Wednesday, July 9, 2014

AG HOLDER URGES INTERNATIONAL EFFORT TO DEAL WITH FOREIGN FIGHTERS IN SYRIA

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT 
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
Attorney General Holder Urges International Effort to Confront Threat of Syrian Foreign Fighters
During Visit to Norway, Attorney General Outlines Law Enforcement Approaches to Countering Violent Extremism

In a speech Tuesday, Attorney General Eric Holder called Syria "a cradle of violent extremism" and urged multilateral law enforcement action to confront the security threat posed by radicalized individuals from the United States and Europe traveling there.

An estimated 7,000 foreign fighters, including dozens of Americans, have streamed into Syria to participate in the conflict there. These individuals can link up with violent extremist groups operating in the region and then seek to return to their home countries with training in how to carry out violence on a large scale. Attorney General Holder said the U.S. and its allies have a mutual interest in confronting this trend, observing that the ability of citizens of European nations to travel, visa-free, to the United States--and likewise, U.S. citizens' ability to freely visit Europe--means that "the problem of fighters in Syria returning to any of our countries is a problem for all of our countries."

Holder called for a four-part strategy to counter the threat. The approach includes enacting statutes that allow governments to prosecute planning activities undertaken by radicalized extremists seeking to aid terrorist groups. Holder also pointed to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's undercover operations as a successful method for identifying violent extremists and disrupting their plots. He also called for more information sharing among nations about travelers to Syria, and for expanded outreach to key communities in order to prevent individuals from becoming radicalized in the first place.

"In the face of a threat so grave, we cannot afford to be passive," Holder said. "Rather, we need the benefit of investigative and prosecutorial tools that allow us to be preemptive in our approach to confronting this problem. If we wait for our nations’ citizens to travel to Syria or Iraq, to become radicalized, and to return home, it may be too late to adequately protect our national security."

The Attorney General spoke in Oslo at the U.S. ambassador's residence. The remarks followed one-on-one meetings earlier Tuesday with both the Prime Minister of Norway and the country’s Minister of Justice. In 2013, Norway amended its laws to criminalize preparatory acts to terrorism, including training for terrorism, preparation for terrorism and participation in a terrorist organization. In addition, last month the Norwegian government announced a 30-point "Action Plan Against Radicalism and Violent Extremism" that focuses on civic engagement and detection of threats. Holder praised both steps in his remarks Tuesday and said the United States looked forward to continued cooperation with Norway on these matters.

Later this week, Attorney General Holder travels to London for the Sixth Annual Meeting of the Quintet of Attorney Generals from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The issue of Syrian foreign fighters is expected to be part of those discussions as well.

A copy of the Attorney General's remarks appears below.

Thank you for those kind words – and thank you all for such a warm welcome.  Ladies and gentlemen; distinguished guests; leaders and citizens – it is a pleasure to be in Norway.  And it’s a great privilege to be in the beautiful city of Oslo today.

I’d like to thank the Norwegian government – and especially Prime Minister [Erna] Solberg and Minister of Justice [Anders] Anundsen, with whom I met earlier today – for their hospitality.  I’d also like to recognize our Charge, Julie Furuta-Toy, and the hardworking men and women of the U.S. Embassy for bringing us together – and for all that they do, every day, to advance our shared interests.

It’s an honor to join them – and to stand with all of you – in strengthening the ties that bind our nations together; in discussing some of the most critical challenges the international community must confront; and in reaffirming our mutual commitment to the values we share, and the high ideals – of democracy, liberty, and equal justice under law – that have defined our nations’ friendship over the past two centuries.

That friendship, and those values, have deep roots.  Norwegian-Americans have played an important role in the development of our country.  And your citizens and values have had an impact around the world.  Two hundred years ago, Norway ratified a constitution that asserted certain essential and immutable rights.  Through centuries of triumph and challenge, our people and our governments have both been guided by a shared understanding that “all people are born free and equal.”

Today, Norway is a leader in extending worldwide the promise of equality and justice, through its own development work overseas, and through its support of international institutions.  And Norway leads global efforts to address urgent threats – most recently in Syria, where Norwegian and American personnel are working side-by-side to rid that country of chemical weapons.  Around the world, Norway is recognized as a champion of democracy and human rights.  And, for decades, you’ve been leading by example.

After all, as history teaches us – and as you’ve seen here in Norway and we in the United States – progress is not inevitable.  And our democratic values, our open societies – and our commitment to tolerance and inclusion – must be continuously protected against agents of intolerance, extremism, and hate.

Particularly when hatred and extremism take expression in acts of violence and terror, we must be resolute in our protection of equal rights, democracy, and the rule of law.  And we must be both innovative and aggressive in combating violent extremism in all its forms.

It was just three years ago this month that Norway endured devastating attacks on the government quarter of Oslo and a Workers’ Youth League summer camp – heinous acts that shocked citizens everywhere, and earned swift condemnation and sympathy from around the world – as President Obama stated, our hearts went out to you.  Horrific crimes like these are not only terrible tragedies for the individuals and the nations targeted; they test our fortitude and challenge the very foundations of who we are.  Yet Norway has not faltered or changed its values – and is an example for the world in this regard as well.

Like Norway, the United States is all too familiar with domestic threats, having suffered deadly attacks on our soil – including against government buildings, places of worship, and sporting events.  These attacks, like the attacks you suffered here in Norway, share a common theme:  they are attacks on tolerance, in the name of violent extremist ideologies.

Under the Obama Administration, while we have acted to protect our country and our allies, we have also redoubled our commitment to civil rights and to tolerance.  This is what violent extremists most fear, for their goal is to undermine open societies.  At the same time, we also have joined with our international partners to ensure that there is no impunity for those who seek to commit terrorist attacks.   Now, Norway, the United States, and countries around the world face a new threat – the possibility that violent extremists fighting today in Syria, Iraq, or other locations may seek to commit acts of terror tomorrow in our countries as well.

U.S. intelligence officials estimate that nearly 23,000 violent extremists are currently operating in Syria.  Among these are over 7,000 foreign fighters – among whom are dozens of Americans, a number that is growing.

We have a mutual and compelling interest in developing shared strategies for confronting the influx of U.S.- and European-born violent extremists into Syria.  And because our citizens can freely travel, visa-free, from the U.S. to Norway and other European states – and vice versa – the problem of fighters in Syria returning to any of our countries is a problem for all of our countries.

This is a global crisis in need of a global solution.  The Syrian conflict has turned that region into a cradle of violent extremism.  But the world cannot simply sit back and let it become a training ground from which our nationals can return and launch attacks.  And we will not.

In the face of a threat so grave, we cannot afford to be passive.  Rather, we need the benefit of investigative and prosecutorial tools that allow us to be preemptive in our approach to confronting this problem.  If we wait for our nations’ citizens to travel to Syria or Iraq, to become radicalized, and to return home, it may be too late to adequately protect our national security.

