion that ripped through a main square in Istanbul, wounding 15 people – police officers and civilians.

Officials said Sunday the bomber targeted an area of Taksim Square where riot police had been gathering in preparation for a possible demonstration.

Marines Host Stability Shuras in Marjah

Marjah leaders rally locals for peace as US Marines see signs of stability in the region
by Lance Cpl. Andrew Johnston RCT-1

MARJAH, Afghanistan - When 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment arrived in Marjah, parts of the region were unstable from months of fighting with Taliban forces. Many locals fled.

Once 2/9 identified specific hot spots of enemy activity, they quickly increased security patrols, constructed numerous new patrol bases, and took the fight directly to the insurgents’ front door.

One of the most dangerous areas was the Sistani Peninsula here, where entire blocks had been completely abandoned by villagers hoping to finding peace elsewhere.

After months of intense fighting, Marines and Afghan National Security forces have started to see signs of stability. Farmers are returning to their fields, empty school desks are filling up, and elders are participating in shuras to discuss how they can protect themselves against the Taliban.

Ivorian Achieves Marine Dream

Everything Is Earned: From War Refugee to U.S. Marine and college student
by Lance Cpl. Lucas Vega USMC-R

FORT WORTH, Texas -- His fondest memory as a child was when a U.S. Marine handed him a piece of candy. The Marines were not solely in Ivory Coast just to hand out candy; they were supporting a humanitarian exercise in the war-torn country Lance Cpl. Martial Agbyssi once called home, but young Agbyssi did not know the difference.

“All I knew is that U.S. Marines made people happy,” said Agbyssi, a food service specialist with Headquarters Battery, 14th Marine Regiment. “Ever since that unforgettable day, I knew that I wanted to be a Marine.”

In 2006 at the age of 16, he came to the United States alongside his two sisters and his mother to escape the civil strife caused by rebel forces in his country. Agbyssi and his family initially left their home in Niakara, Ivory Coast, and fled to neighboring Senegal after his mother was deemed to be a target of the rebels.

Iraqi Troops Learn Medic Skills

  Iraqi instructors teach basic medical course
By Sgt. David Dasilma 3rd BCT, 4th ID

BASRA, Iraq—Moving further into Operation New Dawn, Iraqi security forces continue to demonstrate they are capable of training and teaching, with limited U.S. assistance.

At the Shaiba Training Center in Basra, this is precisely what is taking place, as the 14th Iraqi Army Division recently conducted a basic medical course for the 4th Region Department of Border Enforcement.

Morocco Shuts Down Al-Jazeera

Al Jazeera Slams Morocco’s Suspension of its Operations

VoA News: The Al Jazeera television network has denounced Morocco’s decision to suspend the channel’s operations in the north African country.

A report on Al Jazeera’s website Saturday cited a network statement saying the closure of its bureau in the Moroccan capital, Rabat, will not change the channel’s editorial guidelines.

War In Afghanistan News 31 Oct 2010

A kid wounded by the enemy has been treated and medevaced.

Meanwhile, things went badly for the bad guys when in three instances they attempted to attack Coalition Forces, which resulted in scores of dead tangos, in Paktika, Kapisa, and Helmand Provinces.

Tailor the way you get your War On Terror News

Not sitting back and waiting for the enemy to show a death wish, Troops went out in search of the enemy capturing them in multiple locations and destroying their instruments of death, including opium and ammonium nitrate.  Details from ISAF Follow:

RIP SPC Pedro A Maldonado

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

            Spc. Pedro A. Maldonado, 20, of Houston, Texas, died Oct. 29 in Kandalay, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire.  He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare)  Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

Cavalry Brings Rooms to Iraqi Girls School

Learning in comfort: Girls school in Diwaniyah gets new classrooms
by Staff Sgt. Garrett Ralston 3rd ACR

DIWANIYAH, Iraq - Only blocks away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Diwaniyah, a narrow dirt road leads to a small courtyard surrounded by tall trees and green, flowered plants. Inside the courtyard four old, windowless buildings with cracked paint and sagging rooflines sit in the morning sun.

Despite the appearance of these old buildings, the excited shouts of hundreds of little girls reciting their daily lessons could be heard above the noises of the nearby city streets. Unbeknownst to the students this day, a special gift would be unveiled making their learning experiences a little more comfortable.

Yemen: Woman Arrested in Bombing Plot

Yemeni Officials: Woman Arrested in US Bomb Plot

VoA News: Yemeni officials say a woman has been arrested on suspicion of being involved in sending two explosive packages from Yemen intended to reach the United States.

