NSC STATEMENT ON TERRORIST ATTACKS AGAINST EGYPTIAN SECURITY FORCES IN SINAI

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE
Statement by NSC Spokesperson Ned Price on Terrorist Attacks in Egypt

The United States strongly condemns the terrorist attacks against Egyptian security forces in North Sinai this morning, which killed dozens of Egyptian personnel and injured many others.  We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and the government and people of Egypt, and wish for a speedy recovery for those who were injured.  The United States stands resolutely with Egypt amidst the spate of terrorist attacks that have afflicted the country and, in the context of our long-standing partnership, will continue to assist Egypt in addressing these threats to its security.

NEW YORK MAN WHO TRIED T JOIN AL-QAEDA RECEIVES 25 YEAR PRISON SENTENCE

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Monday, April 20, 2015
Long Island, New York, Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Attempting to Join Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula

Defendant Attempted to Travel to Yemen to Join al-Qaeda Affiliate, Assist Co-Conspirator’s Efforts to Join The Terrorist Group and Destroy Evidence of Terrorism Offenses

Earlier today at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, New York, Marcos Alonso Zea, also known as “Ali Zea,” an American citizen and resident of Brentwood, New York, was sentenced to 25 years in prison following his Sept. 9, 2014, guilty plea to attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, also known as Ansar al-Sharia (collectively AQAP), and obstruction of justice.

The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Loretta E. Lynch of the Eastern District of New York, Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin, Assistant Director in Charge Diego Rodriguez of the FBI’s New York Field Office and Commissioner William J. Bratton of the New York Police Department (NYPD).

Beginning in the fall of 2011, Zea planned to travel overseas in order to wage violent jihad against the perceived enemies of Islam, which included the government of Yemen and its allies.  In furtherance of his plot, on Jan. 4, 2012, Zea boarded a flight at John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) in Queens, New York, to London, en route to Yemen.  Zea was not permitted to travel onward from London, however, and was returned to the United States by British authorities.  Zea was interviewed and closely monitored by investigators following his return.  Despite being prevented from traveling to Yemen, Zea continued to plot, including by encouraging and supporting his co-conspirator, Justin Kaliebe, who also was planning to travel to fight jihad.  In January 2013, Kaliebe was arrested at JFK while attempting to travel to Yemen to join AQAP.  Months later, after learning that he too was under investigation, Zea caused electronic media on his computer to be destroyed in an effort to obstruct the investigation.  Notwithstanding his efforts, a forensic examination of Zea’s electronic media subsequently conducted by investigators revealed an assortment of violent Islamic extremist materials, including issues of Inspire magazine, part of AQAP’s English-language media operations.

“Marcos Alonso Zea presents a chilling reminder of the danger presented to the United States by homegrown terrorists,” said U.S. Attorney Lynch.  “Born, raised and schooled in the United States, the defendant nevertheless betrayed his country by attempting to join al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, assisting a co-conspirator’s attempt to join that terrorist group, and, after learning he was under investigation, attempting to destroy evidence of his guilt.  We will continue to work tirelessly to protect our national security from all enemies, both foreign and domestic.”  U.S. Attorney Lynch expressed her grateful appreciation to all the members of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the NYPD’s Intelligence Division for their work on the investigation.

“One of our highest priorities is to protect our country by identifying, disrupting and holding accountable those who provide or attempt to provide material support to designated foreign terrorist organizations,” said Assistant Attorney General Carlin.  “This sentence serves unambiguous notice that attempting to travel abroad to engage in such conduct has significant consequences.”

“The threat from al-Qaeda is real, look no further than Marcos Zea,” said Assistant Director in Charge Rodriguez.  “Zea betrayed our country, attempting to first join al-Qaeda.  When that failed, he helped others wage jihad.  We continue working relentlessly to disrupt the plans of those who look to do us harm.”

“The New York City Police Department will continue to work closely with our federal counterparts to identify and arrest homegrown terrorists like Marcos Alonso Zea, and ensure all extremists bring no harm to American soil, especially here in New York City,” said Commissioner Bratton.

After being arrested in January 2013, Zea’s co-conspirator Kaliebe subsequently pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to provide material support to terrorists and one count of attempting to provide material support to AQAP.  Kaliebe is pending sentencing by U.S. District Judge Denis R. Hurley of the Eastern District of New York.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth D. DuCharme, John J. Durham and Michael P. Canty of the Eastern District of New York, with assistance provided by Trial Attorney Kelli Andrews of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

04-05-2015 DOD REPORT ON OPERATION INHERENT RESOLVE AIRSTRIKES IN SYRIA, IRAQ

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Operation Inherent Resolve Airstrikes Continue in Syria, Iraq
From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, April 5, 2015 – U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of the latest strikes, which took place between 8 a.m. yesterday and 8 a.m. today, local time, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Airstrikes in Syria

Attack and remotely piloted aircraft conducted three airstrikes in Syria:
-- Near Hasakah, two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed five fighting positions and an ISIL vehicle.

-- Near Raqqah, an airstrike destroyed an ISIL armored personnel carrier.
Airstrikes in Iraq

Attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 12 airstrikes in Iraq, approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense:

-- Near Qaim, an airstrike destroyed an ISIL vehicle.

-- Near Beiji, an airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle.

-- Near Fallujah, two airstrikes struck 10 improvised explosive device facilities.

-- Near Mosul, five airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and an ISIL IED production facility and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL vehicle.

--Near Ramadi, an airstrike destroyed an ISIL heavy machine gun and an ISIL vehicle.

-- Near Sinjar, an airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position, an ISIL heavy machine gun and an ISIL building.

-- Near Tal Afar, an airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL heavy machine gun and an ISIL fighting position.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, the region, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said.

Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Syria include the United States, Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY MAKES STATEMENT ON GARISSA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE ATTACK

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE
April 02, 2015
Statement by the Press Secretary on the Garissa University College Attack

The United States condemns in the strongest terms today’s terrorist attack against the innocent men and women of Garissa University College in eastern Kenya. We extend our deep condolences to the families and loved ones of all those killed in this heinous attack, which reportedly included the targeting of Christian students. Our thoughts and prayers also are with the many injured. The United States is providing assistance to the Kenyan Government, and we will continue to partner with them as well as with others in the region to take on the terrorist group al-Shabaab. The United States stands with the people of Kenya, who will not be intimidated by such cowardly attacks.

