ISAF NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR AUGUST 28, 2012

Photo Credit:  U.S. Air Force

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Helicopter Makes Forced Landing in Eastern Afghanistan

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28, 2012 - An International Security Assistance Force helicopter made a forced landing in eastern Afghanistan today, military officials reported.
There were no reported fatalities, and the site of the incident is secure, officials said. Initial reporting indicates that there was no enemy activity in the area at the time.
ISAF officials are assessing the circumstances to determine more facts.
In Afghanistan operations today:
-- An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Haqqani network leader and three suspected insurgents during an operation in the Zurmat district of Paktia province. The Haqqani insurgent -- an improvised explosive device specialist -- is responsible for numerous attacks against Afghan and coalition forces, including recent attacks against Afghan forces in Zurmat.

-- A combined force arrested a Taliban leader and one other suspect in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province. The Taliban leader planned and directed IED attacks and had acquired suicide vests for attacks on Afghan and coalition forces.

-- A combined force detained multiple suspects during an operation to arrest a Taliban leader in the Zharay district of Kandahar province. The Taliban leader directs attacks against Afghan and coalition forces in the Zharay and Panjwai districts.

-- A combined force arrested a Haqqani weapons supplier and one suspected insurgent during an operation in the Pul-e Alam district of Logar province. The weapons supplier acquired weapons and IEDs for Haqqani fighters throughout the province. In the days leading to his arrest, the weapons supplier provided funds, weapons and equipment to Haqqani fighters for an upcoming attack.

In an Aug. 26 operation in the Khoshi district of Logar province, a coalition force found and destroyed 136 mortar rounds and 23 rockets.

IMAGINE'S LEADER PLEADS GUILTY TO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Leader of Internet Piracy Group "IMAGiNE"Pleads Guilty to Copyright Infringement ConspiracyWASHINGTON – A Virginia man pleaded guilty today to conspiring to willfully reproduce and distribute tens of thousands of infringing copies of copyrighted works without permission, including infringing copies of movies before they were commercially released on DVD, Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Neil H. MacBride and Special Agent in Charge John P. Torres of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) in Washington, D.C., announced today.

Jeramiah B. Perkins, 39, of Portsmouth, Va., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement. The plea was entered before U.S. Magistrate Judge Tommy E. Miller in the Eastern District of Virginia. At sentencing, scheduled for Jan. 3, 2013, Perkins faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000 and three years of supervised release.

Perkins was indicted on April 18, 2012, along with three other leading members of the IMAGiNE Group, an organized online piracy group seeking to become the premier group to first release Internet copies of new movies only showing in theaters.

According to court documents, Perkins and his co-conspirators sought to illegally obtain and disseminate digital copies of copyrighted motion pictures showing in theaters. Perkins admitted he took the lead in renting computer servers in France and elsewhere for use by the IMAGiNE Group. He also admitted he registered domain names for use by the IMAGiNE Group, and opened e-mail and PayPal accounts to receive donations and payments from persons downloading or buying IMAGiNE Group releases of pirated copies of motion pictures and other copyrighted works. Perkins directed and participated in using receivers and recording devices in movie theaters to secretly capture the audio sound tracks of copyrighted movies and then synchronized the audio files with illegally recorded video files to create completed movie files suitable for sharing over the Internet among members of the IMAGiNE Group and others. Perkins also admitted the IMAGiNE Group’s conduct resulted in a readily provable and reasonably foreseeable infringement amount of more than $400,000.

Co-defendants Sean Lovelady, Willie Lambert and Gregory Cherwonik each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement on May 8, 2012, June 22, 2012, and July 10, 2012, respectively.

The investigation of the case and the arrests were conducted by agents with ICE-HSI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Krask of the Eastern District of Virginia and Senior Counsel John H. Zacharia of the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) are prosecuting the case. Significant assistance was provided by the CCIPS Cyber Crime Lab and the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs.

This case is part of efforts being undertaken by the Department of Justice Task Force on Intellectual Property (IP Task Force) to stop the theft of intellectual property. Attorney General Eric Holder created the IP Task Force to combat the growing number of domestic and international intellectual property crimes, protect the health and safety of American consumers, and safeguard the nation’s economic security against those who seek to profit illegally from American creativity, innovation and hard work. The IP Task Force seeks to strengthen intellectual property rights protection through heightened criminal and civil enforcement, greater coordination among federal, state and local law enforcement partners, and increased focus on international enforcement efforts, including reinforcing relationships with key foreign partners and U.S. industry leaders.

This investigation was supported by the HSI-led National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) in Washington. The IPR Center is one of the U.S. government’s key weapons in the fight against criminal counterfeiting and piracy. As a task force, the IPR Center uses the expertise of its 21 member agencies to share information, develop initiatives, coordinate enforcement actions and conduct investigations related to IP theft. Through this strategic interagency partnership, the IPR Center protects the public's health and safety, the U.S. economy and our war fighters.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE DAILY PRESS BRIEFING

http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFYzDlKeLL_IMEm7XBQrYQa1f17Zg

PARALYMPIAN HEROS BEAR DOWN ON THE LONDON GAMES

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Navy Lt. Bradley Snyder, a member of the U.S. Paralympic swimming team, watches as some of his personal items are packed for shipping back to the United States as part of team processing prior to the start of the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, Aug. 28, 2012. DOD photo by Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr. 
Paralympians Complete Preparations in London
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
American Forces Press Service

LONDON, Aug. 28, 2012 - Members of the U.S. Paralympic team completed their team processing and remain focused amid growing anticipation for the 2012 Paralympic Games here.

The Paralympic Games, held every four years following the Summer Olympics, are a multisport event for athletes with physical, mental and sensorial disabilities.

More than 200 Paralympians, staged at the University of East London campus, are prepared to compete in 20 sporting events, including wheelchair basketball, wheelchair fencing, wheelchair rugby, swimming, shooting and sailing as they serve as American ambassadors for their respective sports.

"It's an amazing experience," said Navy Lt. Bradley Snyder, a member of the 2012 U.S. Paralympic swimming team. "It's a lot of things happening at once. It can be a little overwhelming. You come to processing and they hand you $3,000 worth of apparel and things like that. It's a lot happening at once."

Snyder, slated to swim in seven events, compared the excitement of competing in front of large crowds with his previous experience as a competitor.

"The swimming venue, I think, holds 18,000 people, so everyone's running through their heads, 'What's it going to be like to swim in front of 18,000 people?'" he said. "I was a collegiate athlete for four years [and] I swam for 12 years. I think the largest crowd I ever swam in front of was in the hundreds. To be able to go out in front of 18,000 people is going to be an amazing experience.

"It's been a challenge, I think, to ... stay focused on what we're trying to stay focused on, and at the same time, utilize the adrenaline rush we're going to have to our advantage." he added.

Michael Prout Jr., of West Springfield, Mass., also a member of the swimming team, will compete in the 100-meter butterfly, backstroke and freestyle, 200-meter individual medley and the 400-meter freestyle.

"For the past two years, I've been living out in Colorado Springs at the Olympic Training Center with the resident team out there," he said. "There's nine of us, actually, that made the Paralympic team this time around from that area. I was out there just training full-time instead of focusing on anything else. I think that is going to help out a lot."

Prout noted even though he's competed in the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece, and in Beijing in 2008, he still feel the excitement of the approaching competition.

"It's been crazy," he said. "We've been training in Germany for the past week and a half, and we just got into the village yesterday. And we've been going back and forth trying to get training in and coming over for all the fitting of apparel.

"Today's been crazy, but it's been a lot of fun," he continued. "And we're getting so much cool stuff that I think we're all pretty overwhelmed with everything still."

