Sunday, December 21, 2014
AG HOLDER'S STATEMENT ON ASSASSINATION OF NEW YORK CITY POLICE OFFICERS
FROM: U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Saturday, December 20, 2014
Attorney General Holder Statement on Assassination of Two New York City Police Officers in Line of Duty
Attorney General Eric Holder released the following statement Saturday regarding the fatal shootings of two New York City police officers:
“I condemn this afternoon's senseless shooting of two New York City police officers in the strongest possible terms. This was an unspeakable act of barbarism, and I was deeply saddened to hear of the loss of these two brave officers in the line of duty.
“On behalf of all those who serve in the United States Department of Justice, I want to express my heartfelt condolences to the officers' loved ones and colleagues. I will make available all of the resources of the Department to aid the NYPD in investigating this tragedy.
"This cowardly attack underscores the dangers that are routinely faced by those who protect and serve their fellow citizens. As a nation we must not forget this as we discuss the events of the recent past. These courageous men and women routinely incur tremendous personal risks, and place their lives on the line each and every day, in order to preserve public safety. We are forever in their debt.
"Our nation must always honor the valor -- and the sacrifices -- of all law enforcement officers with a steadfast commitment to keeping them safe. This means forging closer bonds between officers and the communities they serve, so that public safety is not a cause that is served by a courageous few, but a promise that's fulfilled by police officials and citizens working side by side."
Saturday, December 20, 2014
Attorney General Holder Statement on Assassination of Two New York City Police Officers in Line of Duty
Attorney General Eric Holder released the following statement Saturday regarding the fatal shootings of two New York City police officers:
“I condemn this afternoon's senseless shooting of two New York City police officers in the strongest possible terms. This was an unspeakable act of barbarism, and I was deeply saddened to hear of the loss of these two brave officers in the line of duty.
“On behalf of all those who serve in the United States Department of Justice, I want to express my heartfelt condolences to the officers' loved ones and colleagues. I will make available all of the resources of the Department to aid the NYPD in investigating this tragedy.
"This cowardly attack underscores the dangers that are routinely faced by those who protect and serve their fellow citizens. As a nation we must not forget this as we discuss the events of the recent past. These courageous men and women routinely incur tremendous personal risks, and place their lives on the line each and every day, in order to preserve public safety. We are forever in their debt.
"Our nation must always honor the valor -- and the sacrifices -- of all law enforcement officers with a steadfast commitment to keeping them safe. This means forging closer bonds between officers and the communities they serve, so that public safety is not a cause that is served by a courageous few, but a promise that's fulfilled by police officials and citizens working side by side."
SECRETARY KERRY'S OP-ED ON CUBA POLICY
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
President Obama's New Cuba Policy Looks Forward, Not Back
Op-Ed
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker, Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew
Miami Herald
December 20, 2014
President Obama’s decision to begin normalizing relations with Cuba will advance United States’ interests and those of the Cuban people. The 11 million people of this island nation have waited far too long — over half a century — to fulfill their democratic aspirations and build closer ties with the rest of the world in the 21st century. Our new U.S. policy on Cuba reflects the reality that past policies — although well-intentioned — no longer suit today’s situation. The president’s announcement reflects a historic turning of the page on enmities born of a different era and toward a brighter and more promising future.
Early in his administration, the president took steps to ease restrictions on Cuban-American visits and remittances that opened new pathways for family reunification — and later expanded this to include religious, academic and cultural exchanges for all Americans. Last week’s decision builds boldly on those initial measures and will increase communications, commerce and travel between our two countries. The State Department will lead discussions to restore regular diplomatic relations with Cuba for the first time since 1961 and re-establish an embassy in Havana. In our bilateral discussions, the United States will seek to advance cooperation on issues of mutual interest, including counter-narcotics, migration, combating trafficking-in-persons, the Ebola crisis and shared environmental challenges.
The president has made clear that a critical focus of these actions will include continued strong support for improved human-rights conditions and democratic reforms in Cuba. The promotion of democracy supports universal human rights by empowering civil society and supporting the freedom of individuals to exercise their freedoms of speech and assembly. For these reasons, we welcome Cuba’s decision to release more than 50 political prisoners, expand Internet access for Cuba’s citizens and allow better human-rights monitoring by the International Red Cross and United Nations. Our firm support for progress in these areas will be unwavering, and we will continue to implement programs to promote positive change in Cuba.
As Albert Einstein said long ago, it’s just not rational to continue doing the same thing in the expectation of obtaining a different result. Since U.S.-Cuban relations were frozen, the world has been transformed; the Cold War ended a quarter century ago. Over time the U.S. effort to isolate Cuba began to have the reverse effect of isolating the United States especially in the Western Hemisphere. Meanwhile, Cuban leaders used our stance as a source of propaganda, to justify policies that have no place in the 21st century. It has been an open secret that the relationship has been in a rut that benefits no one on either side. The time has come to cease looking backward and to begin to move forward in the interests of both freedom-loving Cubans and the United States.
What, specifically, has the president decided to do?
First, he has authorized U.S. officials to expand travel, increase remittances and grow bilateral trade. To facilitate this and ensure proper oversight, the Treasury Department will also make banking easier and allow the use of U.S. debit and credit cards in Cuba. In addition, it will strengthen the monitoring and transparency of financial flows between the United States and Cuba by allowing American financial institutions to open correspondent accounts at Cuban banks. One effect of all of the changes will be to increase the ability of Americans to provide business training and other support for Cuba’s nascent private sector, which already includes 500,000 employees. In this regard, the Commerce Department will ease current export limits on a variety of products that would help Cuban small businesses grow such as construction firms, agricultural companies, automobile repair and others.
Second, the president’s decision will support new efforts to tear down the digital wall that isolates Cubans. The country has an Internet penetration rate of 5 percent, among the lowest in the world. Prices are high, and services are limited. Under the new policy, we will permit the sale of technology that will begin to unleash the transformative effects of the Internet on the island.
Third, the president has ordered reforms in the application of U.S. sanctions to Cubans in third countries.
Fourth, the president has asked the State Department to review Cuba’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism to ensure that any such designation is guided entirely by the facts and law.
All this is in addition to the start of talks aimed at the restoration of normal diplomatic relations. Next month, Assistant Secretary of State Roberta Jacobson will lead the U.S. delegation to the next round of U.S.-Cuba Migration talks, and the Commerce Department will lead a business delegation to the country in the coming months. In the spring, President Obama will travel to Panama for the 2015 Summit of the Americas, where we are encouraging full participation by representatives of Cuban civil society. Meanwhile, the United States has welcomed home USAID subcontractor Alan Gross, who was wrongfully jailed in Cuba for more than five years, and also an American intelligence agent who had been imprisoned for two decades.
President Obama’s announcement last week is forward-looking and emphasizes the value of people-to-people relations, increased commerce, more communications and respectful dialogue. It will enhance our ability to have a positive impact on events inside Cuba and to help improve the lives of the Cuban people. It will put American businesses on a more equal footing. And it will enhance the standing of our own country in the hemisphere and around the world.
President Obama's New Cuba Policy Looks Forward, Not Back
Op-Ed
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker, Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew
Miami Herald
December 20, 2014
President Obama’s decision to begin normalizing relations with Cuba will advance United States’ interests and those of the Cuban people. The 11 million people of this island nation have waited far too long — over half a century — to fulfill their democratic aspirations and build closer ties with the rest of the world in the 21st century. Our new U.S. policy on Cuba reflects the reality that past policies — although well-intentioned — no longer suit today’s situation. The president’s announcement reflects a historic turning of the page on enmities born of a different era and toward a brighter and more promising future.
Early in his administration, the president took steps to ease restrictions on Cuban-American visits and remittances that opened new pathways for family reunification — and later expanded this to include religious, academic and cultural exchanges for all Americans. Last week’s decision builds boldly on those initial measures and will increase communications, commerce and travel between our two countries. The State Department will lead discussions to restore regular diplomatic relations with Cuba for the first time since 1961 and re-establish an embassy in Havana. In our bilateral discussions, the United States will seek to advance cooperation on issues of mutual interest, including counter-narcotics, migration, combating trafficking-in-persons, the Ebola crisis and shared environmental challenges.
The president has made clear that a critical focus of these actions will include continued strong support for improved human-rights conditions and democratic reforms in Cuba. The promotion of democracy supports universal human rights by empowering civil society and supporting the freedom of individuals to exercise their freedoms of speech and assembly. For these reasons, we welcome Cuba’s decision to release more than 50 political prisoners, expand Internet access for Cuba’s citizens and allow better human-rights monitoring by the International Red Cross and United Nations. Our firm support for progress in these areas will be unwavering, and we will continue to implement programs to promote positive change in Cuba.
As Albert Einstein said long ago, it’s just not rational to continue doing the same thing in the expectation of obtaining a different result. Since U.S.-Cuban relations were frozen, the world has been transformed; the Cold War ended a quarter century ago. Over time the U.S. effort to isolate Cuba began to have the reverse effect of isolating the United States especially in the Western Hemisphere. Meanwhile, Cuban leaders used our stance as a source of propaganda, to justify policies that have no place in the 21st century. It has been an open secret that the relationship has been in a rut that benefits no one on either side. The time has come to cease looking backward and to begin to move forward in the interests of both freedom-loving Cubans and the United States.
What, specifically, has the president decided to do?
First, he has authorized U.S. officials to expand travel, increase remittances and grow bilateral trade. To facilitate this and ensure proper oversight, the Treasury Department will also make banking easier and allow the use of U.S. debit and credit cards in Cuba. In addition, it will strengthen the monitoring and transparency of financial flows between the United States and Cuba by allowing American financial institutions to open correspondent accounts at Cuban banks. One effect of all of the changes will be to increase the ability of Americans to provide business training and other support for Cuba’s nascent private sector, which already includes 500,000 employees. In this regard, the Commerce Department will ease current export limits on a variety of products that would help Cuban small businesses grow such as construction firms, agricultural companies, automobile repair and others.