SECRETARY KERRY MAKES REMARKS WITH PARIS MAYOR ANNE HIDALGO

FROM:  U.S STATE DEPARTMENT 
01/16/2015 11:27 AM EST
Remarks With Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo After Their Meeting
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Hotel de Ville
Paris, France
January 16, 2015

SECRETARY KERRY: Well, Madam Mayor, thank you for that very, very generous welcome, and thank you for reminding us of the extraordinary history (inaudible). And what an honor for me to be here in this historic venue which the mayor just talked about and shared some of the history.

A moment ago in her office she showed me a photograph, a historic photograph of the resistance members sitting there in her office in August of 1944, a reminder of the close, historic, inescapable relationship between our countries. I appreciate your very generous comments about all of our neighbors. I know you have a warm relationship with them. And not only am I in an historic building, but I am with an historic mayor, because she is the first woman to serve in this office, and that is no small thing.

So it’s a privilege for me to be here with you, and I’m particularly honored to be with members of the law enforcement community, those who were so directly engaged and affected by the events. And you honor us and you honor me and my country by being here today, and we thank you so much for that.

On the day of the living nightmare that began at Charlie Hebdo, I had a chance to share a few thoughts with you from back home in Washington. And today I just – I really wanted to come here and share a hug with all of Paris and all of France. I wanted to express to you personally the sheer horror and revulsion that all Americans felt for the cowardly and despicable act, the assault on innocent lives and on fundamental values.

I want to thank President Hollande and my friend Laurent Fabius, and of course, the mayor, not only for their always generous welcome, but for the grit and the grace that they have shown at this moment of testing for France. I also want to thank our embassy personnel, our ambassador, Jane Hartley, for their hard work and the support to the French people this past week. And I particularly welcome these young kids who’ve come here to share a vision of the future. Thank you.

(Via interpreter) I represent a nation grateful each day that France is our oldest ally. And just as Lafayette crossed the Atlantic some 234 years ago to help America; just as General Pershing and his men proclaimed their arrival on the shores of France a century ago with the words, “Lafayette, we are here”; just as we tackle today’s most daunting challenges side by side, the United States and France will always stand together. We will persevere and we will prevail.

In the days since January 7th, some have said it was France’s most difficult hour. But they forget the history of a country and a people that have throughout history only become, as another American who loved France and knew the cost of conflict once wrote, “stronger at the broken places.”

It was my mother who instilled in me a special love for France and taught me the history she had lived herself during the darkest days of World War II. An American born in Paris, she had become a nurse and was treating the wounded at Montparnasse. The day before the Nazis entered the city, she escaped with her sister on a bicycle and proceeded to forage her way across France while German fighters were strafing them. She eventually made her way to Portugal where she boarded a ship that brought her back to the United States.

The very first time that my parents brought me to France is really one of the most vivid memories of my childhood. It was the first time my mother had come back since she had escaped during the war and I can still hear the sounds of the rubble and the broken glass that was crunching under our feet as we walked through the bombed-out ruins of our home. Almost nothing was left; just a stone staircase and a chimney that rose up into the sky.

But it wasn’t until years later that I fully understood the incredible price of peace and liberty that both of our greatest generations paid. From the French resistance to the citizen soldiers who left American farms and factories to make the world safe from tyranny, no country knows better than France that freedom has a price, because France has sparked so many revolutions of the human spirit, including our own.

Your commitment to liberty and freedom of expression inspires the world, and I can’t begin to tell you how moved I was to see people come together near and far during the march. What was intended to tear us apart has brought us together. That is what the extremists fear the most. But make no mistake: what the extremists and the thugs and the terrorists do not understand and what they cannot understand is that brave and decent people will never give in to intimidation and terror – not now, not ever.

And we are reminded of something else, that in the darkness we can summon great light. French mothers and fathers will long tell their children and grandchildren that in these nine days that followed the horrors of January 7th, ordinary men and women became heroes at a moment’s notice. No doubt you will tell them about Lassana Bathily, a Muslim man from Mali who risked his life to save Jewish customers at the Hyper Cacher market. When he heard the gunman break into the store, he didn’t think of himself or his own safety; he helped more than a dozen customers hide downstairs in the stockroom’s cooler. He got word to the police, and in doing so, he saved lives. Asked why he did it, Lassana said simply: “We are brothers. It’s not a question of Jews or Christians or Muslims. We’re all in the same boat. We have to help each other to get out of the crisis.”

No doubt you will tell them about Ahmed Merabet, who was a pillar in his community, a family man, and passionate about his job as a police officer. You will tell them about how Ahmed rushed to the offices of Charlie Hebdoand came toe-to-toe with the terrorists before he was savagely and senselessly gunned down in the street. In a tribute to his brother, Malek Merabetsaid: My brother was a Muslim, and he was killed by people who pretended to be Muslims. They are terrorists. That’s all.

And no doubt you will tell them about Yoav Hattab, a young man with a promising future who tried to stop a brutal gunman’s terror, but paid with his own life.

We will never forget these ordinary heroes and all the victims of this tragedy, even as we confront – as the world confronts – cowardly assassins who hide behind balaclavas and assault rifles. Here is the difference between ignorance and knowledge, between falsehood and truth, between cruelty and kindness, between death and life.

I know that even as we speak, there are passionate debates over the complex issues that this tragedy has raised. But what should be beyond debate, beyond the scope of politics or religion, satire or culture, is the common aspiration to create a world rich in love and short on hate. So today at the Hotel de Ville, I join with you in honoring those no longer with us and share with their loved ones the sadness of their loss but the pride in their lives.

We simply will not descend into despair. We will turn this moment of profound loss into lasting commitment. We accept with humility the responsibility that falls to each of us to defend the values our societies cherish and extremists fear the most: tolerance, freedom, truth. In the end, our engagement – all of us in this struggle – is not a choice; it is a mandate.

(Via interpreter) I know that even as we speak, there are passionate debates over the complex issues this tragedy has raised. But what should be beyond debate, beyond the scope of politics or religion, satire or culture, is the common aspiration to create a world rich in love and short on hate. So today at the Hotel de Ville, I join you in honoring those no longer with us and share with their loved ones the sadness of their loss but pride in their lives.

We simply will not descend into despair. We will turn this moment of profound loss into a lasting commitment. We accept with humility the responsibility that falls to each of us to defend the values our societies cherish and extremists fear the most: tolerance, freedom, truth. In the end, our engagement – all of us in this struggle – is not a choice; it is a mandate. It is our obligation.

And now, a good friend from Massachusetts is here with me. He inspired many generations for many years. He is respected and revered for his integrity and the beauty of his music. He has performed all over the world, but today he wanted to be here with me to express his emotion and share our embrace with a song. Ladies and gentlemen: James Taylor. (Applause.)