The biggest thing, he said, is trying to stay focused and establishing a good routine while helping the rest of the team stay on the same page.

With 227 Paralympians processing through the campus, many needing assistance, it would be nearly impossible without volunteers such as Air Force Staff Sgt. Brandi Campbell to assist the U.S. Olympic Committee.

Campbell, who serves in an orthopedic clinic with the 48th Mission Support Group in Lakenheath, England, had such a strong desire to help that she used leave to augment three days of permissive temporary duty to help with team processing.

"An email went out to everyone to give you an option that you'd be able to choose to help with the Olympics or the Paralympics, or you could do both," she said. "I chose the Paralympics just because they work with our duty section, and to get to work with these people is a blessing.

"They're amazing," she added. "They have to overcome so much that to work with them and hear their stories, get to meet them, get to see their coaches -- I [wouldn't] trade it for anything."

Campbell said she was also excited when she learned the rugby team was from her hometown of Portland, Ore.

Part of the team processing duties, Campbell said, is passing out brand-name apparel and accessories provided by sponsors to the athletes.

"The athletes get 99 items [each]," she said. "I get to see the joy on their face when they get to see everything they get."

Campbell helps the athletes try on the apparel, and said it can take up to 20 attempts for some to get the right fit.

"But to see their face at the end of the day [and] to know that you helped them is perfect," she said.

SEC CHARGES Wwebnet, INC. AND CEO WITH MISLEADING INVESTORS

FROM U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
On August 28, 2012, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil action in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York charging Wwebnet, Inc. (Wwebnet) and its chief executive officer, Robert L. Kelly (Kelly), with making material misrepresentations and omissions to investors in Wwebnet.

The SEC’s complaint alleges that, between 2005 and 2008, Wwebnet, a video software company, and Kelly made false and misleading statements and omissions to investors, including: (1) failing to disclose and misrepresentations concerning the existence of a related-party transaction, which enabled Kelly to funnel at least $2.1 million of investor funds to himself, including approximately $2 million which was sent to his personal options trading account in the Cayman Islands; (2) misrepresentations that Wwebnet had been generating revenue pursuant to contracts with entertainment companies when Wwebnet had never generated any such revenue; and (3) misrepresentations concerning Kelly’s effective compensation by failing to disclose that Wwebnet paid approximately $180,000 ($9,000 per month) in rent on Kelly’s personal luxury apartment in Manhattan.

The Complaint alleges that through these actions Wwebnet and Kelly violated Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Exchange Act) and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, and that Kelly aided and abetted Wwebnet’s violations of the Exchange Act and is liable as a control person under Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act for Wwebnet’s violations. The SEC’s complaint seeks a final judgment permanently enjoining Wwebnet and Kelly from future violations of the federal securities laws, ordering them to pay civil penalties and disgorgement of ill-gotten gains plus prejudgment interest, and imposing a penny stock bar and an officer and director bar against Kelly.

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE INVESTIGATION OF ALLEGATIONS REGARDING THE ASSASSINATION OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE INVESTIGATION OF
RECENT ALLEGATIONS REGARDING THE ASSASSINATION OF
DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
In August 26, 1998, the Attorney General directed the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice, assisted by the Criminal Division, to investigate two separate, recent allegations related to the April 4, 1968 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. These allegations emanate from Loyd Jowers, a former Memphis tavern owner, and Donald Wilson, a former agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

In 1993, 25 years after the murder, Jowers claimed that he participated in a conspiracy to kill Dr. King, along with an alleged Mafia figure, Memphis police officers, and a man named Raoul. According to Jowers, one of the conspirators shot Dr. King from behind his tavern.

Wilson alleged in 1998 that shortly after the assassination, while working as an FBI agent, he took papers from the abandoned car of James Earl Ray, the career criminal who pled guilty to murdering Dr. King. Wilson claims he concealed them for 30 years. Some of the papers contained references to a Raul (the alternate spellings, Raoul and Raul, are discussed in Section I) and figures associated with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. According to Wilson, someone who later worked in the White House subsequently stole the other papers he took from Ray's car, including one with the telephone number of an FBI office.

Both the Jowers and the Wilson allegations suggest that persons other than or in addition to James Earl Ray participated in the assassination. Ray, within days of entering his guilty plea in 1969, attempted to withdraw it. Until his death in April 1998, he maintained that he did not shoot Dr. King and was framed by a man he knew only as Raoul. For 30 years, others have similarly alleged that Ray was Raoul's unwitting pawn and that a conspiracy orchestrated Dr. King's murder. These varied theories have generated several comprehensive government investigations regarding the assassination, none of which confirmed the existence of any conspiracy. However, in King v. Jowers, a recent civil suit in a Tennessee state court, a jury returned a verdict finding that Jowers and unnamed others, including unspecified government agencies, participated in a conspiracy to assassinate Dr. King.

Our mission was to consider whether the Jowers or the Wilson allegations are true and, if so, to detect whether anyone implicated engaged in criminal conduct by participating in the assassination. We have concluded that neither allegation is credible. Jowers and Wilson have both contradicted their own accounts. Moreover, we did not find sufficient, reliable evidence to corroborate either of their claims. Instead, we found significant evidence to refute them. Nothing new was presented during King v. Jowers to alter our findings or to warrant federal investigation of the trial's conflicting, far-ranging hearsay allegations of a government-directed plot involving the Mafia and African American ministers closely associated with Dr. King. Ultimately, we found nothing to disturb the 1969 judicial determination that James Earl Ray murdered Dr. King or to confirm that Raoul or anyone else implicated by Jowers or suggested by the Wilson papers participated in the assassination.

I. SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS OF THE INVESTIGATION

This report documents the findings of our investigation. Our conclusions are based on over 200 witness interviews, scientific testing and analysis of relevant documentary evidence, and review of tens of thousands of pages of records, including the files and papers from four previous official investigations, related litigation including King v. Jowers, private parties, and the media.

After original investigation and analysis of the historical record, we have concluded that neither the Jowers nor the Wilson allegations are substantiated or credible. We likewise have determined that the allegations relating to Raoul's participation in the assassination, which originated with James Earl Ray, have no merit. Finally, we find that there is no reliable evidence to support the allegations presented in King v. Jowers of a government-directed conspiracy involving the Mafia and Dr. King's associates. Accordingly, no further investigation is warranted.

　

A. Findings Regarding Jowers' Allegations

At the time of the assassination, Loyd Jowers owned and operated Jim's Grill, a tavern below the rooming house where James Earl Ray rented a room on April 4, 1968. Until 1993, Jowers maintained in several public statements that he was merely serving customers in his tavern when Dr. King was shot. He did not claim any involvement in the assassination or significant knowledge about it.

In December 1993, Jowers appeared on ABC's Prime Time Live and radically changed his story, claiming he participated in a plot to assassinate Dr. King. According to Jowers, a Memphis produce dealer, who was involved with the Mafia, gave him $100,000 to hire an assassin and assured him that the police would not be at the scene of the shooting. Jowers also reported that he hired a hit man to shoot Dr. King from behind Jim's Grill and received the murder weapon prior to the killing from someone with a name sounding like Raoul. Jowers further maintained that Ray did not shoot Dr. King and that he did not believe Ray knowingly participated in the conspiracy.