Second, the president’s decision will support new efforts to tear down the digital wall that isolates Cubans. The country has an Internet penetration rate of 5 percent, among the lowest in the world. Prices are high, and services are limited. Under the new policy, we will permit the sale of technology that will begin to unleash the transformative effects of the Internet on the island.
Third, the president has ordered reforms in the application of U.S. sanctions to Cubans in third countries.
Fourth, the president has asked the State Department to review Cuba’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism to ensure that any such designation is guided entirely by the facts and law.
All this is in addition to the start of talks aimed at the restoration of normal diplomatic relations. Next month, Assistant Secretary of State Roberta Jacobson will lead the U.S. delegation to the next round of U.S.-Cuba Migration talks, and the Commerce Department will lead a business delegation to the country in the coming months. In the spring, President Obama will travel to Panama for the 2015 Summit of the Americas, where we are encouraging full participation by representatives of Cuban civil society. Meanwhile, the United States has welcomed home USAID subcontractor Alan Gross, who was wrongfully jailed in Cuba for more than five years, and also an American intelligence agent who had been imprisoned for two decades.
President Obama’s announcement last week is forward-looking and emphasizes the value of people-to-people relations, increased commerce, more communications and respectful dialogue. It will enhance our ability to have a positive impact on events inside Cuba and to help improve the lives of the Cuban people. It will put American businesses on a more equal footing. And it will enhance the standing of our own country in the hemisphere and around the world.
U.S. STATEMENT ON COUTERTERRORISM EFFORTS IN KENYA
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Kenya's Counterterrorism Efforts
Press Statement
Jen Psaki
Department Spokesperson
Washington, DC
December 19, 2014
The U.S. Government is firmly committed to supporting Kenya's efforts to defeat al-Shabaab and to ensure security of all of its citizens. We are disappointed, however, by the very limited time allowed for debate and consultation on the 2014 Security Laws (Amendment) Bill prior to its passage and enactment into law. We are also concerned about several provisions in the legislation, including those that appear to limit freedom of assembly and media, and access to asylum for refugees. As a key partner in the global effort to counter terrorism, we expect the Kenyan Government to ensure that its counterterrorism efforts live up to Kenya’s international commitments and its own constitution. Protecting Kenya’s constitution and upholding human rights, democracy, and international obligations are among the most effective ways to bolster security.
The U.S. Government is also seeking further information about the December 16 announcement by the Kenyan NGO Board to deregister hundreds of NGOs for failing to file their audited reports and another 15 for suspected links to terrorism. The 15 NGOs have not been identified. A strong civil society is vital to democracy, security, and prosperity. We urge the Government of Kenya to ensure the regulation of NGOs is transparent, fair, and grounded in clear criteria that do not limit free expression, association, or assembly.
Kenya's Counterterrorism Efforts
Press Statement
Jen Psaki
Department Spokesperson
Washington, DC
December 19, 2014
The U.S. Government is firmly committed to supporting Kenya's efforts to defeat al-Shabaab and to ensure security of all of its citizens. We are disappointed, however, by the very limited time allowed for debate and consultation on the 2014 Security Laws (Amendment) Bill prior to its passage and enactment into law. We are also concerned about several provisions in the legislation, including those that appear to limit freedom of assembly and media, and access to asylum for refugees. As a key partner in the global effort to counter terrorism, we expect the Kenyan Government to ensure that its counterterrorism efforts live up to Kenya’s international commitments and its own constitution. Protecting Kenya’s constitution and upholding human rights, democracy, and international obligations are among the most effective ways to bolster security.
The U.S. Government is also seeking further information about the December 16 announcement by the Kenyan NGO Board to deregister hundreds of NGOs for failing to file their audited reports and another 15 for suspected links to terrorism. The 15 NGOs have not been identified. A strong civil society is vital to democracy, security, and prosperity. We urge the Government of Kenya to ensure the regulation of NGOs is transparent, fair, and grounded in clear criteria that do not limit free expression, association, or assembly.
THE LAST 2 COLOMBIAN NATIONALS INVOLVED IN MURDER OF DEA AGENT TERRY WATSON PLEAD GUILTY
FROM: U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Friday, December 19, 2014
Two Remaining Colombian Nationals Involved in the Kidnapping and Murder of DEA Agent Terry Watson Plead Guilty
All Seven Defendants Charged Have Now Been Convicted
Two Colombian nationals pleaded guilty today to second degree murder and conspiracy to kidnap an internationally protected person for their roles in the kidnapping and murder of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent James “Terry” Watson in Bogotá, Colombia, on June 20, 2013.
Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Dana J. Boente of the Eastern District of Virginia, Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro of the FBI’s Miami Field Office, DEA Administrator Michele M. Leonhart and Bill A. Miller, Director, U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service made the announcement.
“The Department of Justice has now obtained pleas for all seven individuals charged with the kidnapping and murder of Special Agent Watson, as well as the attempt to cover up the crime,” said Attorney General Eric Holder. “Although this marks an important milestone in our effort to achieve justice for a fallen hero, our work is far from over. The Justice Department will never rest in its commitment to honor the service, and the profound sacrifice, of Special Agent Watson and so many other courageous men and women in federal law enforcement. And we will never waver in our pursuit of criminals who target or seek to harm Americans anywhere in the world.”
“Special Agent Terry Watson’s kidnapping and murder resulted in a loss that will always be felt by the men and women of DEA,” said DEA Administrator Michele M. Leonhart. “Today’s admission of guilt brings us closer to ensuring that justice is served in this tragedy. DEA will never forget Terry’s outstanding career and the work he did with our global partners in the shared fight against international drug traffickers.”
In the statements of facts filed with their plea agreements, Omar Fabián Valdes Gualtero, 28, and Édgar Javier Bello Murillo, 28, both of Bogotá, admitted that they conspired with four other individuals— Edwin Gerardo Figueroa Sepúlveda, Julio Estiven Gracia Ramírez, Héctor Leonardo López, and Andrés Álvaro Oviedo García—to conduct “paseo milionarios” or “millionaire’s rides” in which victims were lured into taxi cabs, kidnapped, and then robbed. Valdez Gualtero admitted that he was responsible for helping to organize the robbery crew and obtaining disposable cell phones for use during the robberies. Both defendants admitted that on the evening of June 20, 2013, their robbery crew targeted Special Agent Watson outside of a restaurant in Bogotá. Gracia Ramírez picked up Special Agent Watson in his taxi, while López drove a second taxi carrying Valdes Gualtero, Bello Murillo and Figueroa Sepúlveda. After Gracia Ramírez pretended to have mechanical trouble and stopped the taxi, Bello Murillo and Figueroa Sepúlveda entered the back seat with Special Agent Watson. A struggle ensued and Figueroa Sepúlveda shocked Special Agent Watson with a stun gun while Bello Murillo stabbed him at least four times. Special Agent Watson was able to escape from the taxi, but he later collapsed and died from his injuries.
In total, seven defendants were arrested and extradited from Colombia to the United States to face charges in connection with Special Agent Watson’s murder and the subsequent attempt to cover up the crime. Six defendants were charged with murder and conspiracy to kidnap. A seventh defendant, Wilson Daniel Peralta-Bocachica, was charged with obstruction of justice for his role in cleaning the victim’s blood from the backseat of the taxi. All of the defendants have pleaded guilty for their roles in this incident. Gracia Ramírez, López, and Oviedo García were sentenced on Dec. 14, 2014, to 20 years, 25 years, and 27 years, in prison respectively. Figueroa Sepúlveda and Peralta-Bocachica are scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 18, 2015. Valdes Gualtero and Bello Murillo are scheduled to be sentenced on April 10, 2015.
This case was investigated by the FBI, DEA and the Diplomatic Security Service, in close cooperation with Colombian authorities and with assistance from INTERPOL and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. The case is being prosecuted by Special Counsel Stacey Luck of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael P. Ben’Ary of the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Virginia.
The Department of Justice gratefully acknowledges the Colombian Attorney General’s Office, Colombian National Police, Colombian Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Interpol (DIJIN), DIJIN Special Investigative Unit, Bogotá Metropolitan Police, Bogotá Police Intelligence Body (CIPOL) Unit and Colombian Technical Investigation Team for their extraordinary efforts, support and professionalism in responding to this incident.
Friday, December 19, 2014
Two Remaining Colombian Nationals Involved in the Kidnapping and Murder of DEA Agent Terry Watson Plead Guilty
All Seven Defendants Charged Have Now Been Convicted
Two Colombian nationals pleaded guilty today to second degree murder and conspiracy to kidnap an internationally protected person for their roles in the kidnapping and murder of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent James “Terry” Watson in Bogotá, Colombia, on June 20, 2013.
Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Dana J. Boente of the Eastern District of Virginia, Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro of the FBI’s Miami Field Office, DEA Administrator Michele M. Leonhart and Bill A. Miller, Director, U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service made the announcement.
“The Department of Justice has now obtained pleas for all seven individuals charged with the kidnapping and murder of Special Agent Watson, as well as the attempt to cover up the crime,” said Attorney General Eric Holder. “Although this marks an important milestone in our effort to achieve justice for a fallen hero, our work is far from over. The Justice Department will never rest in its commitment to honor the service, and the profound sacrifice, of Special Agent Watson and so many other courageous men and women in federal law enforcement. And we will never waver in our pursuit of criminals who target or seek to harm Americans anywhere in the world.”
“Special Agent Terry Watson’s kidnapping and murder resulted in a loss that will always be felt by the men and women of DEA,” said DEA Administrator Michele M. Leonhart. “Today’s admission of guilt brings us closer to ensuring that justice is served in this tragedy. DEA will never forget Terry’s outstanding career and the work he did with our global partners in the shared fight against international drug traffickers.”