That’s why we need to adopt a multilateral four-pronged strategy to combat this threat, to counter violent extremism in all its forms, and to keep our citizens safe.

The first element of our united approach must be to ensure that there are laws in our systems that enable governments to properly police that threat.  In its Rabat Memorandum, the Global Counterterrorism Forum – a group of 30 countries from around the world, working in partnership with the UN – stated that “Criminalizing preparatory acts, such as conspiracy, terrorist fundraising, terrorist recruitment, planning and training, particularly when a terrorist attack has not yet been carried out, is vital in an effective criminal justice preventive approach to counterterrorism.”  In this regard, the U.S. relies on a statute that criminalizes the providing of “material support to terrorist organizations.”  Our material-support law, which was originally enacted in 1994 and amended after the attacks in New York on September 11, 2001, bars not only contributions of personnel, cash, weapons and other tangible aid to designated terrorist organizations, but also intangible means of support – such as training, service, and expert advice or assistance.  Similarly, in 2013, Norway amended its laws to criminalize preparatory acts to terrorism, including training for terrorism, preparation for terrorism and participation in a terrorist organization   Likewise, in 2012, France enacted a new statute that enables prosecutors to charge individuals with “criminal association with the intent to commit terrorist acts.”  Earlier this year, French authorities sentenced the nation’s first three defendants under this new law; all three were plotting to travel to Syria.  Today, I urge governments around the world to consider similar measures that criminalize the preparatory acts committed by those with terrorist plans.

The second part of our comprehensive strategy looks to ensure that we have in place law enforcement investigative tools and techniques that are both effective and protective of individual rights and the rule of law.  In this regard, we have found undercover operations – which the Federal Bureau of Investigation pioneered in fighting transnational organized crime – to be essential in fighting terrorism as well.  In the United States, the FBI has already conducted undercover operations that have identified individuals with intentions to travel to Syria.  These operations are conducted with extraordinary care and precision, ensuring that law enforcement officials are accountable for the steps they take – and that suspects are neither entrapped nor denied legal protections.  Here, too, the Global Counterterrorism Forum’s Rabat Memorandum calls for such techniques to be applied in countries around the world:  one of the “good practices” it advocates is that countries “Provide a Legal Framework and Practical Measures for Undercover Investigations of Terrorist Suspects or Organizations.”

Third: in order to further our investigative capabilities, we must strengthen international cooperation, in a variety of respects.  As an initial matter, we must prioritize the sharing of traveler information as a potential way to prevent would-be foreign fighters from going to Syria in the first place – and tracking those who come back.  The United States is committed to doing its part in this regard.  As we speak, through law enforcement agencies such as the FBI, U.S. authorities are working with Interpol to disseminate information on foreign fighters.  We encourage other countries to use Interpol – and Interpol notices – to combat the foreign-fighter phenomenon.  And we are actively supporting Interpol’s Fusion Cell, which focuses on information-sharing relating to foreign fighters.  In fact, the U.S. has provided personnel, including FBI agents, to support this specialized office.

While we are committed to ensuring that we protect the safety of our fellow citizens, we are also committed to protecting their privacy.  Alongside policymakers in Brussels, we’re also working to attain an “umbrella” data-sharing agreement between the United States and the European Union, that would strengthen the already strong protections that are presently in existence and that ensure that law enforcement information is shared effectively, and in accordance with data privacy principles.  This agreement will guarantee that there will be no diminishment of the key exchanges of law enforcement information, including terrorism information, that is critical to the safety of citizens in Europe, the U.S., and around the world.  And as a step to advance this endeavor, last month – in Athens – I announced a United States commitment that the Obama Administration would seek legislation to create the ability – for non-U.S. persons – to seek judicial redress for access and rectification, and for willful or intentional disclosure, of law enforcement information transferred to the United States.  This is an historic commitment by the United States to extend privacy protections beyond U.S. persons in this context.  It is imperative that we reach an “umbrella” agreement in this regard as soon as possible.  The time for posturing has long past.  It is time for nations that have long shared fundamental views about privacy to act together.

Countries must also effectively use mutual legal assistance and extradition to counter foreign fighters.  Here, too, the Rabat Memorandum of the Global Counterterrorism Forum is instructive:  “Because terrorism often transcends national boundaries, timely and effective international cooperation is indispensable to a criminal justice response to terrorism.”  Through international mutual legal assistance, the U.S. Department of Justice has provided evidence to countries for use in prosecutions of terrorist organizations – including terrorist groups that were recruiting others to fight in Syria.  We continue to assist foreign partners around the globe by acting on mutual legal assistance requests and providing evidence to support those criminal investigations and prosecutions.  And we believe it’s critical that countries develop their abilities to effectively engage in mutual legal assistance – including by strengthening their central authorities – so that we can work together to counter this shared threat.

International cooperation also means working together to build the capacity of other nations, as Norway does in so many different contexts.  Norwegian and U.S. Department of Justice legal advisors have worked together to build Rule of Law in Georgia and Moldova.  And to enhance similar efforts on a global scale, the U.S. Department of Justice is providing capacity-building assistance to help our partners build fair and transparent justice systems that will allow their countries to confront transnational crime and terrorism, including the problem of foreign fighters.  Applying the standards of the UN Counterterrorism Treaties, and the best practices of the Rabat Memorandum, our capacity-building work, and that of our foreign partners, has helped advance laws permitting police and prosecutors to more effectively investigate and prosecute suspected foreign fighters, within the Rule of Law – leading to the disruption of foreign fighters and the dismantlement of organizations that recruit would-be fighters to travel to Syria.  Through ongoing programs in places such as the Balkans, Africa, and elsewhere, we continue to work with international partners to help them stem the flows of foreign fighters; to use the tools they have to more effectively impede their movements; and to assist in the investigation and prosecution of foreign fighters once captured.

Today, I challenge additional nations to step forward, as Norway has.  Commit to robust, and privacy-protective, data-sharing in service of our mutual security.  Pledge support for Interpol’s “Transnational Fighter Initiative.”  Support mutual legal assistance and capacity building.  And urge others to do their part by participating fully in these efforts – which will be effective only to the extent that they are as comprehensive as possible.

The fourth and final element of our strategy is founded on the notion that strong laws, effective investigative tools, and robust information-sharing must be matched with public engagement – and extensive community outreach.  We must seek to stop individuals from becoming radicalized in the first place by putting in place strong programs to counter violent extremism in its earliest stages.  In my time here in Norway, I have had the chance to learn about – and have been deeply impressed by – Norway’s Action Plan Against Radicalization and Violent Extremism.

