"Laser Hooliganism" in Russia

Moscow (CNN) -- In a series of potentially serious incidents, aviation officials in Russia say, two commercial airliners have been targeted with laser pointers while landing at a Moscow airport.

The crews of a Tupolev Tu-204 flying from Istanbul and a Boeing 737 flying from the east Siberian city of Yakutsk reported seeing a green laser beam in their cabins. The beams came from the ground as the planes were preparing to land, four minutes apart, at Moscow's Vnukovo airport shortly after 2 a.m. Tuesday, said Sergei Izvolsky, a spokesman for the Russian federal air transport regulator Rosaviatsia.

"When such a laser beam reflects off the multilayer glass of the pilot's window, it creates a bright spark that can momentarily blind the crew for several seconds or even several minutes," he said. "At that point, the pilot might be disoriented. He might not be able to see the plane's dashboard or the airstrip on which he is landing. This is a navigation obstacle and, ultimately, a direct threat to both the crew and the passengers."

Izvolsky said there has been a sharp increase in "laser hooliganism" against passenger jetliners in Russia.

"Since the beginning of 2011, there have already been 56 such cases registered, compared to just five for the entire last year. Most of them took place in Moscow and in some southern parts of Russia," he said.

In all of the incidents, officials say, the planes have managed to land safely.
On Monday, a 17-year-old boy was arrested in connection with a laser incident reported Sunday in the southern region of Chechnya, the first and only case thus far in which a "laser hooligan" suspect has been identified. On Tuesday, Russian state TV continuously played a dressing-down that the regional police chief gave the teenager, who admitted his guilt, in front of his relatives and reporters.
"That was very bad conduct. More than a hundred were on board the plane, including women and children. You could have killed all of them," Chechen Interior Minister Ruslan Alkhanov said.

The boy's mother said, "I didn't expect my son could do anything like that. In the future, I promise I will keep a close eye on him.

TSA is gonna love this - bombs hidden in boobs and buttocks!

The Guardian:

American officials have warned airlines that they believe al-Qaida is developing "Belly, Breast and Buttock bombs" to beat airport security and allow suicide bombers to launch terror attacks on board passenger planes.

The department of homeland security has sent a bulletin to airline executives saying it has identified a potential threat from terrorists who could "surgically implant explosives or explosive components in humans".

Although many airports use advanced imaging technology that can "see" through people's clothing, the technology might not pick up a bomb which is hidden inside a body.

"Due to the significant advances in global aviation security in recent years, terrorist groups have repeatedly and publicly indicated interest in pursuing ways to further conceal explosives," said Kawika Riley, spokesman for the department's transport security administration.

"As a precaution, passengers flying from international locations to US destinations may notice additional security measures."

Experts say the explosives could be implanted in abdomens, buttocks and breasts allowing suicide bombers to pass undetected through airport body scanners. Explosive compounds such as pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) could be implanted, then the person's wounds allowed to heal, making the material difficult to detect. On board the plane, the material could be detonated by injection.

US officials have been on high alert for terror attacks since US forces killed al-Qaida's leader, Osama bin Laden in May. They say there is no intelligence about a plot, but US and international carriers are being urged to consider the threat.

The bombs are thought to be a particular risk in Europe and the Middle East where full body scanners are not as widely used as they are in the US.

Feds secretly bring suspected terrorist to NYC to stand trial

Federal officials say a senior member of the al-Shabaab terror group was secretly brought to the U.S. Monday night to stand trial after spending months giving "valuable intelligence" about al-Qaida's operations in Somalia and Yemen.

Senior administration officials say Ahmed Abdulqadir Warsame was arrested April 19 by the U.S. military and kept on a Navy ship at sea, where he was questioned by a team of U.S. interrogators.

"He gave us very valuable intelligence," one official said. Warsame was in a special position to talk about both al-Qaida's operations in Somalia and its operations in Yemen, the official added.

The officials say he was a go-between for both groups, and he's accused of providing both groups with money and training. They say he was in Yemen last year for more than a year, and that the information he provided "has been used to get a better understanding of what we're up against" with al-Qaida in Yemen.

The officials say he was questioned for weeks before he was given any kind of Miranda warning, at which point his cooperation stopped.

He was brought to New York late Monday night and charges were unsealed Tuesday afternoon in New York.

Mystery surrounds South Korean skyscraper tremor -

Authorities in Seoul, South Korea, ordered the evacuation of a 39-story office building Tuesday after occupants reported that it shook for about 10 minutes, local media reported.

There was no seismic activity reported at the time of the tremors, which began about 10:10 a.m., according to a report in The Korea Times.

"I fled the building with everyone else while it was shaking up and down. It almost made me feel dizzy," Lim Joon-hee, who works on the 20th floor of the building, told the Yonhap News Agency.

About 3,000 people were in the building at the time. All were evacuated, and the building, whose tenants include offices, retailers and a theater, will remain closed for up to three days while it undergoes safety inspections, local media reported.

Happy 4th of July!

Happy Independence Day! Here's a shot I took down at Cannon AFB a few years back when the F-117 was still flying. Enjoy and have a happy 4th!

-Steve Douglass