In the statements of facts filed with their plea agreements, Omar Fabián Valdes Gualtero, 28, and Édgar Javier Bello Murillo, 28, both of Bogotá, admitted that they conspired with four other individuals— Edwin Gerardo Figueroa Sepúlveda, Julio Estiven Gracia Ramírez, Héctor Leonardo López, and Andrés Álvaro Oviedo García—to conduct “paseo milionarios” or “millionaire’s rides” in which victims were lured into taxi cabs, kidnapped, and then robbed. Valdez Gualtero admitted that he was responsible for helping to organize the robbery crew and obtaining disposable cell phones for use during the robberies. Both defendants admitted that on the evening of June 20, 2013, their robbery crew targeted Special Agent Watson outside of a restaurant in Bogotá. Gracia Ramírez picked up Special Agent Watson in his taxi, while López drove a second taxi carrying Valdes Gualtero, Bello Murillo and Figueroa Sepúlveda. After Gracia Ramírez pretended to have mechanical trouble and stopped the taxi, Bello Murillo and Figueroa Sepúlveda entered the back seat with Special Agent Watson. A struggle ensued and Figueroa Sepúlveda shocked Special Agent Watson with a stun gun while Bello Murillo stabbed him at least four times. Special Agent Watson was able to escape from the taxi, but he later collapsed and died from his injuries.
In total, seven defendants were arrested and extradited from Colombia to the United States to face charges in connection with Special Agent Watson’s murder and the subsequent attempt to cover up the crime. Six defendants were charged with murder and conspiracy to kidnap. A seventh defendant, Wilson Daniel Peralta-Bocachica, was charged with obstruction of justice for his role in cleaning the victim’s blood from the backseat of the taxi. All of the defendants have pleaded guilty for their roles in this incident. Gracia Ramírez, López, and Oviedo García were sentenced on Dec. 14, 2014, to 20 years, 25 years, and 27 years, in prison respectively. Figueroa Sepúlveda and Peralta-Bocachica are scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 18, 2015. Valdes Gualtero and Bello Murillo are scheduled to be sentenced on April 10, 2015.
This case was investigated by the FBI, DEA and the Diplomatic Security Service, in close cooperation with Colombian authorities and with assistance from INTERPOL and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. The case is being prosecuted by Special Counsel Stacey Luck of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael P. Ben’Ary of the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Virginia.
The Department of Justice gratefully acknowledges the Colombian Attorney General’s Office, Colombian National Police, Colombian Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Interpol (DIJIN), DIJIN Special Investigative Unit, Bogotá Metropolitan Police, Bogotá Police Intelligence Body (CIPOL) Unit and Colombian Technical Investigation Team for their extraordinary efforts, support and professionalism in responding to this incident.
DOT SANCTIONS MOTHER-IN-LAW OF DRUG LORD TO RECOUP HIDDEN ASSETS
FROM: U.S. TREASURY DEPARTMENT
Treasury Sanctions Mother-in-Law of Sinaloa Cartel Drug Lord “El Azul”
Action Exposes Sinaloa Cartel Leader’s Attempts to Hide Assets
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury designated Alejandra Araujo Uriarte, a Mexican national, as a Specially Designated Narcotics Trafficker pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act). Araujo Uriarte was designated for her role in holding and concealing assets in her name on behalf of her son-in-law Juan Jose Esparragoza Moreno (a.k.a. “El Azul”), a leader of Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel. As a result of today’s action, allassets of those designated that are based in the United States or in the control of U.S. persons are frozen, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them.
“Araujo Uriarte has knowingly concealed the assets of an influential drug lord,” said Adam J. Szubin, Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control. “As the third action that we have taken against the family accomplices of Esparragoza Moreno, today’s designation builds on our unrelenting efforts to disrupt the Sinaloa Cartel and other narcotics organizations around the world.”
The Treasury Department previously designated family members of Esparragoza Moreno on July 24, 2012 and September 30, 2013. The first action designated seven family members who act on behalf of Esparragoza Moreno, including his wife, Ofelia Monzon Araujo. Shortly thereafter, Monzon Araujo began to transfer land in Culiacan, Sinaloa to her mother, Alejandra Araujo Uriarte, in an attempt to hide these assets and evade sanctions. This includes land occupied by designated gasoline retailers that are controlled by Esparragoza Moreno. The Treasury Department previously exposed attempts by these gasoline retailers to evade sanctions by changing their names.
The United States identified Esparragoza Moreno and the Sinaloa Cartel as significant foreign narcotics traffickers pursuant to the Kingpin Act in 2003 and 2009, respectively. Esparragoza Moreno was indicted on drug trafficking charges in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas in 2003. He is wanted in both the United States and Mexico; the U.S. State Department Narcotics Rewards Program is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to his arrest and/or conviction, while Mexican authorities are offering 30 million pesos for information leading to his capture. Esparragoza Moreno has been active in drug trafficking since the 1970s.
Today’s designation was taken in close coordination with U.S. law enforcement agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, and is part of a larger effort by the Treasury Department to collaborate with Mexican authorities in the sanctioning of Mexican drug trafficking organizations.
Since June 2000, more than 1,700 entities and individuals have been named pursuant to the Kingpin Act for their role in international narcotics trafficking. Penalties for violations of the Kingpin Act range from civil penalties of up to $1.075 million per violation to more severe criminal penalties. Criminal penalties for corporate officers may include up to 30 years in prison and fines of up to $5 million. Criminal fines for corporations may reach $10 million. Other individuals could face up to 10 years in prison and fines pursuant to Title 18 of the United States Code for criminal violations of the Kingpin Act.
Treasury Sanctions Mother-in-Law of Sinaloa Cartel Drug Lord “El Azul”
Action Exposes Sinaloa Cartel Leader’s Attempts to Hide Assets
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury designated Alejandra Araujo Uriarte, a Mexican national, as a Specially Designated Narcotics Trafficker pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act). Araujo Uriarte was designated for her role in holding and concealing assets in her name on behalf of her son-in-law Juan Jose Esparragoza Moreno (a.k.a. “El Azul”), a leader of Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel. As a result of today’s action, allassets of those designated that are based in the United States or in the control of U.S. persons are frozen, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them.
“Araujo Uriarte has knowingly concealed the assets of an influential drug lord,” said Adam J. Szubin, Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control. “As the third action that we have taken against the family accomplices of Esparragoza Moreno, today’s designation builds on our unrelenting efforts to disrupt the Sinaloa Cartel and other narcotics organizations around the world.”
The Treasury Department previously designated family members of Esparragoza Moreno on July 24, 2012 and September 30, 2013. The first action designated seven family members who act on behalf of Esparragoza Moreno, including his wife, Ofelia Monzon Araujo. Shortly thereafter, Monzon Araujo began to transfer land in Culiacan, Sinaloa to her mother, Alejandra Araujo Uriarte, in an attempt to hide these assets and evade sanctions. This includes land occupied by designated gasoline retailers that are controlled by Esparragoza Moreno. The Treasury Department previously exposed attempts by these gasoline retailers to evade sanctions by changing their names.
The United States identified Esparragoza Moreno and the Sinaloa Cartel as significant foreign narcotics traffickers pursuant to the Kingpin Act in 2003 and 2009, respectively. Esparragoza Moreno was indicted on drug trafficking charges in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas in 2003. He is wanted in both the United States and Mexico; the U.S. State Department Narcotics Rewards Program is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to his arrest and/or conviction, while Mexican authorities are offering 30 million pesos for information leading to his capture. Esparragoza Moreno has been active in drug trafficking since the 1970s.
Today’s designation was taken in close coordination with U.S. law enforcement agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, and is part of a larger effort by the Treasury Department to collaborate with Mexican authorities in the sanctioning of Mexican drug trafficking organizations.
Since June 2000, more than 1,700 entities and individuals have been named pursuant to the Kingpin Act for their role in international narcotics trafficking. Penalties for violations of the Kingpin Act range from civil penalties of up to $1.075 million per violation to more severe criminal penalties. Criminal penalties for corporate officers may include up to 30 years in prison and fines of up to $5 million. Criminal fines for corporations may reach $10 million. Other individuals could face up to 10 years in prison and fines pursuant to Title 18 of the United States Code for criminal violations of the Kingpin Act.
AMBASSADOR PRESSMAN'S REMARKS ON IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Ambassador David Pressman
Alternate Representative to the UN for Special Political Affairs
New York, NY
December 18, 2014
AS DELIVERED
Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Ambassador Quinlan, for your briefing and your leadership of this Committee over the last two years. Because of your diligence and commitment, this Committee's work has been energized. You and your team have done a great job helping the Committee carry out its mandate, improve the transparency of its work and tighten relationships with other international bodies. Please accept the United States’ deep appreciation of your efforts.
Mr. President, the Security Council established this Committee eight years ago this month, back in 2006 because the international community had serious doubts about the peaceful intentions of Iran's nuclear program. Since then, the Committee's work has been an integral element to our broader diplomatic strategy. This Committee has helped many countries implement the increasingly robust UN sanctions. This Committee, with the support of its Panel of Experts, has investigated serious sanctions violations and developed an impressive understanding of Iran's proliferation networks. This Committee has also helped crack down on Iran's arms smuggling, stemming the flow of weapons to a volatile region.
Yet today, several years later, the international community still does not have confidence in Iran's nuclear program. To resolve these issues, Iran is now in a serious dialogue with the P-5+1 countries. To give these negotiations the best chance of success, last month we decided to extend them for an additional seven months. While we continue to believe that the best way to achieve our goals is through diplomacy, we are not going to sit at the negotiating table forever. As we have said many times, we don't want just any agreement – we want the right agreement. Plainly and simply, these negotiations must find ways to ensure that Iran does not, and cannot, acquire a nuclear weapon.
As these talks continue, we should consider how the Security Council's Iran Sanctions Committee can best support them. Our advice to the Committee is simple: keep doing what you're doing. During this period, the Committee must absolutely continue its vital work monitoring and improving enforcement of these critical sanctions. Similarly, the Panel of Experts should continue its work investigating violations and reaching out to Member States. Unless or until the Security Council modifies these sanctions, the pace and intensity of this work should remain robust.
Recent reporting from the Panel of Experts reminds us why this is so important. We know that Iran is still trying to procure sensitive nuclear technology. We know Iran is still smuggling arms in violation of resolution 1747. And we know that Iran's leaders forthrightly reject this Council's resolutions, speaking publicly about their destabilizing arms shipments to Syria, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iraq.
