STATE OF ALASKA
OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY SERVICES SITUATION REPORT 03-261 (as of 11:00 AM September 18, 2003) Homeland Security Advisory System – National Level: Yellow-Elevated U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Homeland Security Advisory System – Alaska Level: Yellow-Elevated Alaska Division of Homeland Security
State Emergency Coordination Center Preparedness Level: 2-Heightened Sense of Awareness Alaska Division of Emergency Services
Current Internet Threat Level: 2-Increased Vigilance Internet Security Systems
State of Alaska Situation Military installations are at FPCON A in Alaska. There is no specific threat to the State or its infrastructure. State Emergency Coordination Center (SECC) Operations: To reach the SECC dial (907) 428-7100 or 1-888-462-7100, 24 hours per day. The Division of Emergency Services has a web site available for information on emergency topics at http://www.ak-prepared.com. The Division of Homeland Security has a web site available for information at http://www.ak-prepared.com/homelandsecurity/. National Situation · Two brothers face at least eight years in federal prison after pleading guilty today to charges of conspiring to help al-Qaeda and the Taliban during the war in Afghanistan. Ahmed Bilal, 25, and his brother, Muhammad Bilal, 23, both among the suspects collectively known as the “Portland Seven,” appeared before a U.S. district court to formally enter their pleas after the agreement was announced Wednesday. The brothers also pleaded guilty to firearms charges in exchange for dismissing the main charge of conspiracy to levy war against the United States. Both had been accused of traveling with four other men to China shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack in a failed attempt to enter Afghanistan and fight with the Taliban against U.S. forces. Ahmed Bilal agreed to a term of 10 to 14 years while his younger brother agreed to eight to 14 years, pending sentencing. More... · President Bush said Wednesday there was no evidence that Saddam Hussein was involved in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 -- disputing an idea held by many Americans. "There's no question that Saddam Hussein had al-Qaeda ties," the President said. But he also said "We have no evidence that Saddam Hussein was involved with the September 11" attacks. More... · Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge on Tuesday launched a new initiative designed to engage citizens in homeland security efforts. "Citizen participation is an important spoke in the wheel of homeland security," he said of the partnership with the Council for Excellence in Government to host a series of town-hall meetings with local and state officials, "first responders" to emergencies and citizen groups. The first meeting will occur Oct. 8 in St. Louis, followed by meetings in Miami, Rochester, N.Y., California, Kentucky, Texas and Washington State. Calling the meetings an opportunity to gauge citizens' concerns, Ridge said he believes citizens are asking the same two questions he asks himself: "Is everything being done to protect my family?" and "How can I help?" Answering those two questions will help the department protect and engage citizens, he said. More... International Situation · Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat and top Palestinian officials met Thursday to discuss the prospects of reinstituting a cease-fire with militant groups and the killing by Israel of a Hamas member in a Gaza refugee camp. Arafat told Israeli media Wednesday that efforts to reinstitute a cease-fire with militant groups are bearing fruit. A previous, self-imposed Palestinian cease-fire fell apart in August. More... · A court in Indonesia has sentenced Ali Imron to life in prison for his role in the Bali bombings last year. Imron could have been sentenced to death for his role in the Bali bombings, but prosecutors sought a 20-year term, saying he had expressed remorse for his actions. The panel of five judges instead handed down a life sentence today saying Imron "has been found guilty in a legal and convincing manner of terrorism." The 33-year-old Islamic boarding school teacher was accused of building one of the bombs used in last October's Bali nightclub bombings, which killed 202 people -- mostly Australian tourists. More... · Acting on a dramatic indictment of terror-related suspects, Spanish authorities arrested five people allegedly linked to al-Qaeda. An investigating magistrate issued a 700-page indictment Wednesday of 35 people, including al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Eight have been linked to the September 11, 2001, terror attacks. The five who were arrested today were listed in the indictment. More... · Kenya's High Court charged a sixth man with murder today for a terrorist attack that killed at least 10 Kenyans and three Israeli tourists last November. It set the trial date for Oct. 27. The man was charged with 15 counts of murder for the Nov. 28 car bombing of the Paradise Hotel on Kenya's Indian Ocean coast. There are conflicting accounts of the number of deaths in the attack. He pleaded innocent to the charges. He was picked up for questioning by police on Aug. 1 in the port town of Mombassa, but was not produced in court until today. Five other Kenyans were charged in June and July with 15 counts of murder for the same attack on the hotel popular with Israelis. More... Significant Dates Sep 18, 1810 Chile: Independence Day.
Sep 19, 1980 Iran, Iraq: Iran-Iraq War Begins. Sep 19, 1989 Chad, Niger: UTA Flight 772 Bombed; UTA Flight 772 was bombed, killing all on board. The flight originated in Chad and crashed in Niger. Sep 20, 1984 Lebanon: Bombing of U.S. Embassy Annex; Fourteen people were killed and seventy were wounded when a van loaded with four hundred pounds of explosives drove past the checkpoint in front of the U.S. embassy annex in Awkar and exploded. The driver of the van was shot and killed by British security guards. Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the bombing in a call to the media. Sep 21, 570 Worldwide: Birth of Mohammed; Birth of the founder of Islam. Sep 21, 1985 Philippines: The Escalante Massacre; Demonstrators in Escalante, Negros Occidental, were forcibly dispersed by authorities, resulting in the deaths of twenty people. The incident subsequently was dubbed "The Escalante Massacre" by the anti-Marcos opposition. Sep 22, 1960 Mali: Independence Day. |