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh said Saturday security personnel had surrounded a house where the woman was believed to have been hiding. He did not give the location of the house.

White House Offers to Open Yemen Front in GWOT

Top US Official: US Ready to Help Yemen in Fight Against al-Qaida

VoA News: The top U.S. counter-terrorism official says the United States is ready to help Yemen in its fight against al-Qaida’s branch in that country.

White House officials say John Brennan made that remark in a conversation Saturday with Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Officials say Brennan called for close counter-terrorism cooperation between the U.S. and Yemen, including the need to collaborate on the probe into the shipment of two explosive packages from Yemen intended to reach the United States.

Tips for Holiday Packages

Postal Service offers tips for safe, timely holiday gift mailing
by Lance Cpl. Heather Choate III MEF

OKINAWA, Japan - Halloween is just around the corner and the December holiday season is not far behind as evidenced by the wrapping paper and ornaments already on sale in stores.

These are indicators that it will soon be time to mail holiday gifts to loved ones back home.

To ensure gifts arrive home in time for the holiday season, Marine Corps Bases Japan Postal Services has tips to properly and efficiently mail packages.

Brits Confirm Explosives in UPS Package

British Home Secretary: Explosive Substance Intercepted on Cargo Plane in Britain

Tom Rivers | London VoA News: British authorities are seeking answers after a suspicious package was found and removed from a cargo plane at East Midlands airport on Friday.

It appears that a tip-off from Saudi intelligence sources was behind the police search of a UPS cargo plane early on Friday in Britain that led to the discovery of an explosive package.

Collaborative efforts by authorities on a number of continents were involved. Here, Britain's top law and order official, Home Secretary Theresa May, spoke of the discussions with Washington.

Cavalry Trains Afghan Soldiers

Legion Academy trains first class
by Sgt. Gerald Wilson 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment

Kabul, Afghanistan- Troopers from 3rd Squadron,2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment gathered alongside their partners from the Afghan National Army Thursday, October 21 at Combat Outpost Azizzullah to honor the first graduating class of the Legion Academy.  The Legion Academy is a two-week long course designed to familiarize ANA Soldiers with the basic soldiering skills and tactics used by their Coalition counterparts.

“We started with the basics like weapons maintenance, components and capabilities,” said the Academy Commandant Staff Sgt. Ildefonso Perez. “Then moved into individual, buddy team, squad and unit movement techniques.”  Perez said students also practiced room and building clearing techniques as well as the more mundane administrative tasks such as range operations.   “It was meant to refine their basic skills and also their leadership roles,” he said.

Morocco Captures 9 Al-Qaeda Terrorists

Morocco Dismantles al-Qaida Cells

VoA News: Moroccan authorities say they have dismantled two terrorist cells with al-Qaida links and detained the groups’ members.

The Interior Ministry says one cell, called Sahrawi Jihad Front, had four members. In a Friday statement, the ministry said the cell was being led by a so-called “extremist” who formerly lived in Italy.  The ministry says a second, five-member cell had been recruiting volunteers for “jihad” in Iraq. It says the group had been coordinating efforts with al-Qaida networks.  The government also says one of the detainees is a Yemeni national who is wanted in his country for al-Qaida links. A ministry statement does not say when the arrests took place.

Morocco has announced a series of arrests of suspected militants since a 2003 bombing in Casablanca killed 45 people. In April, the country announced the arrests of 24 people with suspected al-Qaida links.

DNC Lobbyist Zogby Leading Arab Political Activism

Bringing Arab-American Voters Out of the Margins

Mohamed Elshinnawi | Washington, DC VoA News

James Zogby is one of the nation's most influential Arab-American leaders.

Through the Arab American Institute, the son of Lebanese immigrants has mobilized the Arab-American electorate, taking it from the margins of American politics and forging an identity which is recognized not only by the national parties, but also by the national media and the American public.

Early start

Zogby's activism began in college and was inspired by American poet and peace activist, Daniel Berrigan:

Karzai Outraged Over Russian Drug Raid

Karzai Condemns US, Russia Drug Raid

VoA News: Afghan President Hamid Karzai condemned a recent drug raid by U.S. and Russian forces as a violation of Afghan sovereignty.

U.S. and Russian officials say they seized a metric ton of heroin from four clandestine laboratories earlier this week in Nangarhar province, near the border with Pakistan.

Holbrooke Denies "High Level" Taliban Talks

US Official: No High-Level Talks Taking Place with Taliban

Suzanne Presto | Washington VoA News

The U.S. special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, says high-level talks with the Taliban are not taking place. He briefed reporters at the State Department, hours after he returned from a trip to Afghanistan.  