(Song was played.) (Applause.)

SECRETARY KERRY'S REMARKS WITH BULGARIAN FOREIGN MINISTER MITOV

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 
Remarks With Bulgarian Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov After Their Meeting
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Sofia, Bulgaria
January 15, 2015

FOREIGN MINISTER MITOV: (Via interpreter) Dear Mr. Secretary, dear colleagues, for me it was an honor to host the official visit of the State Secretary of the United States John Kerry in Bulgaria. Today, we reaffirmed our strong strategic partnership between the two countries and we adopted the joint statement for the media, which is at your disposal already.

A few words on the achieved agreements. Strengthening our cooperation in the field of security and defense, energy security and diversification, rule of law, education, people-to-people ties, including by creating joint working groups, is a strong message for the strength and resilience of our relations. Our strategic partnership, our common democratic values, the high-level dialogue, and the excellent cooperation, Bulgaria treasures this highly.

In response to the challenges and changes in the geopolitical environment caused by the conflict in the Ukraine and the growing terrorist threat from the Middle East, we – our efforts in this area will contribute to improving the situation in the region and globally.

We also reaffirmed our efforts for expanding NATO, including the countries from the West Balkans in the NATO alliance, and Bulgaria will be the guarantor. The support of the U.S. in modernizing our military and the implementation of the NATO Readiness Action Plan will increase the security of the eastern borders of (inaudible) and the entire region.

Energy security is also of key importance. Our common goal is to attract investments to guarantee supply and distribution, as well as to build interconnectivity with neighboring countries.

Among the major areas in our collaboration is our effort to expand our trade and economic relations, including goods turnover and attracting new American investments in Bulgaria. Bulgaria’s potential in ICT, machine building, and other sectors will help her to attract more investments from the United States, especially in high-tech productions and in services with high added value. This topic is not only bilateral; it is also within the transatlantic relations. And here I ought to mention the TTIP and our support for the constructive negotiations between the EU and the United States on signing this agreement.

The connection – the ties between Bulgaria and law enforcement and security institutions and bodies are also on the rights, and then cooperation in combating human traffic, drug traffic, cyber crime, et cetera.

Bulgaria and the United States will also work on the people-to-people ties, on removing the visa regime for Bulgarian people. Mr. Secretary, I hope that your visit has shown you that Bulgaria is a good friend of – and a good ally of the United States, and we will continue our work for improving the situation in the region, in Europe, and globally.

SECRETARY KERRY: Well, Daniel, thank you very much. I’m appreciative to the foreign minister, to Minister Mitov, for his very warm welcome here at the foreign ministry. And I’m thankful to him for refueling me with a very good lunch.

I’m appreciative also for the good conversation that we had. I’m not going to repeat everything that I said earlier with the prime minister, and I’m not going to repeat everything that Daniel just said in an excellent summary of our discussion. So he has pretty fully described to all of you the breadth of our relationship and the importance of the United States-Bulgaria partnership and friendship. And it is a friendship, and it is a partnership.

And I want to emphasize that we had a broad discussion at the luncheon. I asked a lot of questions. I particularly was educated about the constitution, the constitutional process, the political process, and of course the judiciary, and the reform initiative, which this government is committed to, which is so important to the ability of Bulgaria to be able to attract capital investment and to be able to make the progress that everybody hopes for.

It’s obviously no secret that the transatlantic community is facing a lot of challenges at this point in time, and the job of creating a Europe that is whole and free and at peace is not a finished job at all. So we are focused on how to make the most progress as fast as possible in this important partnership in order to meet the challenges that we face head on. And it is clear that both the United States and Bulgaria are absolutely committed to investing in the sources of our strength, and that means in a strong, clean, and accountable judiciary, in democratic institutions, but also in our citizens, because in the end it’s the citizens who define a country.

We believe that, on energy security, particularly, there is a very important economic and security priority that we intend to follow up on in the serious ways that I talked about earlier. And we also are very committed to helping to protect Bulgaria’s very rich cultural heritage. The United States is already helping to restore the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Nessebar, and we’ve also increased the size of the Bulgarian Fulbright program for exchanges of students.

But one of the things that we talked about at lunch is the value of tourism and the newly created tourism bureau – or tourism ministry here in Bulgaria, which is an opportunity to really focus on an area that could provide enormous revenue increase, expand the economy, and also strengthen Bulgaria, as well as promote Bulgaria on an international basis.

So there’s a lot of homework to do. We’re particularly going to follow up on the economic front, on the energy front, and we laid out in a communique to everybody a pretty good summary of the new working groups and the new initiatives that we’re going to engage in.

So for me, this has been a very productive visit. I’m glad to have been able to come here, and I look forward to returning sometime in the future, when together we can announce specific progress on some of the plans that we laid today.

So thank you. Thank you, Mr. Foreign Minister, for your welcome. Thank you to the president and the prime minister. Thank you to the people of Bulgaria for their friendship and partnership. And thank you so much for the work that Bulgaria has done to help to deal with international crises from Afghanistan to Iraq to ISIL, and continuing to do in their own neighborhood. We appreciate it very much. It is the mark of a strong and important country when they are as engaged as Bulgaria is today.

Thank you very much.

SECRETARY KERRY'S REMARKS ON PARIS ATTACK

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 
Remarks on the Terrorist Attack in Paris
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Polish Foreign Minister Grzegorz Schetyna
Treaty Room
Washington, DC
January 7, 2015

SECRETARY KERRY: I’m very pleased to welcome Polish Foreign Minister Schetyna here to Washington today. He’s come here especially to meet with us and talk about the important relationship between Poland and the United States – a very important NATO member – and we are working on many, many issues in a very, very close bilateral way.

Before I do talk, however, about our relationship, both of us were just talking about the horrific attack in Paris today, the murderous attack on the headquarters of Charlie Hebdo in Paris. I would like to say directly to the people of Paris and of all of France that each and every American stands with you today, not just in horror or in anger or in outrage for this vicious act of violence, though we stand with you in solidarity and in commitment both to the cause of confronting extremism and in the cause which the extremists fear so much and which has always united our two countries: freedom.

No country knows better than France that freedom has a price, because France gave birth to democracy itself. France sparked so many revolutions of the human spirit, borne of freedom and of free expression, and that is what the extremists fear the most. They may wield weapons, but we in France and in the United States share a commitment to those who wield something that is far more powerful – not just a pen, but a pen that represents an instrument of freedom, not fear. Free expression and a free press are core values, they are universal values; principles that can be attacked but never eradicated, because brave and decent people around the world will never give in to the intimidation and the terror that those seeking to destroy those values employ.