Since his television appearance, Jowers and his attorney have given additional statements about the assassination to the media, the King family, Ray's defenders, law enforcement personnel, relatives, friends, and courts. Jowers, however, has never made his conspiracy claims under oath. See Section IV.C.1.a. In fact, he did not testify in King v. Jowers, despite the fact that he was the party being sued. The one time Jowers did testify under oath about his allegations in an earlier civil suit, Ray v. Jowers, he repudiated them. Further, he has also renounced his confessions in certain private conversations without his attorney. See Section IV.C.1.b. For example, in an impromptu, recorded conversation with a state investigator, Jowers characterized a central feature of his story -- that someone besides Ray shot Dr. King with a rifle other than the one recovered at the crime scene -- as "bullshit." Consequently, Jowers has only confessed in circumstances where candor has not been required by law or where he has not been required to reconcile his prior inconsistencies.

When Jowers has confessed, he has contradicted himself on virtually every key point about the alleged conspiracy. See Section IV.C.2. For example, he not only identified two different people as the assassin, but also most recently claimed that he saw the assassin and did not recognize him. Jowers also abandoned his initial allegation that he received $100,000 with which he hired a hit man to kill Dr. King, claiming instead that he merely held the money for the conspirators. Additionally, Jowers has been inconsistent about other aspects of the alleged conspiracy, including his role in it, Raoul's responsibilities, whether and how Memphis police officers were involved, and the disposal of the alleged murder weapon.

Equally significant, the investigative team found no credible evidence to support any aspect of Jowers' varied accounts. See Section IV.D. There is no corroborating physical evidence, and the few isolated accounts allegedly supporting Jowers' claims are either unreliable or unsupportive. At the same time, there is evidence to contradict important elements of Jowers' allegations. For instance, investigators did not find a trail of footprints in the muddy ground behind Jim's Grill after the murder, undermining Jowers' claim that the assassin shot Dr. King from that location and brought the rifle to him at the backdoor. Similarly, there is substantial evidence establishing that the assassin actually fired from the bathroom window of the rooming house above Jim's Grill.

The genesis of Jowers' allegations is suspect. See Section IV.F.1. For 25 years following the assassination, Jowers never claimed any specific involvement in or knowledge of a conspiracy. It was not until 1993, during a meeting with the producer of a televised mock trial of James Earl Ray, that Jowers first publicly disclosed the details of the alleged plot, including the names of the purported assassin and other co-conspirators. He also initially sought compensation for his story, and his friends and relatives acknowledge that he hoped to make money from his account.

Jowers' conduct also undermines his credibility. He refused to cooperate with our investigation. See Section IV.E. Even though he repeatedly confessed publicly without immunity from prosecution, he was unwilling to speak to us without immunity. We were willing to consider his demand, but he refused to provide a proffer of his allegation, a standard prerequisite for an immunity grant, particularly where a witness has given contradictory accounts. His failure to provide a proffer demonstrates that he was unwilling to put forth a final, definitive version of his story. It further suggests he is not genuinely concerned about obtaining protection from prosecution, but instead has sought immunity merely to lend legitimacy to his otherwise unsubstantiated story.

From the beginning, Jowers' story has been the product of a carefully orchestrated promotional effort. See Section IV.F.2. In 1993, shortly after the HBO television mock trial, Jowers and a small circle of friends, all represented by the same attorney, sought to gain legitimacy for the conspiracy allegations by presenting them first to the state prosecutor, then to the media. Other of Jowers' friends and acquaintances, some of whom have had close contact with each other and sought financial compensation, joined the promotional effort over the next several years. For example, one cab driver contacted Jowers' attorney in 1998 and offered to be of assistance. Thereafter, he heard Jowers' conspiracy allegations, then repeated them for television and during King v. Jowers. Telephone records demonstrate that, over a period of several months, the cab driver made over 75 telephone calls to Jowers' attorney and another 75 calls to another cab driver friend of Jowers who has sought compensation for information supporting Jowers' claims.

In summary, we have determined that Jowers' claims about an alleged conspiracy are materially contradictory and unsubstantiated. Moreover, Jowers' repudiations, even under oath, his failure to testify during King v. Jowers, his refusal to cooperate with our investigation, his reported motive to make money from his claims, and his efforts along with his friends to promote his story all suggest a lack of credibility. We do not believe that Jowers, or those he accuses, participated in the assassination of Dr. King.

　

B. Findings Regarding Wilson's Allegations

Unlike Jowers, Donald Wilson, a former agent with the FBI, does not make any claims about who assassinated Dr. King. Rather, in March 1998, he revealed that for the past 30 years he had been concealing evidence that might be relevant to the crime. Wilson alleged that in April 1968, as an FBI agent of less than a year, he went to the scene where Ray's Ford Mustang had been abandoned in Atlanta, Georgia. Once there, Wilson purportedly opened the Mustang's door and a small envelope containing several papers fell out. According to Wilson, he took the papers, hid them, and told no one about them for 30 years.

Dr. William Pepper, then Ray's lawyer, publicly disclosed Wilson's revelation at a press conference. Immediately before the press conference, Wilson told his story to the District Attorney in Atlanta and expressed a strong interest in providing the documents to the Department of Justice for a full investigation.

It was not until six months later that our investigation ultimately obtained the only two documents Wilson maintained he still had. One of the documents is a portion of a torn page from a 1963 Dallas telephone directory. It has handwritten entries and information associated with President Kennedy's assassination, including the telephone numbers of Jack Ruby, the man who murdered Lee Harvey Oswald, and the Hunt family, who some have alleged was involved in the President's murder. The other document is a piece of paper that has two handwritten columns of notations, the first of words and the second of numbers, neither of which appears to have a connection to Dr. King's assassination. Both documents have handwritten entries with the name Raul. See Attachment 1, photostatic copies of the documents provided by Wilson.

Wilson has given materially inconsistent accounts about the documents and his discovery of them. See Section V.C. Most significantly, six months after telling the District Attorney in Atlanta, as well as the King family, Ray's attorney, and the media, that he had found four documents -- the two documents we ultimately obtained and two business cards we have never seen -- Wilson advised us that he actually took a significant, but previously undisclosed, fifth document from Ray's car. Wilson reported that the additional document had the telephone number of the FBI Atlanta field office where he worked, but he never explained his initial failure to reveal its alleged existence. He also gave contradictory stories about when he first looked at the documents, when he realized their significance, and whether and which documents were allegedly later stolen from him.

We found nothing to substantiate any of Wilson's varied claims about his discovery of the documents. At the same time, we found significant, independent evidence to contradict key aspects of his accounts. See Section V.D. For example, photographic evidence and expert opinion establish that the passenger-side door of the Mustang was closed and locked when the FBI was at the scene, not ajar and unlocked as Wilson claimed. Further, we found no evidence to corroborate Wilson's claims that he was at the scene of the Mustang's recovery, opened its door, or took the documents.

Scientific analysis of the documents obtained from Wilson could not resolve two critical questions presented by his allegation -- whether the documents came from Ray's car in 1968 and who authored them. See Section V.F. At the same time, analysis of the torn telephone page suggests that a handwritten notation in its margin may have been written to create the false impression that Ray was in possession of Raul's telephone number and that the assassinations of Dr. King and President Kennedy are connected. See Sections V.F.2.d. and G.

Important aspects of Wilson's account are implausible. See Sections V.E. and G. For instance, it is improbable that a torn page from a 1963 Dallas telephone directory linking the assassinations of Dr. King and President Kennedy would have been in Ray's car in 1968 or have fortuitously fallen out when Wilson allegedly opened the door. The paper has the telephone number of Jack Ruby, which was disconnected shortly after he shot Oswald in 1963, and Ray was in jail from 1960 until 1967. In addition, we found no credible evidence linking Ray to Jack Ruby or connecting the assassinations of President Kennedy and Dr. King.