Indeed, I have found it critical to engage in international exchanges with my counterparts regarding how we can do better on combating radicalization, and to learn from each other.   I will take home with me important lessons from Norway’s experience.  These lessons will help us implement our own National Strategy and Strategic Implementation Plan, which is led by the Justice Department, the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and the National Counterterrorism Center.

Our approach depends on building mutual trust and respect with members of communities across the country – so that we can understand their needs and concerns and to foster open dialogue with community leaders and citizens.  This enables us to work with them to mitigate tensions and identify emerging threats.

At the heart of these engagement efforts in the United States are our United States Attorneys, the chief federal prosecutors in each of the jurisdictions they serve.  Since 2012, our U.S. Attorneys have held or attended more than 1,700 engagement-related events.  And the resulting relationships have not only served to build trust.  They have also produced valuable cooperation, in some cases spurring community members to alert law enforcement about individuals who show an inclination to turn to violence.

Across the United States and in countries around the world, such counter-radicalization programs show significant promise.  They serve our broader aim of fostering tolerance, inclusion, and understanding – which are themselves powerful tools against violent extremism.  But ultimately, our goal must be not just to fight radicalization or apprehend dangerous individuals.  At its core, this work is about forging more just and open societies – and building a more peaceful world.

That’s why it’s especially fitting that we recommit ourselves to these efforts here in Oslo – where so many of mankind’s highest ideals and aspirations have been recognized.  For more than a century, this city has welcomed some of the most devoted peacemakers the world has ever known – from the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who advocated for “a more noble civilization” in the midst of America’s long night of racial injustice; to Nelson Mandela, who insisted that “an injury to one is an injury to all.”

Throughout history, these pioneers of peace have called us to recognize that our capacity for courage has no limit.  The struggle for human rights, civil rights, and equal justice knows no borders or boundaries.  Yet their stories also remind us that, for all the progress that they have made possible, our journey still stretches beyond the horizon.  And our work has no end.

You know as well as anyone that the work ahead will not be easy.  None of the challenges we face are simple or straightforward.  We will suffer setbacks. But so long as we remain committed to standing together, working together, and striving together – as people of courage, as leaders of conviction, and as nations of high ideals – I cannot help but feel optimistic about where our joint efforts will lead us.  I thank you all, once again, for your leadership, your collaboration, and your friendship.  And I look forward to everything the United States and the Kingdom of Norway will achieve together in the months and years to come.

Thank you.

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT CONTRACTS FOR JULY 9, 2014

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 

CONTRACTS

AIR FORCE

Structural Builders, Inc., Atlanta, Georgia (FA4830-14-D-0001); Maverick Constructors, LLC, Lutz, Florida (FA4830-14-D-0002); Semper Tek, Inc., Lexington, Kentucky (FA4830-14-D-0003); Artesian Contracting Company, Inc., Albany, Georgia (FA4830-14-D-0004); CCI Solutions, LLC, Shalimar, Florida (FA4830-14-D-0005); DTH Corp., Newport News, Virginia (FA4830-14-D-0006); OAC Action Construction Corp., Miami, Florida (FA4830-14-D-0007); RCA Contracting, Inc., Montezuma, Georgia (FA4830-14-D-0008); and Paul S. Akins Company, Inc., Statesboro, Georgia (FA4830-14-D-0009), have been awarded an maximum $225,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract for Design-Build construction projects. Projects shall include all work necessary to design, construct, and/or renovate including design build and bid build facilities for Moody Air Force Base, Grassy Pond and Grand Bay Range, Georgia, and Avon Park Range, Florida. Work shall be performed in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract and resulting task orders, and is expected to be completed by the date negotiated for each task order. This IDIQ is one base year with four-one year options. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition posted to FedBizOpps and 36 offers were received. Funding will be determined with each order. 23rd Contracting Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity.

Jacobs Technology, Inc., Bedford, Massachusetts, has been awarded an $18,255,200 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-reimbursable contract modification (P00003) for FA8721-14-C-0016 to provide engineering and technology acquisition support services which consists of disciplined systems/specialty engineering and technical/information assurance services, support, and products using established government, contractor and industry processes. Work will be performed at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and is expected to be completed by April 30, 2015. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2013 and 2014 procurement, aircraft procurement, research and development, and operations and maintenance funding in the amount of $1,400,097 will be obligated at time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center/PZM, Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity.

Sea Box Inc., Cinnaminson, New Jersey, has been awarded a $17,460,000 modification (P00010) to FA8532-12-F-0002 for manufacture and delivery of Basic Expeditionary Airfield Resources (BEAR) Hygiene Systems. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $34,660,000. This modification provides for exercise of options for an additional 45 BEAR Hygiene Systems being procured under the basic contract. Work will be performed at Cinnaminson, New Jersey, and is expected to be completed by Oct. 31, 2016. Fiscal 2014 Air Force procurement funds in the amount of $17,460,000 are being obligated at time of award. This is not a multiyear contract. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center/WNKB, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity.
Engineering and Software Systems Solution, doing business as ES3, San Diego, California, has been awarded a $7,500,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Landing Gear Emergency Response engineering service contract. The contractor will provide technical support necessary to respond to urgent requests for engineering assistance. Efforts include mishap or failure analysis, system safety evaluation, failure modes and impact criticality analysis, and short term remediation and fleet stabilization efforts for various weapon systems. Work will be performed at San Diego, California, and is expected to be completed by July 6, 2018. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition; an unlimited number of offers were solicited and two offers were received. Fiscal 2014 working capital funds in the amount of $1,000 are being obligated at time of award. Air Force Sustainment Center/OLH PZAAB, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8203-14-D-0001).

NAVY

Benaka, Inc.,* New Brunswick, New Jersey (N40085-14-D-0029); Black Horse Group, LLC,* Watertown, New York (N40085-14-D-0030); Cherokee General Corp.,* Federal Way, Washington (N40085-14-D-0031); H. V. Collins Co.,* Providence, Rhode Island (N40085-14-D-0032); Structural Associates, Inc.,* East Syracuse, New York (N40085-14-D-0033); Watermark,* Lowell, Massachusetts (N40085-14-D-0034); and Wu & Associates, Inc.,* Cherry Hill, New Jersey (N40085-14-D-0035), are each being awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award design-build/design-bid-build construction contract for construction projects in the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Mid-Atlantic Public Works Department Maine area of responsibility (AOR). The maximum dollar value including the base period and four option years for all seven contracts combined is $95,000,000. The work to be performed provides for new construction, renovation, alteration and repair, demolition and repair work by design-build or by design-bid-build for various types of facilities. Black Horse Group, LLC, is being awarded task order 0001 at $5,059,583 for Whole Center Repairs at the Naval Operational Support Center in Plainville, Connecticut. Work for this task order is expected to be completed by July 2015. All work on these contracts will be performed within the NAVFAC Mid-Atlantic Public Works Department Maine AOR which includes Maine (70 percent), New Hampshire (5 percent), Vermont (5 percent), Massachusetts (5 percent), Connecticut (5 percent), Rhode Island (4 percent) and New York (5 percent). Work may also be performed in the remainder of the United States (1 percent). The terms of the contracts are not to exceed 60 months, with an expected completion date of July 2019. Fiscal 2014 operation and maintenance (Navy Reserve) contract funds in the amount of $5,089,583 are obligated on these awards and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. These seven contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contract. Future task orders will be primarily funded by military construction (Navy); operation and maintenance (Navy); Navy working capital funds; and operation and maintenance (Navy Reserve). These contracts were competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with 22 proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is being awarded $14,641,931 for cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order 0089 against a previously issued Basic Ordering Agreement (N00019-12-G-0006) in support of the V-22 aircraft for the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy. This order provides for the research and of engineering and technical analysis of new capabilities of the V-22 aircraft. Work will be performed at Ridley Park, Pennsylvania (55 percent) and Fort Worth, Texas (45 percent), and is expected to be completed in June 2019. Fiscal 2014 research, development, test and evaluation (Air Force) funds in the amount of $2,084,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This delivery order combines purchases for the U.S. Air Force ($8,785,159; 60 percent) and the U.S. Navy ($5,856,772; 40 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