Responding effectively to these violations is at the core of the Committee's mandate. Any breach of the sanctions is a serious matter, as it is dangerous, violates international law, and undermines the Security Council's credibility. In the coming weeks and months, we will continue to work with Committee members to ensure that the Security Council's resolutions are not violated with impunity. The Committee's outreach work in advising Member States and answering questions about these sanctions is critically important. The Committee and the Panel must continue to remind Member States of the need to sustain full and robust implementation of these sanctions.
Our determination to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon remains clear and we are committed to resolving this issue peacefully, through diplomacy. Sanctions are critical to that effort and we intend to ensure that this important body is able to carry out its mandate effectively.
Thank you, Mr. President.
Ambassador David Pressman
Alternate Representative to the UN for Special Political Affairs
New York, NY
December 18, 2014
AS DELIVERED
Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Ambassador Quinlan, for your briefing and your leadership of this Committee over the last two years. Because of your diligence and commitment, this Committee's work has been energized. You and your team have done a great job helping the Committee carry out its mandate, improve the transparency of its work and tighten relationships with other international bodies. Please accept the United States’ deep appreciation of your efforts.
Mr. President, the Security Council established this Committee eight years ago this month, back in 2006 because the international community had serious doubts about the peaceful intentions of Iran's nuclear program. Since then, the Committee's work has been an integral element to our broader diplomatic strategy. This Committee has helped many countries implement the increasingly robust UN sanctions. This Committee, with the support of its Panel of Experts, has investigated serious sanctions violations and developed an impressive understanding of Iran's proliferation networks. This Committee has also helped crack down on Iran's arms smuggling, stemming the flow of weapons to a volatile region.
Yet today, several years later, the international community still does not have confidence in Iran's nuclear program. To resolve these issues, Iran is now in a serious dialogue with the P-5+1 countries. To give these negotiations the best chance of success, last month we decided to extend them for an additional seven months. While we continue to believe that the best way to achieve our goals is through diplomacy, we are not going to sit at the negotiating table forever. As we have said many times, we don't want just any agreement – we want the right agreement. Plainly and simply, these negotiations must find ways to ensure that Iran does not, and cannot, acquire a nuclear weapon.
As these talks continue, we should consider how the Security Council's Iran Sanctions Committee can best support them. Our advice to the Committee is simple: keep doing what you're doing. During this period, the Committee must absolutely continue its vital work monitoring and improving enforcement of these critical sanctions. Similarly, the Panel of Experts should continue its work investigating violations and reaching out to Member States. Unless or until the Security Council modifies these sanctions, the pace and intensity of this work should remain robust.
Recent reporting from the Panel of Experts reminds us why this is so important. We know that Iran is still trying to procure sensitive nuclear technology. We know Iran is still smuggling arms in violation of resolution 1747. And we know that Iran's leaders forthrightly reject this Council's resolutions, speaking publicly about their destabilizing arms shipments to Syria, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iraq.
Responding effectively to these violations is at the core of the Committee's mandate. Any breach of the sanctions is a serious matter, as it is dangerous, violates international law, and undermines the Security Council's credibility. In the coming weeks and months, we will continue to work with Committee members to ensure that the Security Council's resolutions are not violated with impunity. The Committee's outreach work in advising Member States and answering questions about these sanctions is critically important. The Committee and the Panel must continue to remind Member States of the need to sustain full and robust implementation of these sanctions.
Our determination to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon remains clear and we are committed to resolving this issue peacefully, through diplomacy. Sanctions are critical to that effort and we intend to ensure that this important body is able to carry out its mandate effectively.
Thank you, Mr. President.
FDA WARNS PARENTS ABOUT LASER TOYS
FROM: U.S. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION
Laser Toys: Not Always Child's Play
Many a kid (and parent) who has seen Luke Skywalker battle Darth Vader with a lightsaber thinks lasers are cool.
What they may not know is this: When operated unsafely, or without certain controls, the highly-concentrated light from lasers—even those in toys—can be dangerous, causing serious eye injuries and even blindness. And not just to the person using a laser, but to anyone within range of the laser beam.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is particularly concerned about this potential danger to children and those around them, and has issued a draft guidance document on the safety of toy laser products.
According to Dan Hewett, health promotion officer at FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health, "A beam shone directly into a person's eye can injure it in an instant, especially if the laser is a powerful one."
However, laser injuries usually don't hurt, and vision can deteriorate slowly over time. Eye injuries caused by laser light may go unnoticed, for days and even weeks, and could be permanent, he says.
Some examples of laser toys are:
lasers mounted on toy guns that can be used for "aiming;"
spinning tops that project laser beams while they spin;
hand-held lasers used during play as "lightsabers;" and
lasers intended for entertainment that create optical effects in an open room.
FDA Regulates Lasers
A laser creates a powerful, targeted beam of electromagnetic radiation that is used in many products, from music players and printers to eye-surgery tools. FDA regulates radiation-emitting electronic products, including lasers, and sets radiation-safety standards that manufacturers must meet. Hewett explains that this includes all laser products that are marketed as toys.
Toys with lasers are of particular interest to the FDA because it's often children who are injured by these products, says Hewett. He notes that because advertisers promote them as playthings, parents and kids alike may believe they're safe to use.
"For toys to be considered minimal risk, we recommend that the levels of radiation and light not exceed the limits of Class 1, which is the lowest level in regulated products," Hewett says. Lasers used for industrial and other purposes often require higher radiation levels, he explains. But in toys, those levels are unnecessary and potentially dangerous.
In recent years, Hewett says, lasers have increased markedly in power and have gone way down in price. And while adults may buy a laser pointer for use in work, kids often buy them for amusement.
"Low-cost, compact laser pointers used to be quite low in power," Hewett says; but, in the last 10 years, many laser pointers have increased in power 10-fold and more. The fact that lasers can be dangerous may not be evident, particularly to the children who use them as toys, or to the adults who supervise them.
Tips to Keep in Mind
Never aim or shine a laser directly at anyone, including animals. The light energy from a laser aimed into the eye can be hazardous, perhaps even more than staring directly into the sun.
Do not aim a laser at any reflective surface.
Remember that the startling effect of a bright beam of light can cause serious accidents when aimed at a driver in a car or otherwise negatively affect someone who is engaged in other activity (such as playing sports).
Look for a statement that it complies with 21 CFR (the Code of Federal Regulations) Subchapter J on the label.
"If you buy a laser toy or pointer and you don't see this information in the labeling, it's best not to make any assumptions about its safety," Hewett says.
Laser Toys: Not Always Child's Play
Many a kid (and parent) who has seen Luke Skywalker battle Darth Vader with a lightsaber thinks lasers are cool.
What they may not know is this: When operated unsafely, or without certain controls, the highly-concentrated light from lasers—even those in toys—can be dangerous, causing serious eye injuries and even blindness. And not just to the person using a laser, but to anyone within range of the laser beam.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is particularly concerned about this potential danger to children and those around them, and has issued a draft guidance document on the safety of toy laser products.
According to Dan Hewett, health promotion officer at FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health, "A beam shone directly into a person's eye can injure it in an instant, especially if the laser is a powerful one."
However, laser injuries usually don't hurt, and vision can deteriorate slowly over time. Eye injuries caused by laser light may go unnoticed, for days and even weeks, and could be permanent, he says.
Some examples of laser toys are:
lasers mounted on toy guns that can be used for "aiming;"
spinning tops that project laser beams while they spin;
hand-held lasers used during play as "lightsabers;" and
lasers intended for entertainment that create optical effects in an open room.
FDA Regulates Lasers
A laser creates a powerful, targeted beam of electromagnetic radiation that is used in many products, from music players and printers to eye-surgery tools. FDA regulates radiation-emitting electronic products, including lasers, and sets radiation-safety standards that manufacturers must meet. Hewett explains that this includes all laser products that are marketed as toys.
Toys with lasers are of particular interest to the FDA because it's often children who are injured by these products, says Hewett. He notes that because advertisers promote them as playthings, parents and kids alike may believe they're safe to use.
"For toys to be considered minimal risk, we recommend that the levels of radiation and light not exceed the limits of Class 1, which is the lowest level in regulated products," Hewett says. Lasers used for industrial and other purposes often require higher radiation levels, he explains. But in toys, those levels are unnecessary and potentially dangerous.
In recent years, Hewett says, lasers have increased markedly in power and have gone way down in price. And while adults may buy a laser pointer for use in work, kids often buy them for amusement.
"Low-cost, compact laser pointers used to be quite low in power," Hewett says; but, in the last 10 years, many laser pointers have increased in power 10-fold and more. The fact that lasers can be dangerous may not be evident, particularly to the children who use them as toys, or to the adults who supervise them.
Tips to Keep in Mind
Never aim or shine a laser directly at anyone, including animals. The light energy from a laser aimed into the eye can be hazardous, perhaps even more than staring directly into the sun.
Do not aim a laser at any reflective surface.
Remember that the startling effect of a bright beam of light can cause serious accidents when aimed at a driver in a car or otherwise negatively affect someone who is engaged in other activity (such as playing sports).
Look for a statement that it complies with 21 CFR (the Code of Federal Regulations) Subchapter J on the label.
"If you buy a laser toy or pointer and you don't see this information in the labeling, it's best not to make any assumptions about its safety," Hewett says.
Saturday, December 20, 2014
JAPAN, AUSTRALIA PROVIDING MAINTENANCE SITES FOR F-35
An F-35C Lightning II joint strike fighter carrier variant prepares to launch from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz in the Pacific Ocean, Nov. 6, 2014. U.S. Navy photo, courtesy of Lockheed Martin by Andy Wolfe .
Japan, Australia to Provide F-35 Maintenance Sites in Pacific Region
By Claudette Roulo
DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON, Dec. 17, 2014 – Japan and Australia will be sharing maintenance and upgrade duties for the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter based or operating in the Pacific region, the program executive officer for the aircraft announced today.
F-35 heavy air frame maintenance, repair, overhaul and upgrade capabilities will be provided by Japan in the northern Pacific and Australia in the southern Pacific, Air Force Lt. Gen. Christopher C. Bogdan told reporters. Both countries are expected to have their facilities operational no later than 2018.