The possibility that the documents actually came from Ray's car is even more remote since Ray himself did not remember them. Indeed, Ray had the most to gain from Wilson's revelation since the documents would have been the only physical evidence in 30 years to support his claim that Raoul existed. Nonetheless, he declined to confirm that the papers came from his car. See Section V.I.

It is equally implausible that a newly trained agent like Wilson, who joined the FBI because of his concern for civil rights, would have chosen to tamper with Ray's car, confiscate evidence, and potentially compromise the search for Dr. King's murderer. Wilson's claim that he concealed information potentially implicating the FBI for 20 years after he terminated his career as an agent and then again when he made his initial public disclosure in March 1998 is also particularly suspicious in light of his professed disdain for the FBI. See Section V.E.

Wilson's account is finally undermined by his failure to cooperate fully with our investigation. See Section V.J. Within days of his public disclosure in March 1998, he withdrew his offer to provide the documents to the Department of Justice. In September 1998, when he met with attorneys from our investigative team, he again refused to relinquish the original documents until the execution of a search warrant was imminent. Wilson also repeatedly refused to provide information that he claimed could lead to the recovery of the documents he says were stolen from him. Ultimately, once we provided an offer of immunity in response to his expressed concerns about prosecution, he cut off all communication. Accordingly, Wilson's resistance to assisting our investigation belies his public appeal for a thorough investigation by the Department of Justice.

Based upon an assessment of Wilson's conduct, his inconsistent statements, and all other available facts, his claim that he discovered papers in Ray's car is not credible. Accordingly, we have concluded that the documents do not constitute legitimate evidence pertaining to the assassination.

　

C. Findings Regarding Raoul

The name Raoul, or Raul, is central to both the Jowers and the Wilson allegations, as well as James Earl Ray's claims of innocence. Jowers contends that he conspired with Raoul, and two of the Wilson documents include the name Raul. Ray, soon after pleading guilty, claimed that someone he knew only as Raoul lured him to Memphis and framed him by leaving a rifle with his fingerprints at the crime scene. As a result, we reviewed the numerous past allegations regarding the identity of Raoul and investigated the most recent accusation about Raoul's identity.

Initially, the alternate spellings, Raoul and Raul, may have significance. For over 25 years following the assassination, James Earl Ray, his defenders, and others consistently referred to the man who allegedly framed Ray as Raoul. In the mid-1990s, Ray's defenders changed the spelling to "R-A-U-L" when they believed that a man living in New York state, whose first name is Raul, was the Raoul described by Ray.⁽¹⁾ Ray's attorneys then added the New York Raul as a defendant to a false imprisonment lawsuit brought by Ray against Jowers. The documents Wilson produced a few years later also utilized the same post-1995 spelling of Raul. See Section VI.C.2.

A review of the historical record reveals that, during the 30 years following the assassination, numerous individuals have been erroneously identified as Raoul. Those who have been falsely accused do not share common characteristics or necessarily possess any of the physical characteristics Ray attributed to Raoul. See Section VI.B.

Moreover, the man most recently accused of being Raoul -- the Raul from New York state -- was not connected to the assassination. The methods used to identify the New York Raul and the witnesses identifying him, who include Ray and Jowers, are unreliable. In addition, at the time the New York Raul allegedly planned and participated in the assassination, he could not speak English, was employed full-time with a major corporation, and was often seen in a tightly-knit, Portugese community. See Section VI.C.3.

More than 30 years after the crime, there still is no reliable information suggesting Raoul's last name, address, telephone number, nationality, appearance, friends, family, location, or any other identifying characteristics. The total lack of evidence as to Raoul's existence is telling in light of the fact that Ray's defenders, official investigations, and others have vigorously searched for him for more than 30 years. The dearth of evidence is also significant since Ray often claimed that he was repeatedly with Raoul in various places, cities, and countries, and many of Ray's associations unrelated to the assassination have been verified. See Section VI.D.

Because the uncorroborated allegations regarding Raoul originated with James Earl Ray, we ultimately considered Ray's statements about him. Ray's accounts detailing his activities with Raoul related to the assassination are not only self-serving, but confused and contradictory, especially when compared to his accounts of activities unrelated to the assassination. Thus, Ray's statements suggest that Raoul is simply Ray's creation. See Section VI.E.

For these reasons, we have concluded there is no reliable evidence that a Raoul participated in the assassination.

D. Findings Regarding The King v. Jowers Conspiracy Allegations

King v. Jowers was a civil lawsuit in a Tennessee state court brought by King family members against Loyd Jowers for the wrongful death of Dr. King. The trial concluded in December 1999. The jury adopted a verdict offered by the parties finding that Jowers and "others, including government agencies" participated in a conspiracy to assassinate Dr. King. The trial featured some, but not all, of the information already considered by our investigation. Significant evidence from the historical record and our original investigation that undermines the credibility of Jowers' allegations was not presented. Nothing offered during the trial alters our conclusion regarding Jowers' or Wilson's allegations.⁽²⁾

The trial also featured a substantial amount of hearsay evidence purporting to support the existence of various far-ranging, government-directed conspiracies to kill Dr. King. Witness testimony and writings related secondhand or thirdhand accounts of unrelated, and in some cases, contradictory conspiracy claims. For example, an unidentified person who did not testify alleged in an out-of-court deposition, which was read to the jury, that he participated in a conspiracy to assassinate Dr. King initiated by the President and Vice President of the United States and the head of the AFL/CIO labor union. Unrelated to that claim, the notes of an interview of an unidentified source, which were written by a journalist who did not testify, purported to document a claim that a military team was conducting surveillance of Dr. King and actually photographed the assassination.

Significantly, no eyewitness testimony or tangible evidence directly supported any of the conflicting allegations of a government-directed conspiracy. The only relevant non-hearsay eyewitness accounts presented at the trial suggest nothing more than the possibility that Dr. King, like other civil rights activists who were the subjects of government surveillance in the 1960s, may have been watched by military personnel around the time of the assassination. However, we found nothing to indicate that surveillance at any time had any connection with the assassination.

Critical analysis of the hearsay allegations in light of significant information that was not introduced at the trial demonstrates that the none of the conspiracy claims are credible. No evidence corroborated the various allegations and other information contradicted them. For instance, in the case of the interview notes of a source claiming that his military surveillance team witnessed and photographed the assassination, we found nothing to substantiate the allegation but, rather, information to contradict it. The journalist who wrote the notes also told us that he did not credit the source or his story. See Section VII.B.3.d.

Other evidence introduced in King v. Jowers suggested the existence of yet another conspiracy apparently unrelated to the alleged government-directed conspiracies. In this regard, witnesses testified offering observations and hearsay accounts implying that two African American ministers associated with Dr. King were part of a plot to kill him.

The allegations against the African American ministers are far-fetched and unpersuasive. Additionally, we found no information during our investigation of the Jowers and Wilson allegations or our review of the historical record to substantiate these claims, while significant information, not introduced at the trial, contradicts them. See Section VII.C.

In sum, the evidence admitted in King v. Jowers to support the various conspiracy claims consisted of inaccurate and incomplete information or unsubstantiated conjecture, supplied most often by sources, many unnamed, who did not testify. Because of the absence of any reliable evidence to substantiate the trial's claims of a conspiracy to assassinate Dr. King involving the federal government, Dr. King's associates, Raoul, or anyone else, further investigation is not warranted.

E. Findings Of Earlier Official Investigations
Our findings are consistent with the conclusions reached by prior official investigations. A 1977 Department of Justice Task Force found "no evidence of the complicity of the Memphis Police Department or the FBI" in the assassination of Dr. King. It also concluded that Ray's assertions that someone else shot Dr. King were "so patently self-serving and so varied as to be wholly unbelievable." In 1979, a congressional investigation by the House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) arrived at similar conclusions, additionally finding that one or both of James Earl Ray's brothers might have been his accomplices and that two racist St. Louis businessmen, who were dead by the time the HSCA probe began, may have put up a bounty for Dr. King's murder.