I agree with the French imam who today called the slain journalists martyrs for liberty. Today’s murders are part of a larger confrontation, not between civilizations – no – but between civilization itself and those who are opposed to a civilized world. The murderers dared proclaim “Charlie Hebdo is dead,” but make no mistake: They are wrong. Today, tomorrow, in Paris, in France, or across the world, the freedom of expression that this magazine, no matter what your feelings were about it, the freedom of expression that it represented is not able to be killed by this kind of act of terror. On the contrary; it will never be eradicated by any act of terror. What they don’t understand – what these people who do these things don’t understand – is they will only strengthen the commitment to that freedom and our commitment to a civilized world.

I’d like to just say a quick word, if I may, directly to the people of France.

(In French.)

We wish our friends in France well, and we stand in strong solidarity with them.

I know our friends in Poland understand these acts of terror and this challenge as well as any people, not just in Europe but on the planet. And so I’m pleased to be standing here with the foreign minister today. Poland is a strong, stalwart advocate for and supporter of freedom and of democracy, and they’ve stood on the front lines for a long time in that effort. They understand the price of freedom and they understand the cost.

We are delighted to have their support and to work with them in their commitment to Ukraine, to the freedom and sovereignty of that nation; to the rule of law that has stood us so well in all of our global affairs, that was defined by World War II, in which Poland paid such a price for freedom. And we value enormously the very robust economic relationship that we share, the investment in defense modernization, the commitment to NATO. And we restate once again our commitment to Article 5 and to our NATO obligations and to the important relationship between Poland and the United States with respect to the rule of law. And finally, we appreciate Poland’s strong commitment to the TTIP, to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, which is such a key component of our future in terms of jobs and our economies.

So Poland is a very important ally and an important guest today. And I think symbolically to have Poland standing by our side as we talk about the events that have taken place in Paris is something that should not be missed.

So thank you, Mr. Foreign Minister. We appreciate you being here. Thank you.

FOREIGN MINISTER SCHETYNA: Thank you. First of all, let me express my condolences to France and its people. We are deeply touched by terrorist act in Paris a few hours ago. We stand together with France today. But we will talk – we arranged our meeting a couple weeks ago and we established that we will talk about the – our fight against terrorists and terrorism. And we – I’d like to talk that it’s the – last year it was really fruitful with our relations between Poland and the United States. And I’m convinced that it will continue for the next months and years we’ll be talking about.

And Warsaw and Washington are close allies, intensively cooperating bilaterally and within a NATO framework. And it’s for us very important. We will be talking about decisions made in (inaudible), about implementation these decisions; about NATO summit in Warsaw, which we’ll head to 2016; and about all these issue – about the supports for international force in other regions all over the world like Ukraine, Middle East, Afghanistan – all the place where is a problem with terrorists and terrorism – with directness. And for sure we can say today that Washington can count on Warsaw, and I’m confident that Warsaw can count on Washington also.

Thank you very much.

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you very much. Thank you so much. Thank you.

FOREIGN MINISTER SCHETYNA: Thank you.

PRESIDENT OBAMA, SECRETARY HAGEL OFFER ASSISTANCE TO CANADA

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 

Right:  Lisa Monaco, assistant to the president for homeland security and counterterrorism, updates President Barack Obama in the Oval Office on the shooting in Canada prior to his phone call with Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Oct. 22, 2014. White House Photo by Pete Souza.  


Obama, Hagel Offer Canada Assistance after Attacks
By Cheryl Pellerin
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Oct. 23, 2014 – President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel have offered condolences, assistance and continuing close partnership to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the people of Canada and the family and friends of two soldiers killed in attacks there this week.

In remarks yesterday, Harper praised Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent, who was killed in a hit-and-run attack “by an ISIL-inspired terrorist,” and Cpl. Nathan Cirillo of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, who was “murdered in cold blood” as he provided a ceremonial Honor Guard at Canada’s National War Memorial.

Both assailants were killed.

Yesterday, Obama and Hagel both made statements about the attacks.
“I had a chance to talk with Prime Minister Harper this afternoon,” Obama said during a White House press conference on the U.S. response to the West Africa Ebola crisis. “Obviously, the situation there is tragic … and I expressed on behalf of the American people our condolences to the family and to the Canadian people as a whole.”

Statement by Chuck Hagel

In his statement, Hagel said he joined all the men and women of the U.S. Department of Defense in offering his deepest condolences to the family and friends of the soldiers killed in this week's appalling attacks on members of the Canadian Armed Forces.

“The United States strongly condemns today's shootings in Ottawa,” the secretary added, “as well as the hit-and-run attack in Quebec earlier this week. The United States has no closer friend and ally than Canada, and the United States military has no closer partner than the Canadian Armed Forces.”

Hagel said the Defense Department, “including through the North American Aerospace Defense Command, will continue to monitor the situation closely and stands ready to assist our Canadian allies in the aftermath of these tragic events.”
The North American Aerospace Defense Command, based in Colorado and also known as NORAD, is a combined organization of the United States and Canada that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty and defense for Northern America.

Vigilance is essential

From the Oval Office, Obama said the attacks emphasize the degree to which nations must remain vigilant when it comes to dealing with acts of senseless violence or terrorism.

“I pledged, as always, to make sure that our national security teams are coordinating very closely, given not only that Canada is one of our closest allies in the world but they’re our neighbors and our friends,” Obama said.

When it comes to dealing with terrorist activity, the president added, Canada and the United States have to be entirely in sync.

Obama said he’s traveled to the Canadian Parliament in Ottawa and recalled how warmly he was received; adding that during his call with Harper, the prime minister appreciated expressions of concern by the American people.

The attacks in Canada will have to be factored into ongoing efforts in the United States to counter terrorist attacks in this country, the president said.

“Every single day we have a whole lot of really smart, really dedicated, really hardworking people … who are monitoring risks and making sure that we’re doing everything we need to do to protect the American people,” he said. “And they don’t get a lot of fanfare; they don’t get a lot of attention.”

Many possible threats are foiled or disrupted that don’t always get reported on, the president said.

“The work of our military, our intelligence teams, the Central Intelligence Agency, the intelligence community more broadly, our local law enforcement and state law enforcement officials who coordinate closely with us,” Obama said, “we owe them all a great deal of thanks.”