Initial heavy engine maintenance capability will be provided by Australia by early 2018, he said, and Japan will provide additional capability 3 to 5 years later.
Once Japan’s heavy engine capability is achieved, Bogdan said, the program office will look at the footprint and distribution of F-35's in the Pacific to “see if these decisions are still appropriate and if we have to make any kind of adjustments in terms of the assignment capabilities and moving forward.”
Similar Process in Europe
A similar process will take place in Europe, and all of the assignments will be reviewed every three to five years, he added.
Over the next two years, assignments for other components, systems and repair capabilities will be determined for both Europe and the Pacific, Bogdan noted.
Japan’s final assembly and check-out facility will be quite different from the facilities in Italy and Fort Worth, Texas, the general said.
“Both the plant at Fort Worth and the plant in Italy are expansive in terms of distance on the ground,” he said, but Japan is building vertically. Manufacturing will take place on a number of different floors, Bogdan said, and the aircraft will move through the facility on elevators as it is assembled.
Efficiencies learned through experience at the Fort Worth facility are being incorporated into the Japanese facility as it is constructed, he said.
Just like in Europe, he said, Japan is responsible for the funding and construction of their facility, which will be operated by a Japanese company. Lockheed-Martin will oversee technical aspects of production in Italy and Japan, Bogdan noted, and the U.S. government will oversee security.
Factors Drove Decisions
Geography and operational necessity played a considerable role in the Defense Department’s final decision to place air frame facilities in two locations, the general said.
Seven thousand miles separate the two primary areas where F-35s will be concentrated in the Pacific, Bogdan said. Moving entire aircraft over that distance would require significant amounts of fuel and other support, he said, making it uneconomical. And, he said, “Quite often, some of those airplanes that have to be inducted into a depot are going in there because they need upgrades or there's something wrong.”
Operationally, it didn’t make sense to introduce a long transportation delay into the MRO&U process, the general said.
“If you're having airplanes in the northern Pacific that need a rapid upgrade to respond to a new threat, having to move them 7,000 miles to do that mod in Australia, or vice versa, has an operational impact, because the war fighter won't get the airplane as quickly as he needed to,” he explained.
Geography wasn’t as serious an initial consideration for engines, Bogdan said.
Easier, Quicker, Cheaper
“You can break the engines down into modules, and when you break them down into modules, transportation is much easier, quicker and cheaper,” he said.
As more aircraft arrive in the Pacific theater, Australia’s heavy engine maintenance, repair, overhaul and upgrades capability will eventually be supplemented by Japan, the general said.
“Bringing a Japanese capability online after that represents the fact that as more airplanes come to the Pacific over time, we want to make sure we have enough throughput to get all the engines done in the region in a timely way.”
“This is another example of the continuing expansion of global sustainment opportunities for the international F-35 community,” Bogdan said in a release that accompanied today’s announcement.
“The F-35 international users will remain a vital part of the support structure of the program,” he said. “Their continuing participation is critical to driving down cost and getting the best value for the F-35 team and improving the strength of the global sustainment base for many years to come."
PRESIDENT ANNOUNCES DELEGATION TO ATTEND INAUGUATION OF DILMA ROUSSEFF AS PRESIDENT OF BRAZIL
FROM: THE WHITE HOUSE
President Obama Announces Presidential Delegation to the Federative Republic of Brazil to Attend the Inauguration of Her Excellency Dilma Rousseff
President Barack Obama today announced the designation of a Presidential Delegation to Brasilia to attend the Inauguration of Her Excellency Dilma Rousseff as President of the Federative Republic of Brazil on January 1, 2015.
The Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Vice President of the United States, will lead the delegation.
Members of the Presidential Delegation:
The Honorable Liliana Ayalde, United States Ambassador to the Federative Republic of Brazil, Department of State
The Honorable Roberta S. Jacobson, Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs
The Honorable Ricardo Zuniga, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs, National Security Council
President Obama Announces Presidential Delegation to the Federative Republic of Brazil to Attend the Inauguration of Her Excellency Dilma Rousseff
President Barack Obama today announced the designation of a Presidential Delegation to Brasilia to attend the Inauguration of Her Excellency Dilma Rousseff as President of the Federative Republic of Brazil on January 1, 2015.
The Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Vice President of the United States, will lead the delegation.
Members of the Presidential Delegation:
The Honorable Liliana Ayalde, United States Ambassador to the Federative Republic of Brazil, Department of State
The Honorable Roberta S. Jacobson, Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs
The Honorable Ricardo Zuniga, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs, National Security Council
FDA APPROVES VIEKIRA PAK FOR TREATMENT OF HEPATITIS C
FROM: U.S. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION
FDA approves Viekira Pak to treat hepatitis C
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Viekira Pak (ombitasvir, paritaprevir and ritonavir tablets co-packaged with dasabuvir tablets) to treat patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 infection, including those with a type of advanced liver disease called cirrhosis.
Hepatitis C is a viral disease that causes inflammation of the liver that can lead to reduced liver function, liver failure or liver cancer. Most people infected with HCV have no symptoms of the disease until liver damage becomes apparent, which may take decades. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 3.2 million Americans are infected with HCV, and without proper treatment, 15-30 percent of these people will go on to develop cirrhosis.
Viekira Pak contains three new drugs—ombitasvir, paritaprevir and dasabuvir—that work together to inhibit the growth of HCV. It also contains ritonavir, a previously approved drug, which is used to increase blood levels of paritaprevir. Viekira Pak can be used with or without ribavirin, but it is not recommended for patients whose liver is unable to function properly (decompensated cirrhosis).
“The new generation of therapeutics for hepatitis C virus is changing the treatment paradigm for Americans living with the disease,” said Edward Cox, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Office of Antimicrobial Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “We continue to see the development of new all-oral treatments with very high virologic response rates and improved safety profiles compared to some of the older interferon-based drug regimens.”
Viekira Pak is the fourth drug product approved by the FDA in the past year to treat chronic HCV infection. The FDA approved Olysio (simeprevir) in November 2013, Sovaldi (sofosbuvir) in December 2013 and Harvoni (ledipasvir and sofosbuvir) in October 2014.
Viekira Pak’s efficacy was evaluated in six clinical trials enrolling 2,308 participants with chronic HCV infection with and without cirrhosis. In different trials, participants were randomly assigned to receive Viekira Pak or placebo (sugar pill); Viekira Pak with or without ribavirin; or Viekira Pak with ribavirin for 12 or 24 weeks.
The trials were designed to measure whether the hepatitis C virus was no longer detected in the blood at least 12 weeks after finishing treatment (sustained virologic response, or SVR), indicating that a participant’s HCV infection has been cured. Results from multiple populations, including those considered difficult to treat, showed 91 to 100 percent of participants who received Viekira Pak at the recommended dosing achieved SVR. The recommended dosing for Viekira Pak is two ombitasvir, paritaprevir, ritonavir 12.5 milligrams (mg)/75 mg/50 mg tablets once daily and one dasabuvir 250 mg tablet twice daily.
The most common side effects reported in clinical trial participants were feeling tired, itching, feeling weak or lack of energy, nausea and trouble sleeping.
Viekira Pak is the eleventh new drug product with breakthrough therapy designation to receive FDA approval. The FDA can designate a drug as a breakthrough therapy at the request of the sponsor if preliminary clinical evidence indicates the drug may demonstrate a substantial improvement over available therapies for patients with serious or life-threatening diseases. Viekira Pak was reviewed under the FDA’s priority review program, which provides for an expedited review of drugs that treat serious conditions and, if approved, would provide significant improvement in safety or effectiveness.
Viekira Pak is marketed by AbbVie Inc., based in North Chicago, Illinois. Olysio is marketed by Raritan, New Jersey-based Janssen Pharmaceuticals. Sovaldi and Harvoni are marketed by Gilead Sciences, based in Foster City, California.
The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.
###
FDA approves Viekira Pak to treat hepatitis C
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Viekira Pak (ombitasvir, paritaprevir and ritonavir tablets co-packaged with dasabuvir tablets) to treat patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 infection, including those with a type of advanced liver disease called cirrhosis.
Hepatitis C is a viral disease that causes inflammation of the liver that can lead to reduced liver function, liver failure or liver cancer. Most people infected with HCV have no symptoms of the disease until liver damage becomes apparent, which may take decades. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 3.2 million Americans are infected with HCV, and without proper treatment, 15-30 percent of these people will go on to develop cirrhosis.
Viekira Pak contains three new drugs—ombitasvir, paritaprevir and dasabuvir—that work together to inhibit the growth of HCV. It also contains ritonavir, a previously approved drug, which is used to increase blood levels of paritaprevir. Viekira Pak can be used with or without ribavirin, but it is not recommended for patients whose liver is unable to function properly (decompensated cirrhosis).
“The new generation of therapeutics for hepatitis C virus is changing the treatment paradigm for Americans living with the disease,” said Edward Cox, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Office of Antimicrobial Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “We continue to see the development of new all-oral treatments with very high virologic response rates and improved safety profiles compared to some of the older interferon-based drug regimens.”
Viekira Pak is the fourth drug product approved by the FDA in the past year to treat chronic HCV infection. The FDA approved Olysio (simeprevir) in November 2013, Sovaldi (sofosbuvir) in December 2013 and Harvoni (ledipasvir and sofosbuvir) in October 2014.
Viekira Pak’s efficacy was evaluated in six clinical trials enrolling 2,308 participants with chronic HCV infection with and without cirrhosis. In different trials, participants were randomly assigned to receive Viekira Pak or placebo (sugar pill); Viekira Pak with or without ribavirin; or Viekira Pak with ribavirin for 12 or 24 weeks.
The trials were designed to measure whether the hepatitis C virus was no longer detected in the blood at least 12 weeks after finishing treatment (sustained virologic response, or SVR), indicating that a participant’s HCV infection has been cured. Results from multiple populations, including those considered difficult to treat, showed 91 to 100 percent of participants who received Viekira Pak at the recommended dosing achieved SVR. The recommended dosing for Viekira Pak is two ombitasvir, paritaprevir, ritonavir 12.5 milligrams (mg)/75 mg/50 mg tablets once daily and one dasabuvir 250 mg tablet twice daily.