In 1998, the Shelby County, Tennessee District Attorney General completed a four-year investigation of the early versions of Jowers' allegations and concluded that "there is no credible evidence that implicates Loyd Jowers for the murder" of Dr. King. That investigation further determined that the Raul from New York, whose photograph was identified by Jowers, Ray, and others, was not connected to the assassination. Earlier, in 1997, a Shelby County Grand Jury also concluded that there was no credible evidence to justify investigation of any of Jowers' claims.

NOAA's National Weather Service SPC Tornado/Severe Thunderstorm Watches Update

NOAA's National Weather Service SPC Tornado/Severe Thunderstorm Watches Update

REMEMBERING DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

August 28th, 2012 Posted by Tracy Russo

Remembering Dr. King's Dream

The following post appears courtesy of Tom Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.

Forty-nine years ago today, hundreds of thousands of Americans gathered in National Mall for the March on Washington. United and unrelenting, they called on our nation to live up to its fundamental ideals of limitless opportunity and of liberty and equality for all.

In the shadow of the Lincoln Memorial, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. shared his "Dream" of a more just, more free, and more perfect union. His presence showcased the difference that a single individual can make. His vision stirred Americans of all ages, races, and backgrounds into action. And his speech established the creed that guided those committed to the cause of justice and equality.

Dr. King declared:
"Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy . . . now is the time to make justice a reality for all God’s children."
　 Those words were true in 1963, and they remain just as true today. So as we join to remember the immense sacrifice front line generals like Dr. King made in the face of bigotry and violence, we are also presented with an important opportunity to rededicate ourselves to their noble cause and to forge ahead.

In the nearly five decades since the March, there is no question that America has made great strides on freedom’s trail. There’s no doubt that if Dr. King were here with us today, he would feel a great sense of accomplishment at the steps we have taken toward his fulfilling his vision of racial, social, and economic justice.

Last week, U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance and I announced the formation of the new Civil Rights Enforcement Unit in the Northern District of Alabama. There, I spoke of how the new unit will enhance the ability of the U.S. Attorney to carry on Dr. King’s legacy. Steps away from where we spoke, in the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, stood a replica of the jail cell where Dr. King wrote his letter from Birmingham nearly half a century ago. It was a powerful reminder of all we carry forward.

It was also a reminder of how far we have left to travel. If Dr. King were here today, I have no doubt that he would be leading efforts across the country to combat violence against Sikhs, Muslims, and other religious minorities. He would continue to fight for equal education opportunity for all students. He would continue efforts to ensure that all eligible Americans have the right to vote, the most fundamental and powerful right in our democracy.

Living in Dr. King’s legacy, we take very seriously our responsibility to enforce civil rights laws in a wide array of contexts. We continue to prosecute hate crimes, expand educational opportunities, ensure workplace fairness, and address longstanding and emerging civil rights challenges. And we continue to review state voting laws carefully and independently to ensure that every eligible voter can take part in the democratic process. That is why we have taken vigorous steps to defend citizens’ voting rights by enforcing laws that protect servicemembers and overseas citizens’ right to vote; that make sure no citizen is excluded from the electoral process because of language barriers; that increase the number of eligible citizens who register to vote, and that ensure accurate registration lists; and that require non-discrimination on the basis of race when setting voting rules and drawing district lines.

In short, Dr. King would not rest. He would be the first to remind us that there is still more to do, because for so many of our neighbors, true equal opportunity and true equal justice remain just out of reach.

As the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, it is my privilege and duty to continue Dr. King’s journey to fight such injustice. And despite the challenges before us, I am proud to report that under this Administration, the critical work of the Civil Rights Division – to expand opportunity for all people, to safeguard the fundamental infrastructure of our democracy, and to protect the most vulnerable among us – has never been stronger.

The unfinished struggle for equal opportunity and justice is one in which we all have a part. Today, we remember the legacy of the heroes of the civil rights movement together, and Dr. King’s dream serves as our most powerful guidepost. The best tribute we can pay to those heroes is to continue protecting all they achieved, to aggressively and fairly enforce our all of our nation’s civil rights laws, and, as Dr. King said forty-nine years ago today, to "always march ahead."

THE MARINES: WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Marine Corps Pvt. Zachery T. Douthitt at Camp Pendleton, Calif., Aug.14, 2012. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Walter Marino III.


Marine Recruit Strives for Leadership Role
By Marine Corps Cpl. Walter Marino III
Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego SAN DIEGO, Aug. 24, 2012 - Most everyone sets goals for their lives. Marine recruits are no different, and many enter training hoping to earn a leadership position. However, goals sometimes take more time to achieve than expected and for one recruit, it took most of boot camp to get within reach of a leadership billet.
 Throughout recruit training, Marine Corps Pvt. Zachery T. Douthitt, Platoon 3242, Lima Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, strived to be a squad leader or guide. Unfortunately, it wasn't until the later stages of training that his drill instructors noticed his upstanding character.  "He's been a good recruit this whole cycle," said Sgt. Alanser Uruo, the platoon's senior drill instructor. "He always puts out in all the events, whether it's physically training, drill or guided discussions."
 Out of a platoon of 60 recruits, only four are selected as squad leaders and one as platoon guide.
 At 5 feet 4 inches, Douthitt, a 20-year-old native of Muncie, Ind., is one of the smaller recruits in his platoon. He also has a calm demeanor and is soft spoken. While that didn't make him a bad recruit, it did make it harder for him to get noticed.
 "I always tried to show leadership characteristics," said Douthitt. "I don't know why I wasn't picked. I hope to get recognized after boot camp to show I did give everything I have."
 Uruo said that it's possible for Douthitt to pick up a leadership role in the Corps if he does three things: "All he has to do is stand out, be more vocal [and] take more initiative."
 Although Douthitt was a good recruit, Uruo said, it took until the second and third phase of recruit training to notice his outstanding positive and humble character.
 "If I wanted to know how the platoon was doing, I would ask him. That's how much confidence I have in him," said Uruo. "The way he presents himself, his mannerisms, motivates other recruits. He has really good character and is a humble recruit."
 As the weeks passed in training, Uruo said Douthitt's positivity and motivation became obvious, particularly when he would consistently provide input during recruit classes and direct fellow recruits to improve.
 However, Uruo said, by that time it was too late in the game to switch up the leadership roster.
 Fellow recruits called Douthitt a positive light and someone who always helped others during stressful times.
　
"He would help me when I was struggling," said Pvt. Justin E. Duncan, one of Douthitt's platoon mates. "I remember telling him that I didn't know what I was doing here and he told me basically to keep my eyes on the prize of becoming a Marine."
 Although Douthitt did not reach his goal of holding a leadership billet in recruit training, he said it hasn't discouraged him from continuing to excel. Douthitt believes he can earn it during his time in the Marine Corps.
 "He's been that positive person that people have looked up to," said Duncan. "Yeah he's not a squad leader now but if he continues the way he is there is no doubt in my mind he's going to accomplish big things."
 Douthitt said that not being picked as squad leader didn't affect him; it instead drove him to try harder to help others and to be someone to look up to.
 "I'm not going to let my efforts stop here in boot camp," said Douthitt. "I'm going to keep trying to do my best."
 Douthitt is the son and brother of former Marines, and, he said, he plans on passing on to his kids the values of honor and courage he learned in recruit training.