BP Products North America Inc., Chicago, Illinois, has been awarded a maximum $25,706,502 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for reformulated blendstock for oxygenate blending gasoline. This contract was a competitive acquisition and five offers were received.

Location of performance is Massachusetts, with a Sept. 1, 2014, performance completion date. This is a two-month base contract with no option periods. Using service is Department of Energy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2014 Department of Energy funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia (SP0600-14-D-8542).

Shell Trading Company, Houston, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $12,517,260 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for conventional blendstock for oxygenate blending gasoline. This contract was a competitive acquisition and five offers were received. Location of performance is Maine, with a Sept. 1, 2014, performance completion date. This is a one-month base contract with no option periods. Using service is Department of Energy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2014 Department of Energy funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia (SP0600-14-D-8540).

ARMY

Oxford Construction of Pennsylvania, Inc., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was awarded a $10,420,277 firm-fixed-price foreign military sales contract (Israel) with options for the construction of two three-story structures for the recruitment center at Israeli Defense Forces Jalame Camp, Israel. Work will be performed in Israel with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2015. Three bids were solicited with two received. Fiscal 2014 other procurement funds in the amount of $10,420,277 are being obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Europe District, APO, AE, is the contracting activity (W912GB-14-C-0025).

*Small business

U.S. CONGRATULATES PEOPLE OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE BAHAMAS ON THEIR INDEPENDENCE DAY

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 

Bahamian Independence Day

Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
July 8, 2014


On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I congratulate the people of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas on your 41st anniversary of independence.

We value The Bahamas as our longtime partner and friend. Our robust security cooperation continues to improve security for citizens of both our countries, and our bilateral relationship stands strong as we work to spur economic development, promote social equity, combat HIV/AIDS, and promote a clean and secure energy future in our region.

We celebrate with The Bahamas, a nation rich with the beauty and excitement of Junkanoo, Goombay celebrations, and regattas.

It generously shares its hospitality, scenic beaches, and wonderful climate with the world, as demonstrated in May, when it successfully hosted the world-class 2014 IAAF World Relays.
As Bahamians across the country’s 700 islands and cays and around the world observe the anniversary of their peaceful journey to nationhood, let it be known that the United States is committed to friendship and cooperation between our nations.

The United States stands with The Bahamas today, pressing onward, marching together, to a common, loftier goal.

May peace, joy, safety and prosperity be plentiful in the years ahead in this most beautiful Bahamaland.

DOD, HHS DISCUSS HOUSING MORE UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN ENTERING U.S.

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 
DoD Officials Discuss Housing More Unaccompanied Children
By Jim Garamone
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, July 8, 2014 – Defense Department officials are in discussions with Department of Health and Human Services officials to house more children who have entered the United States unaccompanied, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said today.

During a Pentagon news conference, Kirby said the department is processing requests right now from HHS to house more children.

“I wouldn’t put an exact number on it, because that's still in discussion,” the admiral said.

Three bases already are housing these unaccompanied children – Fort Sill, Oklahoma; Lackland Air Force Base, Texas; and Naval Base Ventura, California. Currently, DoD facilities can accommodate 2,375 of these children.
The facilities being used are excess to DoD needs, Kirby said. “We’re providing access to certain facilities that were already vacant and not being used and are, therefore, available, and in the first three cases are relatively close to the border itself,” he said.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel supports the mission, the admiral said, and is assured that housing these young people will not impinge on troops. “He understands the importance of making sure that these children get the care that they need once they get inside the country,” Kirby said.

HHS owns this mission, and while DoD is providing the facilities, “we are not responsible for the children themselves,” the press secretary said.

The original agreement between DoD and HHS places a 120-day cap on the time the children can be housed on the bases. Lackland has housed the children for about two months, and Kirby would not speculate on whether that cap will be extended. “It’s certainly something that could be discussed,” he said.
HHS will reimburse DoD for the facilities, Kirby said.

Some 60,000 unaccompanied children could enter the United States this year, officials said. For many, transnational criminal networks play a role in getting them to the United States.

In addition, officials said, these transnational criminal networks create much of the instability that causes many of these children to flee from Central and South America. The networks smuggle humans, drugs and weapons for a price.
The threat these groups pose cannot be countered solely by the military, officials noted, adding that Marine Corps Gen. John F. Kelly, commander of U.S. Southern Command, and Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson are working together on the threat.

U.S. CONGRATULATES ARGENTINA ON THEIR INDEPENDENCE DAY

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 

Argentina's Independence Day

Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
July 8, 2014


On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I congratulate the people of Argentina as you celebrate your Independence Day on July 9.

Our countries have enjoyed 200 years of common interests and shared values. My ancestor, John Murray Forbes, served as a U.S. diplomat in Argentina soon after independence came to the Rio de la Plata region and modern Argentina was born. He stood alongside your forefathers as they built a strong foundation for democracy, peace, and shared prosperity.
The United States is proud to be Argentina’s partner in educational and cultural exchanges, science and technology, clean energy development, and space exploration. We share a commitment to strengthening democracy, promoting human rights, and expanding social inclusion.

The United States wishes all Argentines not only a joyful celebration of your independence, but also good luck to the Albiceleste team in the World Cup.