The most common side effects reported in clinical trial participants were feeling tired, itching, feeling weak or lack of energy, nausea and trouble sleeping.
Viekira Pak is the eleventh new drug product with breakthrough therapy designation to receive FDA approval. The FDA can designate a drug as a breakthrough therapy at the request of the sponsor if preliminary clinical evidence indicates the drug may demonstrate a substantial improvement over available therapies for patients with serious or life-threatening diseases. Viekira Pak was reviewed under the FDA’s priority review program, which provides for an expedited review of drugs that treat serious conditions and, if approved, would provide significant improvement in safety or effectiveness.
Viekira Pak is marketed by AbbVie Inc., based in North Chicago, Illinois. Olysio is marketed by Raritan, New Jersey-based Janssen Pharmaceuticals. Sovaldi and Harvoni are marketed by Gilead Sciences, based in Foster City, California.
The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.
###
FORMER FEDERAL AGENT PLEADS GUILTY TO STEALING AMMUNITION
FROM: U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Former Federal Law Enforcement Agent Pleads Guilty to Theft of Agency's Ammunition
A former special agent with the Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) pleaded guilty today to theft of government property for stealing thousands of rounds of law enforcement ammunition, announced Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Special Agent in Charge Elton Malone of HHS-OIG’s Special Investigations Branch.
Josef A. Riekers, 44, of Rockwall, Texas, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Jorge A. Solis of the Northern District of Texas, who set a sentencing hearing for April 8, 2015.
According to admissions in his plea agreement, Riekers, who had served as a federal law enforcement agent for over 15 years, stole ammunition from the armory at HHS-OIG’s Dallas regional office. Riekers then traded the stolen ammunition on Internet forums for other, non-government-issued ammunition that he used for his own personal benefit.
This case was investigated by HHS-OIG’s Special Investigations Branch, with assistance from the Dallas Police Department’s Criminal Intelligence Unit. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Kevin Driscoll and Justin Weitz of the Public Integrity Section.
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Former Federal Law Enforcement Agent Pleads Guilty to Theft of Agency's Ammunition
A former special agent with the Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) pleaded guilty today to theft of government property for stealing thousands of rounds of law enforcement ammunition, announced Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Special Agent in Charge Elton Malone of HHS-OIG’s Special Investigations Branch.
Josef A. Riekers, 44, of Rockwall, Texas, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Jorge A. Solis of the Northern District of Texas, who set a sentencing hearing for April 8, 2015.
According to admissions in his plea agreement, Riekers, who had served as a federal law enforcement agent for over 15 years, stole ammunition from the armory at HHS-OIG’s Dallas regional office. Riekers then traded the stolen ammunition on Internet forums for other, non-government-issued ammunition that he used for his own personal benefit.
This case was investigated by HHS-OIG’s Special Investigations Branch, with assistance from the Dallas Police Department’s Criminal Intelligence Unit. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Kevin Driscoll and Justin Weitz of the Public Integrity Section.
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL'S RECENT REMARKS ON NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
U.S. Perspectives on the Opportunities and Challenges of Nuclear Disarmament
Remarks
Robert Wood
Special Representative to the Conference on Disarmament
Geneva Center for Security Policy
Geneva, Switzerland
December 17, 2014
Professor Mohamedou, thank you for that gracious introduction, and for hosting this event. It is an honor to join the ranks of distinguished visitors who have spoken at GCSP venues. Ladies and gentlemen, I also appreciate your interest in American perspectives on the opportunities and challenges of nuclear disarmament.
Disarmament, arms control, and nonproliferation are the focus of my professional life here in Geneva, and nuclear disarmament is under particularly close scrutiny as we approach the 2015 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference, which we refer to in the shorthand of this business as the “NPT RevCon.” The last NPT RevCon, in 2010, generated a consensus Action Plan for all States Parties. We put great stock in that historic achievement, we are working on it, and want to see it through. Acknowledging that the pace of nuclear disarmament is under criticism in some quarters, I would underline that the United States remains firmly committed to achieving the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons – but I would also emphasize that there are no easy solutions to the challenge of advancing nuclear disarmament while also maintaining vital strategic stability and enhancing security for all.
So: Where are we now? And most important, where we are going?
As vital as those questions are, it can be easy to lose sight of the significant progress that has been made in this area. Indeed, in the forums in which I routinely work it is regrettably common for some participants to state flatly that “nothing has happened” or “nothing is happening” on nuclear disarmament. This is not the case.
How can such misperceptions persist? It is well known that global stocks of nuclear weapons are at their lowest level in over half a century, far below the levels existing when the NPT entered into force in 1970. This largely reflects very significant treaty-based arms reductions by the United States of America and the Russian Federation. The latest such bilateral arms control treaty, the New START Treaty, entered into force on February 5, 2011, and when it is fully implemented in 2018, New START will limit deployed strategic nuclear warheads to their lowest levels since the 1950s.
Behind these headlines is an ongoing, intense web of daily, practical implementation activities that support strategic stability and transparency, which are conducive to future progress in disarmament. For example, the United States and Russian Federation together continue to implement successfully the New START Treaty. The two sides have exchanged more than 7,700 New START Treaty notifications through the Nuclear Risk Reduction Centers. These notifications include biannual New START Treaty data exchanges, which provide a detailed picture of U.S. and Russian strategic forces. In addition, the Treaty’s on-site inspections continue to enable each side to verify the validity of those data. These exchanges and inspections, together with detailed discussions in the Bilateral Consultative Commission, help build confidence, stability, and predictability. Historically, implementation of strategic arms control treaties with the former Soviet Union and Russia has proceeded without interruption even during the most challenging periods in the bilateral relationship.
The United States also has reduced the role of nuclear weapons in its national security strategy as outlined in the U.S. Nuclear Posture Review (NPR). Specifically, as outlined in the 2010 NPR, the United States will not develop new nuclear warheads, and life extension programs for existing weapons will not support new military capabilities or provide for new military capabilities. Additionally, as reflected in the NPR, the United States has strengthened the negative security assurances that it provides to non-nuclear weapon states who are party to the NPT, and made clear that the United States would only consider the use of nuclear weapons in extreme circumstances to defend the vital interests of the United States or its allies and partners.
Proceeding further to the heart of the matter, we reported earlier this year that over the past two decades alone the United States has dismantled 9,952 nuclear warheads. That works out to dismantling an average of more than one warhead per day, every day, for 20 years. And the work continues. By the way, the dismantlement of just one nuclear warhead is not an easy process – it is extremely demanding work.
I hope that does not surprise you. But unfortunately, since taking up my duties as ambassador here four months ago, I have repeatedly heard the claim that, while non-nuclear weapons states have by and large honored their nonproliferation obligations, nuclear weapons states have abdicated their nuclear disarmament obligations.
I will let other Nuclear Weapons States speak for themselves. I think that the U.S. can be very proud of our own record. Please consider these facts:
• Over all, the United States has slashed its nuclear arsenal from its Cold War high by 85%. 85%. That is not a percentage pulled out of a hat. It is not fiction or fantasy. It is real!
• Before 1991, the U.S. eliminated an entire category of missiles, scrapping all of its intermediate-range and shorter-range ground-launched nuclear- and conventional-capable missiles and their associated launchers and equipment in accordance with the Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.
• And just since 1991, the United States has reduced its non-strategic nuclear arsenal by approximately 90%.
When we pledge to continue to pursue nuclear disarmament and to keep faith with our NPT Article VI disarmament obligations, those are not empty words. Our responsible approach to disarmament has borne fruit in the form of major reductions in nuclear weapons, fissile material stocks, and infrastructure. Our nuclear complex has been completely transformed from one built for the mass production of fissile material and warheads and the design and testing of new weapons to one dedicated to the maintenance of a steadily shrinking stockpile.
Underpinning all of our efforts, stretching back decades, has been our clear understanding and recognition of the severe consequences of the use of these weapons. That is the message the United States took to the Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons in Vienna last week. We participated to reinforce the message that the practical step-by-step path we have followed so successfully remains the only realistic route to our shared goal of a nuclear weapons-free world. We cannot and will not support efforts to move to a nuclear weapons convention or the false hope of a fixed timeline for the elimination of all nuclear weapons. We cannot support and will oppose any effort to move to an international legal ban on nuclear weapons.
Looking ahead, it remains the policy of the United States to achieve the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons. And we are facing new challenges as we consider how to responsibly eliminate the last 15% of those weapons. As we move to smaller and smaller numbers, leading to zero globally, we must in turn become rigorously more and more confident and trusting that all are fulfilling their commitments.
In considering future reductions, the United States believes that the focus must be on responsible measures that can be trusted and verified. We will learn from our past experience and continue to move ahead with each step building on the last. While there is no pre-determined sequence of steps, and indeed we should pursue progress on multiple paths, there is no way to skip to the end and forgo the hard work of preparing for the technical and political disarmament challenges that lie ahead. Patience and persistence are needed from all NPT parties both among and beyond the P5.
Earlier this month in Prague, Under Secretary Gottemoeller announced a new International Partnership for Nuclear Disarmament Verification. We propose to work with nuclear-weapon states and non-nuclear-weapon states to better understand the challenges of verifying nuclear disarmament and to develop solutions to address those challenges.
This new partnership will draw on the talents of experts around the world, both inside and outside government. It will build on the pathbreaking efforts of the U.K.-Norway initiative, begun in 2007, to investigate ways to address nuclear disarmament verification challenges. The Nuclear Threat Initiative will be a prime partner in organizing this exciting new effort.
The United States is committed to a responsible approach to nuclear disarmament in accordance with our obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The United States has made it clear that we are ready to engage Russia to discuss the full range of issues related to strategic stability, and that we should take real and important actions that can contribute to creating a more predictable and secure world. We hope that these negotiations will take place when the conditions become more favorable for constructive interaction.