Astronauti alla ricerca di vita sotterranea in Sardegna

Astronauti alla ricerca di vita sotterranea in Sardegna

ISAF NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN

Photo Credit:  U.S. Navy
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Combined Force Arrests Taliban Weapons Supplier
From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release

KABUL, Afghanistan, Aug. 29, 2012 - An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban weapons supplier during an operation in the Andar district of Afghanistan's Ghazni province today, military officials reported.

The weapons supplier provided Taliban leaders in Ghazni with improvised explosive devices, other weapons and ammunition, officials said.

The security force also detained two additional suspected insurgents during the operation.

Also today, a combined force arrested a Taliban leader and detained two other suspects in the Kandahar district of Kandahar province. The Taliban leader distributed weapons and explosives to Taliban fighters. He also is suspected of being involved in planning the assassination of an Afghan government official in Kandahar.

In an operation yesterday in the Lashkar Gah district of Helmand province, a combined force found mortar rounds, two IEDs, bomb-making equipment, and 7,716 pounds of ammonium nitrate, a compound used to produce homemade explosives.

TWO MILLION GALLONS OF RETARDANT DROPPED FOR FIRE SEASON

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSEA Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System-equipped C-130 drops retardant on a section of the Waldo Canyon fire near Colorado Springs, Colo., June 26, 2012. Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard MAFFS-equipped C-130s have exceeded 2 million gallons of fire retardant dropped during the 2012 wildfire season. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Thomas J. Doscher

 C-130 Firefighting Effort Reaches Milestone

By Ann Skarban
302nd Airlift Wing
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo., Aug. 28, 2012 - Defense Department Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System-equipped C-130s reached a major mission milestone Aug. 24 by dropping the 2 millionth gallon of retardant for the season.

MAFFS 5, assigned to the Air Force Reserve Command's 302nd Airlift Wing here, dropped the record-breaking gallon during its third sortie of the day battling the Halstead fire north of Stanley, Idaho.

The same day, the 1 Wyoming Air National Guard's 53rd Airlift Wing also provided aerial firefighting support to the Halstead fire, and additional MAFFS-equipped C-130s flew in support of firefighting efforts in California and Oregon.

Leaders of the 153rd Air Expeditionary Group in Boise, Idaho, said this season has become the third-highest in MAFFS history for gallons dropped, surpassed only by 1994 and 2000, when about 5 million gallons and 2.1 million gallons, respectively, were dropped.

"This has been an extremely challenging year, with several large fires and severe drought conditions," said Air Force Col. Jerry Champlin, 153rd Air Expeditionary Group commander. "Our MAFFS aircrews and aircraft maintainers have been working long hours every day to help with the initial attack and suppression of several wildland fires throughout the Western region of the country."

MAFFS-equipped C-130s have been activated since June 25, when they were requested by the U.S. Forest Service for assistance in the Rocky Mountain area. Their first missions included fire suppression support for the costliest fire in Colorado's history.

Throughout the 2012 season, MAFFS C-130s have been flying out of a number of tanker base locations, moving MAFFS operations closer to the fires as needed. Tanker bases in 2012 included locations in Colorado, Wyoming, Nevada, Idaho, California, Montana and Oregon.

This year, MAFFS has supported firefighting efforts in California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

"The Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve MAFFS aircrews and support personnel have been extremely flexible, responding to short-notice changes to the MAFFS mission including tanker base relocations throughout this year," Champlin said. Through Aug. 27, the MAFFS fleet had released more than 2,152,603 gallons of fire retardant during 899 drops on fires in 10 states.

MAFFS is a joint DOD and U.S. Forest Service program designed to provide additional aerial firefighting resources when commercial and private air tankers are no longer able to meet the needs of the forest service. The system can discharge 3,000 gallons of water or fire retardant in less than five seconds, covering an area one-quarter of a mile long by 100 feet wide. Once the load is discharged, it can be refilled in less than 12 minutes.

The MAFFS-equipped C-130s are operated by four military units: the 153rd Airlift Wing, Wyoming Air National Guard; 146th Airlift Wing, California Air National Guard; 145th Airlift Wing, North Carolina Air National Guard; and the 302nd Airlift Wing, U.S. Air Force Reserve Command.

This is the first year since 2008 that all four MAFFS wings have been activated simultaneously, officials said.

FDIC-INSURED BANKS EARN $34.5 BILLION IN SECOND QUARTER

 FROM: FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION
FDIC-Insured Institutions Earned $34.5 Billion in The Second Quarter of 2012
Loan Balances Increased by $102 Billion

Commercial banks and savings institutions insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) reported aggregate net income of $34.5 billion in the second quarter of 2012, a $5.9 billion improvement from the $28.5 billion in profits the industry reported in the second quarter of 2011. This is the 12th consecutive quarter that earnings have registered a year-over-year increase. Lower provisions for loan losses and higher gains on sales of loans and other assets accounted for most of the year-over-year improvement in earnings. Also noteworthy was an increase in loan balances for the fourth time in the last five quarters.

"The banking industry continued to make gradual but steady progress toward recovery in the second quarter," FDIC Acting Chairman Martin J. Gruenberg said. "Levels of troubled assets and troubled institutions remain high, but they are continuing to improve. After declining in the first quarter, loan balances once again expanded in the second quarter — extending a positive trend that began in 2011. Most institutions are profitable and are improving their profitability. All of these trends are consistent with the moderate pace of economic growth that has occurred over the past year."

Almost two-thirds of all institutions (62.7 percent) reported improvements in their quarterly net income from a year ago. Also, the share of institutions reporting net losses for the quarter fell to 10.9 percent from 15.7 percent a year earlier. The average return on assets (ROA), a basic yardstick of profitability, rose to 0.99 percent from 0.85 percent a year ago.

Second-quarter loss provisions totaled $14.2 billion, more than 26 percent less than the $19.2 billion that insured institutions set aside for losses in the second quarter of 2011. Net operating revenue (net interest income plus total noninterest income) totaled $165.4 billion, an increase of $1.3 billion (0.8 percent) from a year earlier, as gains from loan sales rose by $3.0 billion. In addition to the increase in net operating revenue, realized gains on investment securities and other assets were $1.7 billion higher than in the second quarter of 2011.

Asset quality indicators continued to improve as insured banks and thrifts charged off $20.5 billion in uncollectible loans during the quarter, down $8.4 billion (29.1 percent) from a year earlier. The amount of noncurrent loans and leases (those 90 days or more past due or in nonaccrual status) fell for a ninth consecutive quarter, and the percentage of loans and leases that were noncurrent declined to the lowest level in more than three years (since the first quarter of 2009).

Financial results for the second quarter of 2012 are contained in the FDIC's latest Quarterly Banking Profile, which was released today. Also among the findings:

Total loan balances increased. Loan balances posted their fourth quarterly increase in the last five quarters, rising by $102 billion (1.4 percent). Loans to commercial and industrial borrowers increased by $48.9 billion (3.6 percent), while residential mortgages rose by $16.6 billion (0.9 percent) and credit card balances grew by $14.7 billion (2.3 percent). However, balances of real estate construction and development loans fell by $10.9 billion (4.8 percent), and home equity lines of credit declined by $10.2 billion (1.7 percent). "This quarter's return to loan growth is an encouraging development, but we will have to wait and see if the trend toward increased lending can be sustained," Acting Chairman Gruenberg said.

The flow of money into deposit accounts continued to slow. Total deposits increased by $61.6 billion in the second quarter, after rising by $74.7 billion in the first quarter and $186 billion in the fourth quarter of 2011. Deposits in domestic offices increased by $88.1 billion, while deposits in foreign offices declined by $26.5 billion. The amount of deposits exceeding $250,000 in noninterest-bearing transaction accounts, which have temporary unlimited coverage under the Dodd-Frank Act, increased by $65.7 billion in the second quarter after declining by $85.8 billion the previous quarter.