SECRETARY KERRY WARNS AGAINST EXTRA-LEGAL POWER GRAB AFTER AFGHAN ELECTIONS

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 
Statement on Afghanistan
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
July 7, 2014

I have noted reports of protests in Afghanistan and of suggestions of a “parallel government” with the gravest concern. The United States expects Afghan electoral institutions to conduct a full and thorough review of all reasonable allegations of irregularities. At the same time, there is no justifiable recourse to violence or threats of violence, or for resort to extra-constitutional measures or threats of the same. The apolitical role of the security forces must be respected by all parties. We call on all Afghan leaders to maintain calm in order to preserve the gains of the last decade and maintain the trust of the Afghan people. Any action to take power by extra-legal means will cost Afghanistan the financial and security support of the United States and the international community.

U.S. SENDS BEST WISHES TO PEOPLE OF CABO VERDE ON THEIR NATIONAL DAY

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 

On the Occasion of the Republic of Cabo Verde's National Day

Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
July 8, 2014


On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I send best wishes to Cabo Verdeans as you celebrate 39 years of independence on July 5.

I spent more than 30 years representing Massachusetts as Lieutenant Governor and Senator, and I am proud of the historic connections and contributions of Cabo Verdeans throughout New England and across America. I was pleased to visit Cabo Verde for the first time in May, where I enjoyed meeting Foreign Minister Jose Brito.

The United States and Cabo Verde share many binding ties. Our second Millennium Challenge Corporation compact, worth over $66 million, is evidence of our continued commitment to a long-term relationship. We are also committed to deepening our partnership on a number of regional and maritime security issues.

We look to Cabo Verde as a leader in good governance, human rights, and renewable energy in Africa and celebrate the contributions of more than half a million Americans of Cabo Verdean descent.

The United States looks forward to continued collaboration in achieving our common goals. I wish all Cabo Verdeans peace and prosperity in the coming year.

PRESIDENT OBAMA'S REQUEST FOR MONEY TO DEAL WITH CENTRAL AMERICA MIGRATION CRISIS

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE 

Letter from the President -- Regarding Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Request to Address the Increase in Child and Adult Migration from Central America in the Rio Grande Valley Areas of the Southwest Border; and Wildfire Suppression

Dear Mr. Speaker:
On June 30, I provided an update on my Administration's efforts in addressing the urgent humanitarian situation on both sides of the Southwest border with an aggressive, unified, and coordinated Federal response.  Today, I ask the Congress to consider the enclosed emergency supplemental appropriations request for Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 that includes $3.7 billion to comprehensively address this urgent humanitarian situation.
This funding would support a sustained border security surge through enhanced domestic enforcement, including air surveillance; expenses related to the repatriation and reintegration of migrants; associated transportation costs; additional immigration judge teams, immigration prosecutors, and immigration litigation attorneys to ensure cases are processed fairly and as quickly as possible; funding to address the root causes of migration; public diplomacy and international information programs; the operational costs of responding to the significant rise in apprehensions of unaccompanied children and adults traveling with children; and expenses associated with the appropriate care for those apprehended, consistent with Federal law, and the necessary medical response.
I am also requesting $615 million for emergency wildfire suppression activities for FY 2014, and a new discretionary cap adjustment for wildfire suppression operations starting in FY 2015.  This funding would provide for the necessary expenses for wildfire suppression and rehabilitation activities this fiscal year so we can fight fires without having to resort to damaging transfers from our wildfire treatment and protection activities.  Too often in recent years, this cycle of transfers has undermined our efforts to prepare for and reduce the severity of wildfires, which is both fiscally imprudent and self-defeating.
My request includes language to support a discretionary cap adjustment to allow the Federal Government to respond to severe, complex, and threatening fires or a severe fire season in the same way as we fund other natural disasters such as hurricanes or earthquakes.  This approach would provide funding certainty in future years for firefighting costs, free up resources to invest in areas that will promote long-term forest health and reduce fire risk, and maintain fiscal responsibility by addressing wildfire disaster needs through agreed-upon funding mechanisms.    
My Administration requests that the funding described above be designated as emergency requirements pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended, (BBEDCA).  In addition, my Administration requests that a new cap adjustment for wildfire suppression operations be added to section 251(b)(2) of BBEDCA.
I urge the Congress to act expeditiously in considering this important request, the details of which are set forth in the enclosed letter from the Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
Finally, separate from this request, my Administration will continue to work with the Congress -- following up on my letter to congressional leadership on June 30, 2014 -- to ensure that we have the legal authorities to maximize the impact of our efforts, including providing the Secretary of Homeland Security additional authority to exercise discretion in processing the return and removal of unaccompanied minor children from non-contiguous countries like Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, and increasing penalties for those who smuggle vulnerable migrants, like children.
Sincerely,
 BARACK OBAMA

LDSD: THE GREAT SHAKEOUT TEST FOR MARS

ROBOCALL/TEXT SPAM NETWORK RECEIVES ADDITIONAL CRAMMING CHARGE FROM FTC

FROM:  FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION 
FTC Adds Mobile Cramming to Charges Against Text Spam and Robocall Network
Amended Complaint Charges Unwanted Cell Phone Billing and Adds Five Defendants

The Federal Trade Commission added new charges of mobile cramming to a complaint the agency previously filed against a group of scammers who allegedly sent millions of unwanted text messages and robocalls to consumers.

The amended complaint adds the mobile cramming charges to the Commission’s original complaint allegations that the operation used text messages promising free $1,000 gift cards and iPads as a way to deceive consumers into signing up for costly subscriptions and giving up personal information.

When consumers followed links in the spam text messages, they were prompted to enter personal information, including their mobile phone number.  The defendants told consumers that the personal information was necessary to ship them the free prize.  However, the defendants used the personal information for several other purposes, including placing robocalls to consumers.   Many consumers who entered their personal information allegedly were then prompted to “confirm” their mobile phone number and were then sent a text message telling them to enter a PIN number on the defendants’ website in order to “claim their prize.”

The amended complaint alleges that, in fact, by confirming their mobile phone number and entering the provided PIN, consumers were being signed up for unwanted premium text messaging services, resulting in a charge of $9.99 per month on their mobile phone bill. According to the FTC’s amended complaint, consumers were not given adequate notice that confirming their number would lead to monthly charges – this notice appeared only in small print at the bottom of the screen or in a separate hyperlinked page.

Two defendants, Burton Katz, also doing business as Polling Associates, Inc. and Boomerang International, LLC, and Jonathan Smyth, also doing business as Polling Associates, Inc., are accused of overseeing the mobile cramming operation along with the creators of the websites.

In addition to adding the defendants involved in the mobile cramming, the amended complaint also adds three new defendants to the case who were believed to be responsible for sending millions of spam text messages and operating the websites to which those messages would direct consumers. The additional defendants are Scott Modist, Joshua Greenberg and Gregory Van Horn. All three are named individually and as officers of Acquinity Interactive, LLC; Modist and Greenberg are also named as officers of 7657030 Canada, Inc.

The Commission vote to file the amended complaint was 5-0. The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

NOTE: The Commission files a complaint when it has “reason to believe” that the law has been or is being violated and it appears to the Commission that a proceeding is in the public interest. The case will be decided by the court.