READOUT: PRESIDENT'S CALL REGARDING SHOOTINGS IN CANADA

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE 

October 22, 2014

Readout of the President’s Call to Prime Minister Harper of Canada

President Obama spoke by phone with Prime Minister Stephen Harper to express the American people’s solidarity with Canada in the wake of attacks on Canadian Forces in Quebec on October 20 and in Ottawa on October 22.   President Obama condemned these outrageous attacks, and reaffirmed the close friendship and alliance between our people.  The President offered any assistance Canada needed in responding to these attacks.  Prime Minister Harper thanked the President and the two leaders discussed the assault and agreed to continue coordination between our governments moving forward.

PRESIDENT OBAMA'S REMARKS WITH PRIME MINISTER ABADI OF IRAQ

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE PRESIDENT OBAMA 

September 24, 2014

Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Abadi of the Republic of Iraq After Bilateral Meeting

United Nations Building

New York City, New York

12:05 P.M. EDT

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Well, I want to thank Prime Minister Abadi and his delegation for the opportunity to meet here this morning.

As I’ve said previously, the United States and Iraq have a strategic relationship that is important to both countries.  We believe in a vision of an Iraq that is inclusive, in which Sunni, Shia, Kurd are all able to come together to peacefully iron out their differences and to achieve prosperity and peace for all the people of the country.

Obviously, Iraq is under enormous threat at the moment from the organization that calls itself ISIL.  And as I’ve discussed today and for many weeks now, we consider ISIL to be a threat not only to Iraq, but to the region, to the world, and to the United States.

We are committed to working in support of Iraq regaining territory that ISIL has currently taken over, and making sure that an inclusive Iraqi government is able to control its territory and push ISIL back.  In doing that, we are coordinating closely in our military campaign.  And the airstrikes and air support that we’re able to provide, as well as the training and assistance, I think will be critical in partnership with Iraqi forces on the ground.

One of the things I’m very impressed with, however, is the fact that Prime Minister Abadi understands that in order for Iraq to succeed it’s not just a matter of a military campaign; it’s also the need for political outreach to all factions within the country.  And I’ve been very impressed with Prime Minister Abadi’s vision.

Since he took over the prime-ministership, he has reached out systematically to all the peoples of Iraq.  He has articulated a vision of reform and a commitment to moving forward with many of the laws that had previously stalled but offer the potential of unleashing energy and entrepreneurship inside of Iraq.

And so, in addition to the military campaign in which we’re going to be coordinating, I want to say directly to the Prime Minister that we fully support his political vision, and we are also encouraged by his willingness to reach out and work with other countries in the region who are going to be very important in supporting our overall effort to defeat ISIL.

The last point I would make:  I think that the Prime Minister recognizes this is not something that is going to be easy and it is not going to happen overnight.  But after talking with the Prime Minister, I’m confident that he’s the right person to help work with a broad-based coalition of like-minded Iraqis and that they will be successful.

And my main message to the Prime Minister is that although we cannot do this for you, we can be a strong partner, and we are fully committed to your success.  We wish you Godspeed.  And we are grateful for your willingness to take on this leadership mantle at such a critical time in your country’s history.

PRIME MINISTER ABADI:  (As interpreted.)  In the name of God, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful, I would like to thank President Obama for allowing for this opportunity for Iraq to explain its points of view towards the confrontation that is happening in Iraq and in which Iraq is at the forefront of the confrontation against the forces of ISIL.

The Iraqi people have confronted this very brutal, ruthless attack on the Iraqi territory with bravery, and I am very proud to say that I am the commander of the Iraqi armed forces.  Our armed forces have also offered a lot of sacrifices when they confronted the Daesh attack.  And I can say today that in many of the areas we are now turning around the ground.  

Today, I am also proud to say that our people are brave, and the popular effort on the ground has been of utmost importance.  I am keen to protect our brave people on the ground, and I am proud of the sacrifices and protect them and protect all that they have been doing to protect their communities on the ground, their religious sites, and to stand a firm stance against the terrorist attacks that targeted the minorities, and targeted and killed children, men and women.

In my discussion with President Obama, I emphasized the importance of the respect of the sovereignty of Iraq and the territorial integrity of Iraq.  And as a Prime Minister of Iraq, I reaffirmed the importance for all forces that want to help Iraq to respect the sovereignty of Iraq and its territorial integrity. I am very thankful for President Obama and all the allies, all who are helping, for maintaining and respecting the territorial integrity of Iraq and its sovereignty.

Finally, one of the requests that I have put forth for President Obama is the importance of equipping and arming the Iraqi army and to provide the Iraqi armed forces with weapons.  As you know, our armed forces are in dire need for equipment and for weapons, mostly because we lost a lot of the equipment and the weapons in our confrontation and our fight against ISIL, and specifically when the ISIL groups came through the borders from Syria, many of the weapons were destroyed.  Some of the weapons fell in the hand of ISIL.  Therefore, I am very thankful for President Obama that he promised that weapons and supplies would be delivered to Iraq as soon as possible so Iraq can defeat ISIL and Iraq can overcome this crisis.

We are keen in Iraq to promote further the strategic relationship between our two countries, a strategic relationship that is based on mutual respect within the Strategic Framework Agreement that was signed between the two governments back in 2008.  I am pleased to say that President Obama has promised to reinvigorate the Strategic Framework Agreement not only to put the focus on the military and security aspect of that agreement, but also on all other levels -- scientific, educational, economic, cultural and academic, social and other aspects of our relationship.

Mr. President, I thank you for all your support and all the promises that you have given us.  And I hope to see that these promises will be concretely fulfilled on the ground as soon as possible.

Thank you.

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Thank you very much, everybody.

SECRETARY KERRY'S REMARKS REGARDING CAPTURE OF AHMED ABU KHATALLLAH

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 

Libya: Ahmed Abu Khatallah

Press Statement

John Kerry

Secretary of State

Washington, DC

June 17, 2014

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Since September 11, 2012, we have mourned the four Americans killed that day, cared for the survivors in our State Department family, and focused with intensity on strengthening security at our high-threat posts around the world. But we have also been focused on another mission of unfinished business: bringing to justice the terrorist murderers responsible for the attacks in Benghazi.

This weekend, that work took a dramatic step forward. Ahmed Abu Khatallah, an alleged key leader of the attacks in Benghazi, is now in U.S. custody. He will face a court of law and be held accountable for his actions. This bold action by the superb United States military is a clear reminder to anyone who dares do us harm that they will not escape with impunity.

The United States stood by the Libyan people three years ago as they stood up to the brutality of the Qadhafi dictatorship. We continue to support them in their desire to build a democratic government that will provide them with security, protect their universal rights and help rebuild their economy. The Libyan people face great challenges, but the vision of a peaceful and productive new nation will guide Libya’s future, and they will have a friend and partner in the United States.