The number of "problem" institutions fell for the fifth quarter in a row. The number of "problem" institutions declined from 772 to 732. This is the smallest number of "problem" banks since year-end 2009. Total assets of "problem" institutions declined from $292 billion to $282 billion. Fifteen insured institutions failed during the second quarter. This is the smallest number of failures in a quarter since the fourth quarter of 2008, when there were 12. Another nine banks have failed so far in the third quarter, bringing the total for the year to date to 40. At this point last year, there had been 68 failures.

The Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) balance continued to increase. The unaudited DIF balance — the net worth of the fund — rose to $22.7 billion at June 30 from $15.3 billion at the end of March. The increase included $4.0 billion previously set aside for debt guarantees under the FDIC's Temporary Liquidity Guarantee Program. Assessment revenue and fewer expected bank failures also continued to drive growth in the fund balance. The contingent loss reserve, which covers the costs of expected failures, fell from $5.3 billion to $4.0 billion during the quarter. Estimated insured deposits grew 0.7 percent in the second quarter.

U.S. DROUGHT ASSESSMENT AS OF MID-AUGUST 2012

 

FROM:  U.S.  NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE

Latest Seasonal Assessment -

Drought covered over 60 percent of the contiguous 48 states as of mid-August 2012, although significant expansion finally halted during the last couple of weeks. Still, almost one-quarter of the country was experiencing extreme to exceptional drought (D3 – D4 on the Drought Monitor), primarily in a large swath generally extending from the central Rockies eastward through the Mississippi and Ohio River Valleys. Many locations from Indiana, the western reaches of Tennessee and Kentucky, and Arkansas westward through parts of Iowa, central Kansas, and eastern Oklahoma received 8 to 12 inches less precipitation than normal April 1 – August 14, 2012, with a few areas reporting deficits exceeding one foot. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 51 percent of the corn crop was in poor or very poor condition across the 18 primary corn-producing states, as was 48 percent of sorghum (11 primary producing states) and 38 percent of soybeans (18 states). For the contiguous 48 states as a whole, 59 percent of pastures and rangelands were in poor or very poor condition, with 4 states reporting more than 90 percent of their pastures and rangelands in poor or very poor condition (Missouri 98 percent, Illinois 94 percent, Nebraska 92 percent, Kansas 90 percent) and another 6 states topping 85 percent. The Drought Outlook valid through the end of November 2012 indicates drought conditions will remain essentially unchanged in large sections of the central Mississippi Valley, the central and southwestern Great Plains, most of the High Plains, the central Rockies, the Great Basin, and parts of the Far West, though the seasonal declines in temperatures, evaporative moisture loss, and water demand should preclude any widespread worsening of conditions. At least some improvement is forecast for much of the central Rockies, the Southwest, the southern Great Plains, the Ohio Valley, the Great Lakes region, the upper Midwest, and the eastern tier of states. In Hawaii, the odds favor cooler- and drier-than-normal conditions through the rest of the year as a whole, which should cause drought to persist and expand through most of the state except for eastern sections of the Big Island. The developing El Niño episode, expected to last through the winter, could begin to bring above-normal precipitation to parts of the southern and eastern states late in the period.

RECENT U.S. NAVY PHOTOS

FROM: U.S. NAVY
Sailors perform routine maintenance on tomahawk cruise missile launchers aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS James E. Williams (DDG 95). James E. Williams is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions for Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Daniel Meshel (Released) 120823-N-NL401-011

120827-N-KA046-348 NORFOLK (Aug. 27, 2012) A "Hellfire" air-ground-missile 114K launches from an MH-60 Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to Helicopter Combat Squadron (HSC) 28 during a training exercise. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class James R. Turner/Released

AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY BEING SUPPORTED BY LARGE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT PURCHASES

Photo Credit:  USDA.
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

DLA Orders Six-month Meat Supply to Aid Industry
From a Defense Logistics Agency News Release

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 28, 2012 - At the direction of the president, the Defense Logistics Agency is procuring a six-month meat supply for its Defense Department customers to provide relief to the drought-stricken agriculture industry.

The DLA Troop Support Subsistence supply chain is asking its top three prime vendors to purchase, store and distribute beef, pork, lamb, chicken and catfish items, said Tom Daley, deputy director. He estimated the purchases will amount to more than $100 million.

In 2011, DLA Troop Support Subsistence provided 95 million pounds of beef, 68 million pounds of pork, 500,000 pounds of lamb, 55 million pounds of chicken and 2 million pounds of catfish to the U.S. military services and other DOD agencies all over the world.

"Dining facility menus will not be affected by this purchase," Daley said. "A soldier ... in Afghanistan won't notice anything different when eating a grilled cheeseburger or baked chicken. The warfighter will continue to receive healthy, wholesome and nutritious meals."

DLA Troop Support Subsistence officials are negotiating with prime vendors on additional storage and distribution fees, estimated to be between $2.4 million and $3.3 million. As they do for all food products, the prime vendors will store the additional meat, which will be frozen to maximize shelf life.

Purchases will be based on forecast demand. The organization also is working with the suppliers to identify the specific meat items to purchase.

"We are focusing on high-demand items with long shelf life and items that will make an immediate impact on the industry," Daley said.

DLA Troop Support Subsistence is working with the Joint Subsistence Policy Board to keep the military services informed as it finalizes purchase details. Officials also are working with the board, made up of service food advisors, to determine standardized meat pack sizes and other details.

One of five DLA Troop Support supply chains, Subsistence ensures that service members and other DOD customers around the world have high-quality, nutritious meals daily.

As a Defense Department combat support agency, DLA provides the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, other federal agencies, and joint and allied forces with a variety of logistics, acquisition and technical services. The agency sources and provides nearly 100 percent of the consumable items America's military forces need to operate -- from food, fuel and energy to uniforms, medical supplies, and construction and barrier equipment. DLA also supplies more than 80 percent of the military's spare parts.

Headquartered at Fort Belvoir, Va., DLA has about 27,000 employees worldwide and supports more than 2,210 weapon systems.

NORAD WATCHING OVER REPUBLICAN CONVENTION

Photo Credit:  U.S. Air Force.
FROM: NORTH AMERICAN AEROSPACE DEFENSE COMMAND


Law Enforcement, Public Safety Agencies Announce Security Restrictions, Transportation Plan for 2012 Republican, Democratic National Conventions
Aug. 16, 2012
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. - The U.S. Secret Service released the security restrictions and transportation plans for the 2012 Republican and Democratic National Conventions.

Security and transportation plans for the conventions have been developed by a partnership of local, state and federal law enforcement and public safety agencies. These plans provide the general outlines for road closures, vehicular restricted zones, public transportation, charter vehicles and pedestrian routes.

The 2012 Republican National Convention (RNC) will be held in Tampa, Florida from August 26-30, 2012. The 2012 Democratic National Convention (DNC) will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina from September 4-6, 2012. Both events have been designated as National Special Security Events by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

TWO CONVICTED FOR ATTEMPT TO SCAM A WEALTHY INVESTOR OUT OF $1 BILLION

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Two Investment Advisors Convicted in California of High Yield Investment Fraud

WASHINGTON – William J. Ferry, a former stock broker and investment advisor, and Dennis J. Clinton, a former real estate investment manager, were found guilty by a federal jury in Santa Ana, Calif., today for their roles in a conspiracy to defraud a wealthy investor of $1 billion in a high-yield investment fraud scheme, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. The investor was, in reality, part of an undercover FBI team that posed as wealthy investors and investment managers in an effort to stop fraudsters before they actually harmed victims.