Broadening the aperture, I would underline that NPT Parties have committed as a next step in the multilateral nuclear disarmament sphere to negotiations on a treaty banning the production of fissile material for use in nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT). This goal was embraced by all NPT Parties. Indeed, the 2010 NPT Action 15 notes that “All States agree that the Conference on Disarmament should . . . begin negotiation of a treaty banning the production of fissile material for use in nuclear weapons. . . .”
Achieving such a ban would support our collective Article VI obligations. The United States regrets that the CD remains in deadlock, unable to agree on a Program of Work that takes us forward and puts us on a path toward FMCT negotiations. It is clear that we still have our work cut out for us. And it is difficult to have a meaningful discussion, to set the stage for productive negotiations in the CD, without a better grasp of the facts, without recognition of what has been accomplished as well as the challenges that remain.
For the United States, the CD remains an essential multilateral institution for the negotiation of arms control and disarmament agreements. As a consensus-based body, it is the ideal venue to deal with the most sensitive national security issues multilaterally. While the United States and many other Member States are frustrated by the inability of the CD to get back to the business of negotiating, we need to find creative ways to energize it and put it back to work.
In conclusion, I would emphasize that it is a welcome fact that there remains strong support among governments and publics for nuclear disarmament. For the United States, the task at hand is to help to channel that support into constructive, effective measures that will strengthen international security while further reducing the number of nuclear weapons. Indeed, the United States has led the international community in responsibly reducing nuclear arsenals in a safe and practical step-by-step manner, and we remain firmly committed to our obligations under the NPT. We welcome contributions by all to this important task, but will firmly resist any efforts to oversimplify the path forward and ignore the real security challenges we face along that path. As President Obama has said, the path to zero will require patience and persistence. It requires a broad strategy aimed at strengthening the nonproliferation regime, preventing nuclear terrorism, and pursuing concrete steps that build a foundation for future progress and lead in the direction of nuclear disarmament. Thank you for your attention.
U.S. Perspectives on the Opportunities and Challenges of Nuclear Disarmament
Remarks
Robert Wood
Special Representative to the Conference on Disarmament
Geneva Center for Security Policy
Geneva, Switzerland
December 17, 2014
Professor Mohamedou, thank you for that gracious introduction, and for hosting this event. It is an honor to join the ranks of distinguished visitors who have spoken at GCSP venues. Ladies and gentlemen, I also appreciate your interest in American perspectives on the opportunities and challenges of nuclear disarmament.
Disarmament, arms control, and nonproliferation are the focus of my professional life here in Geneva, and nuclear disarmament is under particularly close scrutiny as we approach the 2015 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference, which we refer to in the shorthand of this business as the “NPT RevCon.” The last NPT RevCon, in 2010, generated a consensus Action Plan for all States Parties. We put great stock in that historic achievement, we are working on it, and want to see it through. Acknowledging that the pace of nuclear disarmament is under criticism in some quarters, I would underline that the United States remains firmly committed to achieving the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons – but I would also emphasize that there are no easy solutions to the challenge of advancing nuclear disarmament while also maintaining vital strategic stability and enhancing security for all.
So: Where are we now? And most important, where we are going?
As vital as those questions are, it can be easy to lose sight of the significant progress that has been made in this area. Indeed, in the forums in which I routinely work it is regrettably common for some participants to state flatly that “nothing has happened” or “nothing is happening” on nuclear disarmament. This is not the case.
How can such misperceptions persist? It is well known that global stocks of nuclear weapons are at their lowest level in over half a century, far below the levels existing when the NPT entered into force in 1970. This largely reflects very significant treaty-based arms reductions by the United States of America and the Russian Federation. The latest such bilateral arms control treaty, the New START Treaty, entered into force on February 5, 2011, and when it is fully implemented in 2018, New START will limit deployed strategic nuclear warheads to their lowest levels since the 1950s.
Behind these headlines is an ongoing, intense web of daily, practical implementation activities that support strategic stability and transparency, which are conducive to future progress in disarmament. For example, the United States and Russian Federation together continue to implement successfully the New START Treaty. The two sides have exchanged more than 7,700 New START Treaty notifications through the Nuclear Risk Reduction Centers. These notifications include biannual New START Treaty data exchanges, which provide a detailed picture of U.S. and Russian strategic forces. In addition, the Treaty’s on-site inspections continue to enable each side to verify the validity of those data. These exchanges and inspections, together with detailed discussions in the Bilateral Consultative Commission, help build confidence, stability, and predictability. Historically, implementation of strategic arms control treaties with the former Soviet Union and Russia has proceeded without interruption even during the most challenging periods in the bilateral relationship.
The United States also has reduced the role of nuclear weapons in its national security strategy as outlined in the U.S. Nuclear Posture Review (NPR). Specifically, as outlined in the 2010 NPR, the United States will not develop new nuclear warheads, and life extension programs for existing weapons will not support new military capabilities or provide for new military capabilities. Additionally, as reflected in the NPR, the United States has strengthened the negative security assurances that it provides to non-nuclear weapon states who are party to the NPT, and made clear that the United States would only consider the use of nuclear weapons in extreme circumstances to defend the vital interests of the United States or its allies and partners.
Proceeding further to the heart of the matter, we reported earlier this year that over the past two decades alone the United States has dismantled 9,952 nuclear warheads. That works out to dismantling an average of more than one warhead per day, every day, for 20 years. And the work continues. By the way, the dismantlement of just one nuclear warhead is not an easy process – it is extremely demanding work.
I hope that does not surprise you. But unfortunately, since taking up my duties as ambassador here four months ago, I have repeatedly heard the claim that, while non-nuclear weapons states have by and large honored their nonproliferation obligations, nuclear weapons states have abdicated their nuclear disarmament obligations.
I will let other Nuclear Weapons States speak for themselves. I think that the U.S. can be very proud of our own record. Please consider these facts:
• Over all, the United States has slashed its nuclear arsenal from its Cold War high by 85%. 85%. That is not a percentage pulled out of a hat. It is not fiction or fantasy. It is real!
• Before 1991, the U.S. eliminated an entire category of missiles, scrapping all of its intermediate-range and shorter-range ground-launched nuclear- and conventional-capable missiles and their associated launchers and equipment in accordance with the Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.
• And just since 1991, the United States has reduced its non-strategic nuclear arsenal by approximately 90%.
When we pledge to continue to pursue nuclear disarmament and to keep faith with our NPT Article VI disarmament obligations, those are not empty words. Our responsible approach to disarmament has borne fruit in the form of major reductions in nuclear weapons, fissile material stocks, and infrastructure. Our nuclear complex has been completely transformed from one built for the mass production of fissile material and warheads and the design and testing of new weapons to one dedicated to the maintenance of a steadily shrinking stockpile.
Underpinning all of our efforts, stretching back decades, has been our clear understanding and recognition of the severe consequences of the use of these weapons. That is the message the United States took to the Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons in Vienna last week. We participated to reinforce the message that the practical step-by-step path we have followed so successfully remains the only realistic route to our shared goal of a nuclear weapons-free world. We cannot and will not support efforts to move to a nuclear weapons convention or the false hope of a fixed timeline for the elimination of all nuclear weapons. We cannot support and will oppose any effort to move to an international legal ban on nuclear weapons.
Looking ahead, it remains the policy of the United States to achieve the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons. And we are facing new challenges as we consider how to responsibly eliminate the last 15% of those weapons. As we move to smaller and smaller numbers, leading to zero globally, we must in turn become rigorously more and more confident and trusting that all are fulfilling their commitments.
In considering future reductions, the United States believes that the focus must be on responsible measures that can be trusted and verified. We will learn from our past experience and continue to move ahead with each step building on the last. While there is no pre-determined sequence of steps, and indeed we should pursue progress on multiple paths, there is no way to skip to the end and forgo the hard work of preparing for the technical and political disarmament challenges that lie ahead. Patience and persistence are needed from all NPT parties both among and beyond the P5.
Earlier this month in Prague, Under Secretary Gottemoeller announced a new International Partnership for Nuclear Disarmament Verification. We propose to work with nuclear-weapon states and non-nuclear-weapon states to better understand the challenges of verifying nuclear disarmament and to develop solutions to address those challenges.
This new partnership will draw on the talents of experts around the world, both inside and outside government. It will build on the pathbreaking efforts of the U.K.-Norway initiative, begun in 2007, to investigate ways to address nuclear disarmament verification challenges. The Nuclear Threat Initiative will be a prime partner in organizing this exciting new effort.
The United States is committed to a responsible approach to nuclear disarmament in accordance with our obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The United States has made it clear that we are ready to engage Russia to discuss the full range of issues related to strategic stability, and that we should take real and important actions that can contribute to creating a more predictable and secure world. We hope that these negotiations will take place when the conditions become more favorable for constructive interaction.
Broadening the aperture, I would underline that NPT Parties have committed as a next step in the multilateral nuclear disarmament sphere to negotiations on a treaty banning the production of fissile material for use in nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT). This goal was embraced by all NPT Parties. Indeed, the 2010 NPT Action 15 notes that “All States agree that the Conference on Disarmament should . . . begin negotiation of a treaty banning the production of fissile material for use in nuclear weapons. . . .”
Achieving such a ban would support our collective Article VI obligations. The United States regrets that the CD remains in deadlock, unable to agree on a Program of Work that takes us forward and puts us on a path toward FMCT negotiations. It is clear that we still have our work cut out for us. And it is difficult to have a meaningful discussion, to set the stage for productive negotiations in the CD, without a better grasp of the facts, without recognition of what has been accomplished as well as the challenges that remain.
For the United States, the CD remains an essential multilateral institution for the negotiation of arms control and disarmament agreements. As a consensus-based body, it is the ideal venue to deal with the most sensitive national security issues multilaterally. While the United States and many other Member States are frustrated by the inability of the CD to get back to the business of negotiating, we need to find creative ways to energize it and put it back to work.