The State Department felt the loss of our colleagues in Benghazi acutely. They volunteered to serve in a dangerous place because they believed in the power of the United States to help people. They represented the very best of America. We continue that mission in their name today.

KIDNAPPING OF THREE ISRAELI TEENAGERS CONDEMNED BY U.S.

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 

U.S. Condemns Kidnapping of Three Israeli Teenagers

Press Statement

John Kerry

Secretary of State

Washington, DC

June 15, 2014

---

The United States strongly condemns the kidnapping of three Israeli teenagers and calls for their immediate release. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families. We hope for their quick and safe return home.  We continue to offer our full support for Israel in its search for the missing teens, and we have encouraged full cooperation between the Israeli and Palestinian security services.  We understand that cooperation is ongoing.

We are still seeking details on the parties responsible for this despicable terrorist act, although many indications point to Hamas’ involvement.  As we gather this information, we reiterate our position that Hamas is a terrorist organization known for its attacks on innocent civilians and which has used kidnapping in the past.

READOUT: PRESIDENT OBAMA'S CALL WITH PRESIDENT HOLLANDE OF FRANCE

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE 

Readout of the President’s Call with President Hollande of France

President Obama spoke with French President Hollande today about the situation in Ukraine.  The Presidents underscored that Russia will face significant additional costs if it continues its provocative and destabilizing behavior.  President Obama praised the Ukrainian government’s efforts to unify the country by holding free and fair presidential elections on May 25 that will lead to an inclusive constitutional reform process.  The two Leaders also discussed the situation in Nigeria and the upcoming May 17 regional conference in Paris that aims to improve regional cooperation to combat the terrorist threat posed by Boko Haram.

ADVANCING GLOBAL NUCLEAR SECURITY FACT SHEET

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE 
FACT SHEET: Advancing Global Nuclear Security

In 2009, President Obama launched an ambitious global agenda to prevent nuclear materials from falling into the wrong hands.  During his visit to Prague, the President called on the international community to prevent terrorists from getting access to the building blocks needed for a nuclear bomb by putting an end to dedicated production of weapons-grade materials and securing all of the world’s vulnerable nuclear material within four years.  He urged countries to lock down sensitive materials, break up black markets, detect and intercept materials in transit, and use financial tools to disrupt their trade.

Translating ambition into action, the President convened an unprecedented Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, DC in 2010.  Forty seven countries from every region in the world committed to work together to ensure that nuclear materials could not be sold or stolen and fashioned into nuclear weapons.

The stakes are high and the threat is real.  The danger of nuclear terrorism is one of the greatest threats to our collective security.  The hardest part of making a nuclear weapon is getting the material.  Even a small amount of nuclear material could kill and injure hundreds of thousands of innocent people.  Terrorist networks could acquire the materials to assemble their own nuclear weapon, wreaking havoc on global peace and stability, and resulting in extraordinary loss of life and global economic damage.

Since 2009, the world has made substantial progress.  The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1887, endorsing a comprehensive agenda to secure all nuclear materials.  Individual countries have taken specific and concrete actions to secure nuclear materials in their countries and to prevent illicit trafficking and smuggling.  The world has worked to strengthen the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and to ensure it has the resources and authorities it needs to meet its responsibilities.  And we have worked to build the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism into a durable international institution.

Earlier this year, the United States and Russia completed implementation of the 1993 U.S.-Russia Highly Enriched Uranium Purchase Agreement, one of the most successful non-proliferation programs in our history.  Low-enriched uranium derived from 500 metric tons of highly enriched uranium blended down from 20,000 Russian nuclear warheads, became fuel for U.S. nuclear power reactors.  The program supplied nearly ten percent of all U.S. electricity over the last fifteen years.  Since 2010, the U.S. has also blended down 24 MT of excess Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) from our own weapons program, and assisted in removing or confirming the disposition of over 2400 kilograms of HEU and plutonium from other countries.

Through the Summit process, we have established a global network of experts who work on nuclear security at senior levels in 53 governments and multiple international organizations.  We have expanded bilateral cooperation on nuclear security with dozens of countries worldwide.  And the trends we’re seeing are very positive:

The number of countries and facilities with HEU and plutonium is decreasing:

Twelve countries have completely eliminated HEU or separated plutonium from within their borders.
Twenty seven countries removed or disposed of nearly 3000 kilograms of HEU and separated plutonium.
Twenty four HEU nuclear reactors in 14 countries were successfully converted to Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) fuel use or verified as shut down.
Security at storage sites is increasing:

The United States has helped secure 218 buildings in 5 countries storing weapons-usable nuclear materials through physical security upgrades.
We responded effectively to security issues at the Y-12 HEU site in Tennessee and are applying those lessons throughout our nuclear complex.
More countries are prepared to counter nuclear smuggling:

The United States is working with 20 countries to enhance their ability to detect, interdict, attribute and prosecute nuclear smugglers.
260 sites and ports have been equipped with radiation detection systems, and 41 mobile radiation detection cans have been deployed to internal checkpoints in 15 partner countries.
We are providing training to U.S. and partner nation officials in law enforcement, customs, and border security.
More countries are seeking international advice:

The United States hosted its first-ever international advisory security review in October 2013.
Twelve other countries have requested international advisory reviews since the first Summit.
The nuclear security architecture is stronger:

Over two dozen countries have ratified the key nuclear security treaties since the 2010 Summit.  The United States continues to pursue ratification of these critical instruments.
The IAEA’s nuclear security team has been elevated and better funded, and has a more rigorous standards development process.
INTERPOL’s radnuke support team has been enhanced.
The United States is committed to continuing its leadership on this vitally important issue.  With our allies and partners, we will continue to work to put in place a strong and sustainable global nuclear security architecture designed to reduce the dangers of nuclear weapons and nuclear terrorism while allowing countries to more safely and effectively pursue peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

We have fulfilled our commitments, improved security at our facilities, and forged new partnerships.  We have removed nuclear materials, and in some cases gotten rid of them entirely.  As a result, more of the world’s nuclear materials can never fall into the hands of terrorists who would use them against us.  While there is much more to be done, we should be proud of all that we have achieved since the first Summit in 2010, and seize this opportunity to move that progress forward.