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 2,000 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s website provides free information on a variety of consumer topics. Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.

RETIRED NAVY OFFICIAL PLEADS GUILTY IN BRIBERY SCANDAL

FROM:   U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT 
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Former U.S. Navy Officer Pleads Guilty in International Bribery Scandal
Defendant Admits Overcharging Navy by up to $2.5 Million for Port Services in Japan

A retired Navy official who started a second career working for defense contractor Glenn Defense Marine Asia (GDMA) pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that he and others overcharged the Navy by up to $2.5 million for port services to American ships and then used some of the proceeds to treat Navy officials to lavish dinners, cocktails and entertainment.

Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Laura E. Duffy for the Southern District of California, Director Andrew L. Traver of Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) and Acting Deputy Inspector General of Investigations James R. Ives of the Department of Defense (DCIS) made the announcement.

“There is an old Navy saying: ‘Not self, but country.’  Edmond Aruffo instead put self before country when he stole from the U.S. Navy as part of a massive fraud and bribery scheme that cost the U.S. Navy more than $20 million ,” said Assistant Attorney General Caldwell.

“This corruption scandal continues to lead us in new directions, and we continue to marvel at the extent of it,” said U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy. “If there are others who, like Edmond Aruffo, have traded integrity and honesty for greed and profit, we will find them and prosecute them.”

“Retired U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Edmond A. Aruffo, who previously held a position of trust and responsibility conferred on him by the Navy, betrayed his former service for personal gain by rigging invoices and deserves to be held accountable for his criminal actions,” said Director Traver.   “NCIS will continue to work with DCIS and the Department of Justice in vigorously investigating and prosecuting these crimes of corruption and fraud.”

“The guilty plea of Edward Aruffo is part of an ongoing effort by the DCIS and its law enforcement partners to bring to justice individuals who seek to illegally enrich themselves at the expense of U.S. taxpayers,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General Ives.   “While the vast majority of DOD contractors engage in lawful business practices, a few are driven by greed to break the law.   Those who do will be caught and punished.   American taxpayers will accept nothing less.”

Edmond A. Aruffo, who retired in 2007 at the rank of lieutenant commander after a military career spanning more than 20 years, is the seventh defendant charged – and the fourth to plead guilty – in the expanding corruption scandal involving GDMA’s illicit relationships with Navy officials.  GDMA is a Singapore-based contractor that has serviced Navy ships and submarines in the Pacific for decades.

Aruffo, who became manager of GDMA’s Japan operations in 2009, entered his plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen S. Crawford of the Southern District of California to a single count of conspiracy to defraud the United States.  Aruffo’s bond was set at $40,000; however, he indicated to the court he not post bond and immediate self-surrender.  A sentencing hearing was scheduled for Oct. 3, 2014, at 9 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino of the Southern District of California.

According to court documents, GDMA owner and CEO Leonard Francis enlisted the clandestine assistance of Navy personnel – including Commander Michael Vannak Khem Misiewicz, Commander Jose Luis Sanchez, NCIS Special Agent John Beliveau and Petty Officer First Class Daniel Layug – to provide classified ship schedules and other sensitive information about an ongoing criminal investigation of GDMA.   Court documents also allege that Francis and his cousin, GDMA executive Alex Wisidagama, conspired to defraud the United States through a number of overbilling schemes.  In total, GDMA allegedly overcharged the Navy under its contracts and submitted bogus invoices for more than $20 million.  Wisidagama, Beliveau and Layug have pleaded guilty while the others are awaiting trial.

According to Aruffo’s plea agreement, Aruffo was hired by GDMA’s Francis, who is accused of bribing Navy personnel with cash, luxury travel, expensive meals, consumer electronics and prostitutes in exchange for classified and proprietary information to win contracts and favorable treatment for his company.

According to the plea agreement, Aruffo was serving as the operations officer of the USS Blue Ridge when he met Francis.  GDMA was providing “husbanding” services, such as tug boats, harbor pilots, trash removal, line handlers and transportation to that ship and numerous others.

In the plea agreement, Aruffo admitted that he and others defrauded the U.S. Navy in connection with charges for port services provided to nearly every Navy ship that came to port in Japan from July 2009 to September 2010.

As part of its contract with the Navy, GDMA was required to coordinate various vendors to provide port services for the Navy ships.  Those vendors were to submit invoices directly to the Navy, rather than through GDMA.

The plea agreement said that Aruffo and others obtained letterhead from the Japanese vendors and used it to prepare bogus invoices which inflated the cost for services by tens of thousands of dollars.  Aruffo admitted he arranged kickbacks to GDMA from the vendors, once they were paid by the Navy.

For example, according to the plea agreement, in February of 2010 the USS Lake Erie visited the port of Sukomo, Japan.  Aruffo arranged for a Japanese vendor to provide a variety of husbanding services.  The vendor invoiced the Navy $145,229.77 – an amount inflated by about $50,000, which the vendor ultimately gave to GDMA as a kickback.

A few days later, Aruffo arranged for another Japanese vendor to provide such services to the USS Blue Ridge at the port of Otaru, Japan, the plea agreement said.  The vendor billed the Navy in the amount of $432,476.14 and then kicked back $204,961.20 to GDMA.

The ongoing investigation is being conducted by NCIS, DCIS and the Defense Contract Audit Agency.   The case is being prosecuted by Director of Procurement Fraud Catherine Votaw and Trial Attorneys Brian Young and Wade Weems of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Pletcher and Robert Huie of the Southern District of California.

U.S. MARSHALS TARGETED GANG OPERATIONS NET 104 ARRESTS

FROM:  U.S. MARSHALS 
Joe Palmer, Deputy U.S. Marshal
Northern District of California 
U.S. Marshals Conclude Targeted Gang Operation
Multi Agency Two Week Operation leads to 104 Arrests

Oakland, CA – The U.S. Marshals in the Northern and Eastern District of California today announce the conclusion of a two week operation which resulted in the arrest of 104 wanted violent fugitives and gang members from throughout the region.

Centered in the cities of Oakland and Sacramento, the United States Marshals Service’s Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force, along with several state and local agencies, conducted a two week high-risk fugitive initiative targeting gang members and violent offenders. These fugitives, whose charges ranged from probation violations to murder, were singled out because of their propensity to commit violence in the streets of California, whether through the crime itself or through their gang associations and their violent backgrounds.