Ambassador Holbrooke said high-level talks with the Taliban about peace are not taking place, despite speculation and media reports to the contrary.  

RIP SSG Adam L Dickmyer

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

               Staff Sgt. Adam L. Dickmyer, 26, of Winston Salem, N.C., died Oct. 28 near Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.  He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare)  Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

Somali Pirates Seize Liberian Tanker

Pirates Seize Liberian Tanker Near Somalia

VoA News: The European Union anti-piracy task force says pirates have seized a Liberian-owned tanker off the coast of Somalia.

The task force, known as EU NAVFOR Somalia, says the MV Polar tanker was attacked Saturday about 1,100 kilometers off the coast of Socotra Island in the Arabian Sea. The EU reports the owner of the vessel confirmed early Saturday that the ship was under pirate control.

Korean Troops Make Friends in Parwan, Afghanistan

Republic of Korea PRT promises to be good neighbors, friends

ISAF-JC: KABUL, Afghanistan – The Republic of Korea Provincial Reconstruction Team, the leader for helping develop the infrastructure in Parwan province, held its largest event since its arrival in July at the Totem Dara Bala School in the Charikar District, Parwin province, Saturday.

About 300 students and villagers attended a ceremony to watch Hee-Seog Kwon, the ROK PRT director, sign a document that signified the PRT’s commitment to building a new well in the district, and several other small “immediate impact” projects. In addition to the ceremony, they also dedicated two soccer goal posts and provided a medical civilian assistance program at the school.

SeALs Lead Security Shura in Zabul

ANA, ANP meet with villagers to discuss security

KABUL, Afghanistan – Members of the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police, with the assistance from U.S. Navy SEALs, held a meeting with local residents from a village in Arghandab District, Zabul province Monday to discuss national concerns.

The meeting’s main focus was stressing the importance of cooperation between three groups: villagers, the ANA and ANP to fight and overcome Taliban influence in the area. The leaders of the meeting highlighted that cooperation among the groups will ultimately result in the increased safety of the village.

Afghan Troops Learn Counter-IED Skills

ANA soldiers train to rid Afghanistan of IEDs
by Cpl. Brian Gabriel Jr. RC-SW

CAMP LEATHERNECK, HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – In the continuing effort to rid Afghanistan of improvised explosive devices, Afghan National Army soldiers recently completed the initial portion of an IED detection course.

ANA soldiers enrolled in the Explosive Hazard Reduction Course finished the three-day, basic search segment of the class at the Joint Security Academy Southwest at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, Oct. 29.

Cpl. Wayne A.S. Phillips, an EHRC instructor with 61 Field Squadron, 33 Engineer Regiment EOD, said the whole purpose of the course is to provide the ANA students with the knowledge to rid their country of the prevalent IED threat.

Threats to United States

World War I was supposed to be the "war to end all wars," and the Fall of the Wall was supposed to usher in a new era of peace and tranquility as the a tyrannical system (Communism) that threatened a global empire was put to rest.  Neither of these predictions came true.  Today, the world is as dangerous as it has ever been though there is less recognition of the individual or allied threats to the United States and her citizens, as well as those of other nations who love freedom.

(Map: Green represents Islamist governments and strongholds.  Red represents communist and nationalist governments.  Yellow represents governments at risk of falling to antagonistic elements.)

While we'll discuss the primary recognized threat of terrorism, we'll also address the threats of renewed communist movements, rival nation-states, international criminal organizations, and internal threats.

War In Afghanistan News 30 Oct 2010

  Special Forces facilitated several successful operations which resulted in dozens of dead tangos and caches destroyed.  And then there were the cowards that surrendered.

Operations in Khandahar, Paktika, Paktia netted Taliban leaders and life partners, as well as minions of murder, while an air strike in Zabul prevented relapse of either terrorist returning to a life of destruction.

Tailor the way you get your War On Terror News

Details from ISAF and CJSOTF follow:

Iowa NG runs Veterinarian Class in Kunar

Kunar veterinarians get continuing education

ISAF JC: KABUL, Afghanistan - Twenty-two veterinary professionals from across Kunar province, crowded into a small room Oct. 21 in a training center located next to the government-run nursery in Asadabad, the provincial capital.

The gathering, organized by the Iowa National Guard’s 734th Agribusiness Development Team in cooperation with the provincial Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, marked the first continuing education for veterinarians in Kunar province in decades.