FARC TERRORIST PLEADS GUILTY TO TAKING U.S. CITIZENS HOSTAGE IN 2003

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT 
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Member of FARC Terrorist Organization Pleads Guilty to Hostage-Taking Charges in 2003 Capture of U.S. Citizens
Hostages Were Held in Colombia for More Than Five Years

Alexander Beltran Herrera, 37, a commander of the FARC terrorist organization, pleaded guilty today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to hostage-taking charges stemming from the 2003 kidnappings of three U.S. citizens in Colombia.

The guilty plea was announced by John P. Carlin, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s National Security Division; Ronald C. Machen Jr., U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia; and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Miami Division.

Beltran Herrera pleaded guilty to three counts of hostage-taking.   He is to be sentenced July 25, 2014, by the Honorable Royce C. Lamberth.   The offense of hostage taking carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, although as part of the extradition process from Colombia, the United States agreed not to seek a sentence exceeding 60 years.

According to a statement of facts submitted as part of the plea hearing, t he FARC is an armed, violent organization in Colombia, which since its inception in 1964, has engaged in an armed conflict to overthrow the Republic of Colombia, South America’s longest-standing democracy.   The FARC has consistently used hostage taking as a primary technique in extorting demands from the Republic of Colombia, and hostage taking has been endorsed and commanded by FARC senior leadership.  The FARC has characterized American citizens as “military targets” and has engaged in violent acts against Americans in Colombia, including murders and hostage taking.  The FARC was designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. Secretary of State in 1997 and remains so designated.

Beltran Herrera, a commander in the FARC, was involved in the hostage taking of three United States citizens: Marc D. Gonsalves, Thomas R. Howes, and Keith Stansell.  These three, along with Thomas Janis, a United States citizen, and Sergeant Luis Alcides Cruz, a Colombian citizen, were seized on Feb. 13, 2003, by the FARC, after their single-engine aircraft made a crash landing in the Colombian jungle.

Members of the FARC murdered Mr. Janis and Sgt. Cruz at the crash site.  Mr. Gonsalves, Mr. Howes, and Mr. Stansell were held by the FARC at gunpoint and were advised by FARC leadership that they would be used as hostages to increase pressure on the government of Colombia to agree to the FARC’s demands.  At various times, the FARC marched the hostages from one site to another, placing them in the actual custody of various FARC fronts.

At the conclusion of one 40-day long march, in or about November 2004, the hostages were delivered to members of the FARC’s 27th Front, who imprisoned the hostages for nearly two years.  During part of this period, Beltran Herrera was responsible for moving the hostages and keeping them imprisoned.  Throughout the captivity of these three hostages, FARC jailors and guards used choke harnesses, chains, padlocks and wires to restrain the hostages, and used force and threats to continue their detention and prevent their escape.   In July 2008, the Colombian military conducted a daring operation which resulted in the rescue of the hostages.

All told, members of the FARC held the Americans hostage for 1,967 days.

“This case underscores our resolve to hold accountable those who target our citizens with violence anywhere in the world,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Carlin. “With this guilty plea, Alexander Beltran Herrera has admitted his participation in the hostage taking and captivity of three Americans by the FARC, a Colombian terrorist organization.  I want to thank all of the prosecutors, agents, and analysts who made this result possible.”

“Alexander Beltran Herrera was a terrorist and commander in the FARC organization who held three Americans hostage in the Colombian jungle,” said U.S. Attorney Machen.  “With today's guilty plea, he admitted to his role in terrorizing these Americans, who were held in captivity for more than five years.  His extradition and prosecution reflect our determination to bring to justice anyone who sets out to harm our fellow citizens overseas.”

“Alexander Beltran Herrera was a commander within FARC, a foreign terrorist organization based in Colombia that considered U.S. citizens to be targets for murder and hostage taking,” said Special Agent in Charge Piro.  “First captured, then extradited to the United States, Herrera has now admitted to his role in moving and keeping hostage three American citizens, Marc D. Gonsalves, Thomas R. Howes and Keith Stansell.  Once again, the excellent, longstanding cooperation between the Colombian National Police and U.S. law enforcement has ended another terrorist’s career of violence and thuggery.”

This case was investigated by the FBI’s Miami Division.   The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Asuncion and Fernando Campoamor-Sanchez from the National Security Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and Trial Attorney David Cora, from the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.   The case was indicted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Kohl, of the National Security Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The FBI’s Miami Division partnered in the investigation with the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Department’s Judicial Attachés in Colombia, and the FBI’s Office of the Legal Attaché in Bogota, Colombia.  The Directorate of Intelligence (DIPOL) and the Anti-Kidnapping Unit (GAULA) of the Colombian National Police also provided valuable support during the investigation.

REMARKS AT COUNTERING NUCLEAR AND RADIOLOGICAL SMUGGLING WORKSHOP

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 
Welcome and Introductory Remarks at the Countering Nuclear and Radiological Smuggling Workshop

Remarks
Simon Limage
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nonproliferation Programs, Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation
Institute for Transuranium Elements
Karlsruhe, Germany
February 11, 2014

(As Prepared)

Good morning. Thank you, Dr. Fanghänel, for your kind introduction. I would also like to thank the European Union, the European Commission, and specifically the Joint Research Centre’s Institute for Transuranium Elements, for opening these impressive facilities to host this workshop — which marks a significant step toward strengthened capacities to counter transnational nuclear and radiological smuggling. I would also like to recognize all of the workshop participants — representing more than 35 Nuclear Security Summit countries and international organizations — who have traveled from around the world to contribute to this week’s activities. I believe the work we do together this week will represent a significant step toward preventing terrorists, criminals and all other unauthorized actors from acquiring nuclear or radioactive materials that could be used in nuclear weapons or radiological dispersal devices. Achieving this objective remains one of the most important security challenges that we all face in the years to come, and I am proud to be a part of this important work.

Through our collective efforts in support of the Nuclear Security Summit process, our governments have together made great strides in creating and promoting global awareness of, and cooperation on nuclear security. Steps taken by the international community since the first Nuclear Security Summit in Washington four years ago have been extensive. Within the United States, we have taken steps to further strengthen our domestic nuclear security framework. Internationally, important work done by programs such as the Department of Energy’s Material Protection, Control and Accounting program and the Global Threat Reduction Initiative and Department of Defense’s Cooperative Threat Reduction program have resulted in nuclear facilities that are more secure today than ever before.

At the first Nuclear Security Summit, Leaders from participating governments endorsed a Work Plan that included promoting national capacities in the areas of nuclear forensics, and exploring ways to enhance cooperation among local, national and international customs and law enforcement bodies to prevent illicit trafficking and acts of nuclear terrorism.