The operation resulted in the arrests of 104 individuals, 27 of whom were known gang members. During the operation, 8 firearms were also recovered. Additionally, 10 grams of Cocaine, 2 pounds of Methamphetamine, and one pound of black tar heroin were seized. Of the 9 arrests for murder/attempted murder, 7 were wanted by the Oakland Police Department. The 104 arrests were broken down as follows:

104 Total Arrests
9 Murder/Attempted Murders
9 Assaults
14 Burglary/Robberies
10 Weapons Offenses
3 Sexual Offenses
2 Failure-to-appear/report
32 Narcotics/Drug Offenses
1 Fraud
24 Parole/Probation Violations

“This operation, as with past operations we have conducted in a similar fashion, continue to highlight the efforts and the ability of the federal government to fight crime at the local, as well as regional and national level,” said U.S. Marshal Don O’Keefe. “As we all know, crime is not contained to major cities, and criminals have vast networks throughout the region and the nation which help them to hide from justice and facilitate the commission of additional crimes. As we continue to discover, crime in Oakland does not always stay in Oakland. Criminals move in and out of city borders, using their regional and national criminal associations and networks to avoid capture. With the resources of the United States Marshals Service Regional Fugitive Task Forces, we are uniquely positioned to be able to intercept these criminals and bring them to justice.”

“My office applauds the extraordinary work of the U.S. Marshals Service and all the other law enforcement agencies in removing these high-risk fugitives from our communities and keeping our cities safe,” U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag said. “These people need to understand that no matter where they go, or how hard they try to hide, we will use the resources of the federal government to find them and hold them accountable for their actions.”

Among those arrested during the operation were the following individuals:

Alpacino McDaniels – DOB: 07/01/1985 - Charged with Murder – McDaniels was wanted for his role in a murder which took place on the 800 block of Meade Ave, in West Oakland, in 2013. McDaniels was located in Rancho Cordova, CA, by the US Marshals Task Force on June 17, 2014, and taken into custody without incident. McDaniels is alleged to have been associated with the “Meade Street Boys.”

Brian Infante – DOB: 01/05/1973 – Charge with Rape - Infante was wanted for rape by the San Francisco Police Department since early 2014. Infante was found and apprehended without incident in San Leandro, CA, by a team from the U.S. Marshals Northern District of California.

Julian Contreras – DOB: 04/18/1992 - Charged as a Parolee at Large and with Attempted Murder - Contreras was wanted by the Napa Police Department with attempted murder after an incident in 2014 where Contrares, along with several other individuals, allegedly robbed a home and accosted and individual inside. Contreras is alleged to have ties to the “Norteno” gang in Napa, CA. Contreras was located at a home in Sacramento, CA, by a team from the U.S. Marshals Service and taken into custody without incident.

Douglas Chenelle – DOB: 04/27/1942 - Charged with Sexual Battery – Chenelle was wanted by the Vallejo Police Department for an assault of a person in a wheelchair. Chanelle was a caregiver at a Vallejo facility which cared for mentally and physically disabled adults and children. Chanelle was located by Vallejo Police Detectives and U.S. Marshals on June 19, 2014, in Vallejo, and taken into custody without incident.

This operation was a joint effort, consisting of teams from the U.S. Marshals Eastern District and Northern Districts of California, the U.S. Marshals Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force, and the following agencies:

Fairfield Police Department
Vallejo Police Department
Solano County Sheriff’s Department
Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE)
California Highway Patrol
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms (ATF)
Sacramento County Probation
Stockton Police Department
California Department of Corrections
Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office
Oakland Police Department
San Francisco Police Department
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
San Jose Police Department
Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office
Fremont Police Department
Long Beach Police Department
San Francisco Sheriff’s Office
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
Santa Clara Co Specialized Enforcement Team (SCCSET)
The U.S. Marshals Service is the primary federal agency charged with conducting fugitive investigations throughout the United States. The U.S. Marshals Service regularly works in concert with other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to seek out and arrest violent fugitives and sex offenders, and has established task forces throughout the nation to facilitate the apprehension of fugitives.

CHINESE HOSPITAL SHIP PEACE ARK HOSTS RIMPAC MEDICAL CONFERENCE

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 
Chinese Hospital Ship Hosts RIMPAC Medical Exchange Conference
By Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Pyoung K. Yi
USNS Mercy

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii, July 7, 2014 – The Chinese hospital ship Peace Ark hosted a medical exchange conference as part of the 2014 Rim of the Pacific exercise here July 3.

Chinese and U.S. naval medical officers gave presentations during the multinational conference, which opened with a video presentation about Peace Ark.

“We wanted the attendees to learn about our experiences on humanitarian assistance relief missions,” said Lt. Cmdr. Xin Du, a medical officer who serves aboard Peace Ark. “But more importantly, I wanted to learn from others’ experience helping out on humanitarian relief efforts. I like the idea of exchanging ideas with other countries. It promotes friendship and subsequent joint missions.”
Military medical personnel from Canada, Indonesia, New Zealand, Norway, South Korea and the United States attended the conference, which encouraged the exchange of medical knowledge and discussion of ways to help humanity using military resources.

“I was impressed with the sheer capacity of Peace Ark's resources in treating people in a disaster,” said Master Cpl. Katarina Vasic, a dental technician with the Canadian army.

A telemedicine presentation by Navy Cmdr. (Dr.) Gilbert Seda, a pulmonary medicine specialist aboard Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy, caught the attention of many Peace Ark personnel. Telemedicine is the electronic exchange of medical information between sites.

“Most of us are very interested in telemedicine,” said Du. “Our cardiologist, nephrologist, and other officers were very interested in his presentation.”
This year’s RIMPAC marks the first time in the exercise’s history that hospital ships have participated. Peace Ark and Mercy will continue to hold medical exchanges while in Pearl Harbor and during simulated disaster-relief operations at sea.

Twenty-two nations, more than 40 ships and submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in the RIMPAC exercise, which began June 26 and runs to Aug. 1, in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California.

MATHEMATICS AND THE MODEL STRAWBERRY

FROM:  NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION 
Strawberries with a thirst
Mathematicians help California drought-weary berry growers address water issues

t's just not summer without a piece of strawberry shortcake. Pinches of sugar release a flood of fragrant juices that pinken clouds of whipped cream and salty sweet cake on a sweltering day for a refreshing dessert that says, "Yes, summer has arrived."

Just as representative of this season's delights are those joys we associate with water: sparkling swimming pools, cooling mists of summer hoses and the scent of warm pavement suddenly accosted by raindrops.

As much as these two images fit snugly in sentimental minds, they do not coexist in California's berry farmlands, which reportedly produce 80 percent of the nation's strawberries.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, "In 119 years of recorded history, 2013 was the driest calendar year for the state of California." To be sure, California, and specifically coastal Central California, is never overflowing with water in any year, but recent, yearly water-supply needs caused serious concern.

In January 2014, California's snowpack, which normally provides about one-third of the water used by California's cities and farms, was measured at 12 percent, the lowest for January in more than a half-century of record keeping. Governor Jerry Brown declared a drought emergency for the state, long before the "dry season," which usually occurs during the summer months.