Sitrep Somalia: AU Gaining Ground in Mogadishu

Reporter's Notebook: Mogadishu

Michael Onyiego | Mogadishu VoA News: After repelling the Ramadan offensive launched by al Qaida-linked force al-Shabab, AMISOM forces in Mogadishu have been able to exploit rifts within the insurgent group and gain ground throughout the city.  AMISOM officials believe that with an additional 20,000 troops it can recapture most of southern Somalia.

A flight from Nairobi takes just more than an hour, but Mogadishu is really a world away.   On arrival at the oceanside airport, off to the side of the runway visitors see a rusty Russian cargo plane that was shot down in 2008; its left wing dangling precariously from its body.  

Cafe Bomb kills 22 Iraqi Muslims

At Least 22 Die in Iraq Suicide Bombing

Iraqi police say 22 people have been killed and more than 45 others wounded in a suicide bombing at a cafe northeast of Baghdad.

The attack took place Friday night in the town of Balad Ruz, in Diyala province about halfway between the city of Baquba and the Iranian border.  An Iraqi police official says the bomber detonated an explosives-filled belt inside a popular cafe.

Few other details were immediately available.

RIP LCpl Terry E Honeycutt Jr

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

            Lance Cpl. Terry E. Honeycutt Jr., 19, of Waldorf, Md., died Oct. 27 from wounds received Oct. 21 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.  He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare)  Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

Brit MG Carter: Elders/Security Key to Kandahar Future

Elders Could Fuel Stability in Kandahar, General Says
By Terri Moon Cronk Office of SecDef

WASHINGTON - Elders who fled Taliban intimidation in Afghanistan's Kandahar province have started to return home and could be catalysts for lasting stability, the commander of NATO forces in southern Afghanistan said Oct. 28.

The returning elders might begin to work in support of their district governors through community councils, Maj. Gen. Nick Carter of the British army, commander of Regional Command South, told Pentagon reporters in a video teleconference.

Iranian Arms for Hamas Captured in Nigeria

Israel Says Iran Arms Bound for Gaza

VoA News: Israeli officials say military-grade arms seized at a shipping terminal in Nigeria came from Iran and were bound for the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.

The military officials did not provide evidence to support their claims on Thursday, citing security reasons.

Agents with Nigeria’s State Security Service discovered the weapons Tuesday hidden inside of 13 shipping containers dropped off at Lagos’ Apapa Port. Nigerian officials say the cache included rockets, rifle rounds, grenades and explosives.

Italians Continue to Train Afghan Border Police

Specialized Italian task force trains Afghan Border police

KABUL, Afghanistan – Twenty-five new agents of the Afghan Border Police graduated Tuesday after the competition of a course organized by Task Force Grifo, a specialized unit of the Italian Guardia di Finanza in Regional Command West.

The Guardia di Finanza is an Italian police corps specializing in the field of border control and customs and in the fight against smuggling and tax evasion. The Guardia di Finanza troops of Task Force ‘Grifo’ have trained Afghan security forces responsible for border security and customs and have trained more than 700 Afghan agents of ABP, Customs Police and officials of the Afghanistan Customs Administration since 2006.

Cargo Planes/Suspicious Packages Update4 30 Oct 2010

US Authorities Investigate Suspicious Packages on Cargo Planes
Explosives Found as per POTUS

VoA News: Update 1050: In London Saturday, British Home Secretary Theresa May said the package intercepted in Britain was “viable,” meaning it could have exploded.

May based her assessment on a preliminary British investigation of the incident.

Update 4 30 Oct 2010: U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says two explosive-laden packages sent from Yemen and intended for the United States have the “hallmarks of al-Qaida,” specifically al-Qaida’s branch in Yemen.

Napolitano also told U.S. media Saturday the investigation is ongoing and that the content of the packages must be analyzed to draw the proper conclusions.

But she said the packages appeared to contain the chemical explosive PETN , the substance used in a failed plot to bomb a U.S. airliner last year. That plot has been linked to al-Qaida’s branch in Yemen known as al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula.

Koreans Fire Five Rounds on DMZ

North, South Korea Exchange Gunfire

VoA News: South Korea says its troops exchanged gunfire Friday with North Korea across their heavily guarded demilitarized zone.

South Korean officials say two shots were fired from a North Korean guard post and that South Korean troops immediately returned fire with three shots. The skirmish occurred near the border in Hwacheon, 118 kilometers northeast of Seoul.

There were no South Korean injuries in the incident, and it was not immediately clear what sparked it. The two Koreas, still technically at war after signing only a truce to halt hostilities after the 1950-to-1953 Korean War, have periodically engaged in such brief attacks.