At the Seoul Summit in 2012, our leaders outlined specific steps that we have taken and intend to take — both collectively and individually — to meet these goals. Some of these steps are reflected in the 2010 and 2012 Nuclear Security Summit Communiqués, and in the 2012 Nuclear Security Summit “Statement of Activity and Cooperation to Counter Nuclear Smuggling.” Over the past several years, our governments have pursued many counter nuclear smuggling activities at the national and international levels that reinforce Summit objectives. Our activities here this week will further complement the commitments and steps our Leaders pledged at the Summits.

Now as we prepare for the third Nuclear Security Summit next month in The Hague, we must not only consider the progress we have made, but also acknowledge the work that remains to be done to prevent nuclear or radiological terrorism. Current and past inabilities to secure nuclear and radioactive materials continue to mean that materials are vulnerable to theft, or are now already outside regulatory control, and vulnerable to terrorists or other malicious actors. Despite our many nuclear security successes, the threat that highly enriched uranium or plutonium could be obtained by terrorists or other criminals intent to cause harm continues to represent one of the most pressing threats to global security.

As President Barack Obama stated in 2012, “There are still too many bad actors in search of these dangerous materials, and these dangerous materials are still vulnerable in too many places. It would not take much -- just a handful or so of these materials -- to kill hundreds of thousands of innocent people.”

Seizures of weapon-grade nuclear material in Georgia in 2010 and Moldova in 2011 suggest that such materials remain in illegal circulation on the black market, and we must work together to locate and secure materials currently outside regulatory control. To do this, we must take action to investigate smuggling networks, remove trafficked material from the black market and arrest the individuals involved—which is the focus of our work this week.

One of the most successful methods for recovering nuclear or radioactive material outside regulatory control focuses on establishing national mechanisms to bring together law enforcement, intelligence and technical experts to investigate nuclear smuggling networks. This national-level effort might utilize, for example, information collectors to gather data on nuclear smuggling networks; intelligence analysts to review this information and look for connections between cases and individuals involved; law enforcement officers to conduct investigations and arrest smugglers; and technical experts to conduct nuclear forensics analyses of materials that are seized.

In addition to national-level competencies in all of these areas, international information-sharing mechanisms are integral to ensuring information on seized materials and the criminals who traffic them is made available to the relevant law enforcement and technical experts working to prevent these activities in the future. The International Atomic Energy Agency’s Incident and Trafficking Database (ITDB) is recognized as the most well-established information-exchange mechanism for incidents involving nuclear and radioactive materials that have fallen outside regulatory control. Within the global law enforcement community, INTERPOL’s Operation Fail Safe provides a mechanism for sharing information on known nuclear smugglers with police officers around the world. I would encourage all of you to consider participating in this newly created program that fills a unique information-sharing gap in addressing the nuclear and radiological smuggling threat. We are honored to have representatives from each of these agencies deliver the keynote address for us this morning, and participate in the week’s events by sharing their expertise in this important area of international security.

This week, all of you will work together to explore new and emerging techniques for investigating nuclear smuggling networks, detecting nuclear and radioactive materials outside regulatory control, and analyzing seized material to trace its illicit movement.

The hands-on demonstrations, exercises, and scenario-based activities that you will participate in this week represent a collective next step toward advancing key capabilities to counter nuclear and radioactive materials smuggling and reduce the threat of nuclear terrorism. Together, we can—and will—make the world a safer place. Thank you.

NATO's FUTURE DISCUSSED AT CHIEFS OF DEFENSE MEETING

FROM:  DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 

Military Chiefs Look to NATO’s Future
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT, Jan. 23, 2014 – The NATO chiefs of defense “talked a little bit about today, a little bit about tomorrow, and a little bit about 10 years from now,” the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said as he returned to Washington today from alliance meetings in Brussels.
Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey took advantage of the 170th Chiefs of Defense Meeting to not only address NATO issues, but to strengthen military-to-military relations with other nations.

The chairman’s first engagement in Brussels was a meeting with his Russian counterpart Gen. Valery V. Gerasimov. Dempsey said the session was very positive and constructive, describing U.S.- Russian relations as important “not just because of the issues that are apparent to us, but the ones that are not yet apparent,” he said. The alliance’s possible future in Afghanistan after its current mission ends this year was also discussed. At the NATO meeting itself, he said, “We reminded ourselves that while the discussions are going on about our 2015 presence, we still have some tasks at hand to accomplish,” he said.

The chiefs looked at ways to increase the pace of development of the Afghan national security forces – focusing on how to improve the institutions that build and manage them. And, they discussed what can be done to help Afghans hold a credible, transparent and fair presidential election in April.

Most of the NATO support will be peripheral, as the Afghans have the lion’s share of conducting the vote. The United States will provide some logistical support and transportation for election observers.

The chiefs also discussed how they can “preserve our options so when the political decision is made on 2015 and beyond, we’ll have a pretty clear understanding of how we will have to shift to accomplish it.”

The other main outcome of the meeting was an increased awareness of the threats and risks building on the alliance’s southern flank. The United States has long spoken about transnational threats emanating from North Africa and the Middle East. Terrorist organizations take advantage of weak governments or ungoverned spaces and use them as safe havens, Dempsey said. Al-Qaida in the Islamic Mahgreb is one of these groups and there are others.

“I am encouraged that the alliance is beginning to understand some of the risks that are building on its southern flank,” the chairman said. “Now we have reached the point of entering into conversations about what as an alliance we might do about it.”

The chiefs spoke about NATO’s nascent cyber defense capability. “It’s mostly all national level,” he said. “We’re trying to find ways to link it together to make ourselves more capable in the cyber dimension.”

The meeting in Brussels will be followed by a NATO defense ministers’ meeting next month, which will help set up a NATO Summit that will be hosted by the United Kingdom later this year.

HEZBOLLAH OPERATIVE CONVICTED IN CYPRUS

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Cypriot Court Convicts Hezbollah Operative
Press Statement
Victoria Nuland
Department Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
March 21, 2013

The United States applauds the government of Cyprus for its professional investigation and successful conviction in court today of Hezbollah operative Hossam Taleb Yaacoub on a range of charges involving his surveillance activities of Israeli tourist targets. Over the past year, we have seen Hezbollah engage in increasingly aggressive terrorist activity around the world. In July 2012, just two weeks after Yaacoub’s arrest, we witnessed the deadly impact of Hezbollah’s commitment to terrorism in Burgas, Bulgaria. Today’s verdict underscores the need for our European allies – and other governments around the world – to crack down on this deadly group and to send a strong message that Hezbollah can no longer operate with impunity, at home or abroad.