"Mr. Ferry and Mr. Clinton tried to dupe undercover agents into believing their high-yield investment program would earn them extremely high rates of return," said Assistant Attorney General Breuer. "In fact, Ferry and Clinton were conspiring to steal their money, along with the money of trusting investors. Undercover operations are an integral part of our efforts to stop financial fraudsters before they wipe out the life savings of innocent victims. Based on today’s verdict, the defendants will now pay a heavy price for their conduct."

Ferry, 70, of Newport Beach , Calif., and Clinton, 64, of San Diego, were each found guilty in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California of one count of conspiracy, two counts of mail fraud and six counts of wire fraud. They face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each fraud count. They will be sentenced on Feb. 1, 2013.

Paul R. Martin, a former senior vice president and managing director of Bankers Trust, was found guilty in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California for his role in the scheme in a separate trial on Aug. 3, 2012. Martin, 63, of New Jersey, was convicted of one count of conspiracy, two counts of mail fraud and six counts of wire fraud. At sentencing, scheduled for Feb. 1, 2013, Martin faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each fraud count.

On Aug. 21, 2008, Ferry, Clinton and Martin were indicted along with Oregon resident John Brent Leiske, Canadian citizen and resident Alex Chelak, Iowa resident Richard Arthur Pundt, California resident Brad Keith Lee and Florida resident Ronald J. Nolte.

Evidence at trial established that, from February to December 2006, Ferry, Clinton, Martin and others conspired to promote a high-yield investment fraud scheme promising an extremely high return at little or no risk to principal. The defendants claimed that their high-yield investment program (HYIP) was a "Fed trade program" regulated by the "Fed" (Federal Reserve Bank), that they had to follow strict Fed guidelines, and that a Fed trade administrator administered their program, with compliance duties handled by a Fed compliance officer.

Investors also were told that once they had passed compliance, they would become registered in Washington, D.C., with the Fed. The defendants falsely represented to FBI undercover agents that they would arrange for them to meet a Federal Reserve official and/or the chairman of the board of a major U.S. bank to confirm the existence of the defendants’ HYIP. The defendants falsely claimed that these Fed investment programs existed primarily to generate funds for project funding and humanitarian purposes, such as Hurricane Katrina relief. They further falsely claimed that the promised profits from investing in a Fed program had to be divided, in equal amounts, with one portion going for some humanitarian purpose, another portion for some kind of project financing, and the remainder to the investor. The defendants represented to the undercover agents that the agents’ offshore bank account would be managed by a Swiss banker who was already managing billions of dollars for the defendants. In the scheme: Ferry acted as an underwriter and member of the compliance team; Martin acted as a banking expert; Clinton acted as a troubleshooter during the compliance phase and transfer of funds to the Swiss banker; Lee acted as the contact with the Swiss banker; and Leiske acted as the trader. Chelak is charged with having acted as a compliance officer.

On April 13, 2009, Lee pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. On Jan. 11, 2010, he was sentenced to 24 months in prison.

Leiske’s case was transferred to the District of Oregon, where he pleaded guilty to all counts on Jan. 24, 2012. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 19, 2012.

Nolte was acquitted today of all charges by a jury in the Central District of California. In August 2010, charges against Pundt were dismissed by the government.

Chelak remains a fugitive.

This continuing investigation is being conducted by the FBI. This case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney David Bybee and Trial Attorney Fred Medick of the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.

GSA SAYS IT SAVED OVER $11 MILLION WITH TRAVEL AND CONFERENCE REFORMS

FROM: GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

GSA Saves More Than $11 Million in Initial Travel and Conference Reforms

August 27, 2012

WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. General Services Administration announced that the agency is projected to save more than $11 million in taxpayer dollars through an initial set of policies implemented in April 2012 by the new head of the agency, Dan Tangherlini, to cut travel and conference costs. A financial audit showed that since April 2012 and through the rest of the fiscal year, more than $11 million has been saved in meetings, conferences, trainings and travel costs. This is just one step in the ongoing top to bottom review of all agency operations.

"Four months ago we began a rigorous top to bottom review of all agency operations. We've made significant cuts in travel and conference spending and these savings are just the beginning," said GSA Acting Administrator Tangherlini. "We are deepening our commitment to promoting efficiency, driving steeper bargains, delivering better value, and creating greater opportunities for savings here at GSA and across the government."

To date, GSA has cancelled 47 conferences and implemented strong oversight to ensure that all travel and events are limited to necessary and essential functions. Tangherlini has consolidated oversight of conference and travel expenses in the new Office of Administrative Services.

Recently, Tangherlini also cut $500,000 in executive bonuses and instituted a hiring freeze across the agency through the end of the fiscal year while his review of all agency operations is underway.

The new leadership at GSA will continue to make changes to make the agency more accountable, transparent, and efficient as part of the ongoing top to bottom review.

ISAF NEWS FOR AUGUST 27, 2012

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Several Key Taliban Leaders Killed, Captured

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

KABUL , Aug. 27, 2012 - The National Directorate of Security and coalition forces has confirmed that the mid-level Taliban leader, Haji Padcha, was one of several insurgents detained during an operation in Kandahar province's Spin Boldak district Aug. 23. Padcha was a weapons facilitator responsible for supplying insurgents with the rockets used in numerous attacks against Kandahar Airfield.

-- A combined force detained several suspected Taliban insurgents in Logar province's Pul-e 'Alam district yesterday. The detained individuals are suspected of being involved in an Aug. 25 attack against an Afghan and coalition installation in Logar province. During the operation, the security force also seized ammunition and military-related equipment.

In Aug. 25 operations:

-- Afghan and coalition officials confirmed that the Tehrik-i Taliban leader Maulawi Dadullah was one of several insurgents killed in a precision airstrike in Kunar province's Shigal wa Sheltan district Aug. 24.

Dadullah, also known as Jamal, was responsible for the movement of fighters and weapons, as well as attacks against Afghan and coalition forces, the officials said.

Dadullah's deputy, Shakir, was also killed in the airstrike.

After the strike, a combined force conducted a post-strike assessment and determined no civilians had been injured and no civilian property had been damaged.

-- Several armed insurgents were killed by a precision airstrike during an operation conducted by a combined force in Kunar province's Marawarah district Aug. 25.

A post-strike assessment determined no civilians had been injured and no property had been damaged.

-- The Zabul Provincial Response Company, supported by coalition troops, was attacked by insurgents Aug. 25 during a search operation in Zabul province's Shah Joy district. The Afghan-led security force engaged the attackers, killing three of them. After the engagement, the security force seized 176 pounds of homemade explosives, three motorcycles, ammunition and a number of weapons.

-- Afghan and coalition officials confirmed Aug. 25 that a Taliban weapons dealer was one of several insurgents detained during an operation in Helmand province's Now Zad district Aug. 22. The weapons dealer was responsible for acquiring weapons and ammunition for Taliban fighters in Marjah and Washer districts. He also directed and led attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

-- Afghan and coalition officials confirmed Aug. 25 that a Haqqani facilitator was one of several insurgents detained during an operation in Khost district, Khost province, Aug. 19. The Haqqani facilitator planed and coordinated complex attacks against Afghan and coalition forces in Sabari and Khost districts. At the time of his detention, the facilitator was coordinating the shipment of weapons to insurgents for future attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

-- A combined force arrested a senior Taliban financier in Kandahar province's Kandahar district Aug. 25. The financier oversaw the financial operations for Taliban insurgents and purchased weapons and ammunition for Taliban attacks in the area.