In conclusion, I would emphasize that it is a welcome fact that there remains strong support among governments and publics for nuclear disarmament. For the United States, the task at hand is to help to channel that support into constructive, effective measures that will strengthen international security while further reducing the number of nuclear weapons. Indeed, the United States has led the international community in responsibly reducing nuclear arsenals in a safe and practical step-by-step manner, and we remain firmly committed to our obligations under the NPT. We welcome contributions by all to this important task, but will firmly resist any efforts to oversimplify the path forward and ignore the real security challenges we face along that path. As President Obama has said, the path to zero will require patience and persistence. It requires a broad strategy aimed at strengthening the nonproliferation regime, preventing nuclear terrorism, and pursuing concrete steps that build a foundation for future progress and lead in the direction of nuclear disarmament. Thank you for your attention.
Friday, December 19, 2014
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT GIVES UPDATE ON SONY INVESTIGATION AND THE "GUARDIANS OF PEACE"
FROM: U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Friday, December 19, 2014
Update in Sony Investigation
Today, the FBI would like to provide an update on the status of our investigation into the cyber attack targeting Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE). In late November, SPE confirmed that it was the victim of a cyber attack that destroyed systems and stole large quantities of personal and commercial data. A group calling itself the “Guardians of Peace” claimed responsibility for the attack and subsequently issued threats against SPE, its employees, and theaters that distribute its movies.
The FBI has determined that the intrusion into SPE’s network consisted of the deployment of destructive malware and the theft of proprietary information as well as employees’ personally identifiable information and confidential communications. The attacks also rendered thousands of SPE’s computers inoperable, forced SPE to take its entire computer network offline, and significantly disrupted the company’s business operations.
After discovering the intrusion into its network, SPE requested the FBI’s assistance. Since then, the FBI has been working closely with the company throughout the investigation. Sony has been a great partner in the investigation, and continues to work closely with the FBI. Sony reported this incident within hours, which is what the FBI hopes all companies will do when facing a cyber attack. Sony’s quick reporting facilitated the investigators’ ability to do their jobs, and ultimately to identify the source of these attacks.
As a result of our investigation, and in close collaboration with other U.S. Government departments and agencies, the FBI now has enough information to conclude that the North Korean government is responsible for these actions. While the need to protect sensitive sources and methods precludes us from sharing all of this information, our conclusion is based, in part, on the following:
Technical analysis of the data deletion malware used in this attack revealed links to other malware that the FBI knows North Korean actors previously developed. For example, there were similarities in specific lines of code, encryption algorithms, data deletion methods, and compromised networks.
The FBI also observed significant overlap between the infrastructure used in this attack and other malicious cyber activity the U.S. Government has previously linked directly to North Korea. For example, the FBI discovered that several Internet protocol (IP) addresses associated with known North Korean infrastructure communicated with IP addresses that were hardcoded into the data deletion malware used in this attack.
Separately, the tools used in the SPE attack have similarities to a cyber attack in March of last year against South Korean banks and media outlets, which was carried out by North Korea.
We are deeply concerned about the destructive nature of this attack on a private sector entity and the ordinary citizens who worked there. Further, North Korea’s attack on SPE reaffirms that cyber threats pose one of the gravest national security dangers to the United States. Though the FBI has seen a wide variety and increasing number of cyber intrusions, the destructive nature of this attack, coupled with its coercive nature, sets it apart. North Korea’s actions were intended to inflict significant harm on a U.S. business and suppress the right of American citizens to express themselves. Such acts of intimidation fall outside the bounds of acceptable state behavior. The FBI takes seriously any attempt – whether through cyber-enabled means, threats of violence, or otherwise – to undermine the economic and social prosperity of our citizens.
The FBI stands ready to assist any U.S. company that is the victim of a destructive cyber attack or breach of confidential business information. Further, the FBI will continue to work closely with multiple departments and agencies as well as with domestic, foreign, and private sector partners who have played a critical role in our ability to trace this and other cyber threats to their source. Working together, the FBI will identify, pursue, and impose costs and consequences on individuals, groups, or nation states who use cyber means to threaten the United States or U.S. interests.
Friday, December 19, 2014
Update in Sony Investigation
Today, the FBI would like to provide an update on the status of our investigation into the cyber attack targeting Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE). In late November, SPE confirmed that it was the victim of a cyber attack that destroyed systems and stole large quantities of personal and commercial data. A group calling itself the “Guardians of Peace” claimed responsibility for the attack and subsequently issued threats against SPE, its employees, and theaters that distribute its movies.
The FBI has determined that the intrusion into SPE’s network consisted of the deployment of destructive malware and the theft of proprietary information as well as employees’ personally identifiable information and confidential communications. The attacks also rendered thousands of SPE’s computers inoperable, forced SPE to take its entire computer network offline, and significantly disrupted the company’s business operations.
After discovering the intrusion into its network, SPE requested the FBI’s assistance. Since then, the FBI has been working closely with the company throughout the investigation. Sony has been a great partner in the investigation, and continues to work closely with the FBI. Sony reported this incident within hours, which is what the FBI hopes all companies will do when facing a cyber attack. Sony’s quick reporting facilitated the investigators’ ability to do their jobs, and ultimately to identify the source of these attacks.
As a result of our investigation, and in close collaboration with other U.S. Government departments and agencies, the FBI now has enough information to conclude that the North Korean government is responsible for these actions. While the need to protect sensitive sources and methods precludes us from sharing all of this information, our conclusion is based, in part, on the following:
Technical analysis of the data deletion malware used in this attack revealed links to other malware that the FBI knows North Korean actors previously developed. For example, there were similarities in specific lines of code, encryption algorithms, data deletion methods, and compromised networks.
The FBI also observed significant overlap between the infrastructure used in this attack and other malicious cyber activity the U.S. Government has previously linked directly to North Korea. For example, the FBI discovered that several Internet protocol (IP) addresses associated with known North Korean infrastructure communicated with IP addresses that were hardcoded into the data deletion malware used in this attack.
Separately, the tools used in the SPE attack have similarities to a cyber attack in March of last year against South Korean banks and media outlets, which was carried out by North Korea.
We are deeply concerned about the destructive nature of this attack on a private sector entity and the ordinary citizens who worked there. Further, North Korea’s attack on SPE reaffirms that cyber threats pose one of the gravest national security dangers to the United States. Though the FBI has seen a wide variety and increasing number of cyber intrusions, the destructive nature of this attack, coupled with its coercive nature, sets it apart. North Korea’s actions were intended to inflict significant harm on a U.S. business and suppress the right of American citizens to express themselves. Such acts of intimidation fall outside the bounds of acceptable state behavior. The FBI takes seriously any attempt – whether through cyber-enabled means, threats of violence, or otherwise – to undermine the economic and social prosperity of our citizens.
The FBI stands ready to assist any U.S. company that is the victim of a destructive cyber attack or breach of confidential business information. Further, the FBI will continue to work closely with multiple departments and agencies as well as with domestic, foreign, and private sector partners who have played a critical role in our ability to trace this and other cyber threats to their source. Working together, the FBI will identify, pursue, and impose costs and consequences on individuals, groups, or nation states who use cyber means to threaten the United States or U.S. interests.
SECRETARY KERRY CONDEMNS CYBER-ATTACKS BY NORTH KOREA
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Condemning Cyber-Attack by North Korea
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
December 19, 2014
The United States condemns North Korea for the cyber-attack targeting Sony Pictures Entertainment and the unacceptable threats against movie theatres and moviegoers. These actions are a brazen attempt by an isolated regime to suppress free speech and stifle the creative expression of artists beyond the borders of its own country.
Freedom of expression is at the center of America’s values and a founding principle of our Bill of Rights. We’re a country where artists openly mock and criticize the powerful, including our own government. We don’t always like what they say about us or about others, and sometimes we’re even deeply offended. But those offenses have always taken a backseat to freedom of expression. That’s why the United States is and always will be a staunch advocate for and protector of the right of artists to express themselves freely and creatively. Whatever one’s system of government or views about free expression, there is absolutely no justification whatsoever for an attack like this.
We are deeply concerned about the destructive nature of this state sponsored cyber-attack targeting a commercial entity and its employees in the United States. These lawless acts of intimidation demonstrate North Korea’s flagrant disregard for international norms. Threats in cyberspace pose one of the greatest national security challenges to the United States, and North Korea’s actions – intended to inflict significant economic damage and suppress free speech – are well beyond the bounds of acceptable state behavior in cyberspace. This provocative and unprecedented attack and subsequent threats only strengthen our resolve to continue to work with partners around the world to strengthen cybersecurity, promote norms of acceptable state behavior, uphold freedom of expression, and ensure that the Internet remains open, interoperable, secure and reliable. We encourage our allies and partners to stand with us as we defend the values of all of our people in the face of state-sponsored intimidation.
Condemning Cyber-Attack by North Korea
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
December 19, 2014
The United States condemns North Korea for the cyber-attack targeting Sony Pictures Entertainment and the unacceptable threats against movie theatres and moviegoers. These actions are a brazen attempt by an isolated regime to suppress free speech and stifle the creative expression of artists beyond the borders of its own country.
Freedom of expression is at the center of America’s values and a founding principle of our Bill of Rights. We’re a country where artists openly mock and criticize the powerful, including our own government. We don’t always like what they say about us or about others, and sometimes we’re even deeply offended. But those offenses have always taken a backseat to freedom of expression. That’s why the United States is and always will be a staunch advocate for and protector of the right of artists to express themselves freely and creatively. Whatever one’s system of government or views about free expression, there is absolutely no justification whatsoever for an attack like this.
We are deeply concerned about the destructive nature of this state sponsored cyber-attack targeting a commercial entity and its employees in the United States. These lawless acts of intimidation demonstrate North Korea’s flagrant disregard for international norms. Threats in cyberspace pose one of the greatest national security challenges to the United States, and North Korea’s actions – intended to inflict significant economic damage and suppress free speech – are well beyond the bounds of acceptable state behavior in cyberspace. This provocative and unprecedented attack and subsequent threats only strengthen our resolve to continue to work with partners around the world to strengthen cybersecurity, promote norms of acceptable state behavior, uphold freedom of expression, and ensure that the Internet remains open, interoperable, secure and reliable. We encourage our allies and partners to stand with us as we defend the values of all of our people in the face of state-sponsored intimidation.
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