Domodevo and the Chechen Conflict

27 January 2011

Representatives of the Chechen Muslim community

While no group has yet claimed responsibility, the Domodevo bombing earlier this week appears to demonstrate the continued ability of Chechen separatists to strike terror deep in the heart of Russia. Largely overlooked by commentators, however, is the resource driving the 16-year old conflict: oil.

By John CK Daly for ISN Insights

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The explosion that tore through Moscow’s Domodedovo airport‘s international arrivals hall and killed 35 people and injured more than 150 was the suspected work of a suicide bomber. No individual or group has claimed responsibility for the act, which Russian President Dmitry Medvedev labeled a terrorist attack, vowing to find those responsible. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin vowed “retribution” for those responsible and US President Barack Obama also condemned the “outrageous act of terrorism.”

Bruce Tefft, fost agent CIA: Niciun strain nu are “dreptul” sa zboare in SUA. Cui nu-i convin masurile de securitate, sa nu mearga

de Adrian Novac HotNews.ro

Luni, 11 ianuarie 2010, 12:05 Actualitate | Internaţional

Bruce Tefft

Foto: Arhiva personala

In ziua de Craciun a anului trecut, un nigerian a incercat sa detoneze o incarcatura exploziva intr-un avion aflat deasupra orasului Detroit. Pe 30 decembrie, un atacator sinucigas se arunca in aer in interiorul unei baze CIA din Afganistan, omorand sapte americani. In prima zi din 2010, un artist danez care a publicat mai multe caricaturi cu profetul Mohammed este atacat in propria casa de un musulman somalez. De ce s-au intamplat toate aceste incidente? Cine se afla in spatele lor si ce semnificatie au masurile de securitate draconice luate in Statele Unite? Ne-a raspuns la toate aceste intrebari expertul in probleme de contraterorism Bruce Tefft, fost agent CIA.

Adrian Novac: Un tanar nigerian, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a incercat sa arunce in aer un avion al companiei Northwest Airlines folosind exploziv ascuns in chiloti; sapte ofiteri CIA au fost ucisi intr-un atac sinucigas in Afganistan; un somalez a incercat sa-l ucida pe caricaturistul danez Kurt Westergaard la inceputul acestui an. De ce crezi ca s-au intamplat aceste incidente teroriste in ultima perioada? Putem sa vedem o caracteristica comuna in toate aceste atacuri?
Bruce Tefft: Nu exista o caracteristica comuna in aceste atacuri, caci acestea ar insemna ca ele sunt similare.

Ceea ce vedem este manifestarea comuna a razboiului pe care musulmanii il poarta de 1400 de ani impotriva non-musulmanilor, asa cum le cere Mohammed si Coranul.

In toate operatiile militare – si terorismul este o activitate militara, nu criminala – tipul si executarea la timp depind de obiectivul si de pregatirile necesare indeplinirii acelor obiective. In timp ce unele incidente teroriste au tinte multiple, aceste atacuri pe care le-ai mentionat nu sunt nici simultane si nici nu reprezinta aspecte multiple ale aceleiasi operatiuni. Ele sunt, mai degraba, atacuri diferite, in locuri diferite, ale aceluiasi razboi.

Jihadis Inside the Gate

by Clare M. Lopez

Posted 01/06/2010 ET

As the new decade opens, the country is reeling: the year just past saw more attacks by Islamic jihadis directed against Americans than in any other year since 9/11. Several were discovered and stopped before they could claim any victims, including the Najibullah Zazi bombing plot, bomb plots in Illinois and Texas, and the case of the five American-born jihadi wannabes caught in Pakistan.

Two other attacks left Americans dead and injured outside a military recruiting station in Little Rock, Ark. and at Ft. Hood, Texas. That the Christmas Day terror attack by a Nigerian Muslim jihadi on board an intercontinental flight from Europe failed is due only to the incompetence of the al Qaeda bomb-maker who fashioned the device that Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab carried on board NWA Flight 253 in his underwear.

Our national security agencies deserve credit for foiling any jihadi attacks. But the enemy is not just getting closer: he’s inside the gates. And the reason is because current U.S. national security policy is simply not adequate to the Islamic jihad challenge that’s coming at us. 

An Interview with Dr Bruce Tefft:Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Lybia, Syria and Saudi Arabia

For those of us who do NOT speak Romanian:

de Adrian Novac HotNews.ro

Luni, 7 septembrie 2009, 8:38 Actualitate | Internaţional

Bruce Tefft

Foto: Arhiva personala

Background: Dr. Bruce Tefft served 21 years in the CIA, including 17 years abroad, many as a CIA Chief of Station; and was a founding member of the CIA’s Counter Terrorism Center in 1985.

Dr. Tefft has traveled more than 350,000 miles, training more than 17,000 thousand law enforcement officers and first responders in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Mexico. After 9/11 he served as the New York Police Department’s Counter-Terrorism and Intelligence advisor.

Dr. Tefft is vice-president of the Western Defense Studies Institute in Rome and is Director of CRA’s Terrorism Assessment Center in the USA, providing world-wide terrorism prevention and emergency response training to first responders, law enforcement and security agencies and civil servants.

He has a Master’s degree in History and Doctorate in International Law from the University of Denver.

How does someone get a job at the CIA? Should you have special skills, it’s about luck or it’s a job for the Average Joe?

There is a lot of information on the internet about applying for employment with the CIA…many questions are answered, for example, at this site:

http://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-CIA-Agent

Within the CIA there are thousands of people with many different skill sets and capabilities.  I met “Average Joe’s” and geniuses.

Some skills are more useful than others:  language abilities are highly prized as well as adaptability, flexibility, intelligence, common-sense (not so common) etc.

Chances of being accepted depend more on whether your skills match the needs of a particular job vacancy than on what skills you actually have.  One year the CIA may have no need for someone with your skills or educational background and experiences and the next year an opening may appear.  I applied 3 separate times in 5 years before being accepted for the intial interview.

Did you consider your career to be adventurous? What aspects made it adventurous?

Of course.  ANY career involving travel and living overseas in dangerous parts of the world is adventurous.  I was fortunate to spend 17 of my 21 years abroad; mostly 3rd  or 4th world countries and war zones.

The challenge is in dealing with or adapting to unknown and potentially dangerous circumstances of a culture or country not your own.  Travellers and tourists do this all of the time…most are not also engaged in other risky activities at the same time.