Then, on April 1, the California Department of Water Resources measured water content of statewide snowpack at 32 percent of normal expectations for that time of year. California's water managers saw the result as truly foreboding since April typically is considered the snowpack's peak when snow and ice begin to melt into streams and reservoirs, and conditions were only expected to worsen.

Drought conditions like these, occurring annually, prompted policymakers, conservationists, geologists, hydrologists, farmers and business owners to creatively address the state's water problems. And, in an interesting turn, mathematicians factored into this mix with one of the most unique perspectives of all.

The berry business

John Eiskamp, owner and president of JE Farms describes the Pajaro Valley in Central Coastal California as the "berry capital of the world." Strawberries reign supreme, followed by raspberries and then blackberries, but ultimately, it's a berry world in his Santa Cruz County.

"This is an agricultural area," he said. "It's the driver of the economy. It provides the majority of the jobs. It provides the majority of the support industries that are here for agriculture--the companies that sell the product, the supplies, and the inputs that we growers use to produce the crops."

So, water shortage issues--even for berries that aren't the thirstiest crops by a long shot--still need water to produce saleable, harvestable fruit. According to Eiskamp, agriculture represents 85 percent of the valley's water usage, but because of that the growers know they must be good stewards of the limited water supply. Not surprisingly, they already have explored various crop rotation and water conservation strategies. However, this problem only worsens as each year passes. So, in 2011, a National Science Foundation-funded math institute, the American Institute of Mathematics (AIM) in Palo Alto, Calif., got involved in what they describe as an "optimization problem."

Math: It's not just for spreadsheets and bottomlines

One of eight NSF-funded math institutes, AIM brings 800 mathematicians from around the world to Palo Alto each year to study a "whole variety of programs," according to its deputy director Estelle Basor. Small research groups with "applied" objectives come for weeklong stints, modeling neural effects related to migraine headaches, more efficient medical imaging or, in this case, improved water use in drought-stricken areas. Additionally, the institute spends even more time on its initial focus of "pure math" research.

"I grew up in California. My father was an apple grower, and my mother's family was also involved in farming," mathematician Basor said. "So many aspects to farming are difficult. There are so many unknowns--weather, what other people are doing in other countries, pests, and supply and demand. I'm not sure that a lot of the public actually realize the risks involved. So, if we [mathematicians] can just help smooth out some of the decision-making process and help solve a few of the problems that growers might have, I think it's a really good step forward."

So, Basor talked to Driscoll Associates, familiar to many as purveyors of of Driscoll's berries, and invited them to participate in an institute workshop that brought together 30 mathematicians from around the world to discuss sustainability problems. Nine of the participants worked on the berry problem, and along with three industry representatives, got the ball rolling. These collaborators then formed a smaller group to focus on the water supply's confined aquifer and its chronic overdraft of water that had persisted over many years.

"We were given a list of possible changes that could happen in terms of crop rotation, fallowing land, looking at developing recharge areas to capture rainfall to reduce the amount of water that's being taken out of the aquifer or the ground water region," said Katie Fowler, an associate professor of mathematics at Clarkson University in Potsdam, N.Y., and member of this math team.

She explained how they could look at the problem simplistically by just considering crops' water consumption and different planting strategies. But, more sophisticated, elegant modeling included soil properties, precipitation data, topography and run-off measurements. With essentially two tiers of data, they could create a model that minimized aquifer impact and found ways to recharge it naturally.

"The approach is an example of 'multi-objective optimization,'" she said. "We've developed three performance metrics. A person is going to want to try to make as much profit as possible using the least amount of water while meeting market demands. And those [goals] are naturally competing. So our most recent work has been towards offering a set of possible solutions with a clear description of those trade-offs."

In fact, another researcher, Lea Jenkins, an associate professor in mathematical sciences at Clemson University, describes the model as "stochastic," which means values of variables are random, versus "deterministic," when a problem has parameters with fixed values.

"This problem is about math," said Dan Balbas, vice president of operations for Reiter Affiliated Companies, a grower for Driscoll's, and who attended the 2011 workshop. "You've got a given resource, so how do you maximize it to maintain sustainability and do the right thing from an economic and environmental standpoint, marrying the two. It's math. It really is math. I think the hard thing is getting the input numbers right because it's a tricky thing to quantify, but it's absolutely a mathematical situation. It's how much water do we have, and how do we best use it. It's numbers."

And it's involvement from growers that make this process work.

"Part of the reason we like to come out here is to get farmers to help us--to make sure that the models we use are reasonable or are somewhat accurate and represent a reality that they're living in," Jenkins said. "And the best we can do is give them possible solutions to a very complicated problem and then ask them how they can help us improve those solutions."

Interestingly enough, as the mathematicians talk about their process thus far, they admit that while they have collaborated with a variety of players in this issue, they still need to bring in sociologists and environmental economists to improve their model.

A better future for berries

So, this team of mathematicians has now created models that help identify which crops to plant where and when. With iPad in hand, growers like Eiskamp and Balbas can go to the fields connecting to wireless tensiometers in real time to essentially tell them when plants have been watered sufficiently, minimizing waste and ensuring fertilizers stay in the root zone where plants can most efficiently access them and keep from contaminating the water aquifer.

"The thing the math institute best did was shed light on per-unit of water--what is the best crop to grow?" Balbas said. "We found that raspberries--from a per-unit-of-water standpoint--were a better crop, so we've grown the raspberry program a little bit. Of course, that changed the economics. In fact we have so many more raspberries now, it would be good to do the analysis again. It's a moving target. There are a lot more raspberries in the valley, partly because of water, but partly because it was just good business."

Ultimately, this mathematical perspective to addressing irrigation, crop rotation and drought mitigation is something that can be applied elsewhere.

"You have a set of crops that you're planting where you are realizing a profit," Jenkins said. "The crops need certain resources to survive. It might be a berry farm here, but it might be a wheat farm in the Midwest. And it might be a soy bean or a corn farm in the Southeast."

The nuances that customize the models come with specific local or state government regulations or water management requirements.

"Water is a resource that needs to be conserved, and there are competing interests," Jenkins added. "There are environmental and ecological interests associated with keeping certain wetlands that might go dry if an underlying aquifer is overused. And the economy of a local region may depend on the economies of the farmers, so if the farmers aren't realizing the profit they need, then that impacts the economy of the whole region.

"There are not only ag users, but also urban users and recreational users. To get a unified perspective, ultimately everybody needs to get involved."

-- Ivy F. Kupec
Investigators
Lea Jenkins
David Farmer
Katie Fowler
Estelle Basor
J. Brian Conrey
Related Institutions/Organizations
American Institute of Mathematics

Monday, July 7, 2014

U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT CONTRACTS FOR JULY 7, 2014

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 

CONTRACTS

NAVY

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Integrated Systems, Bethpage, New York, is being awarded a $52,444,840 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for material and services to perform an Equivalent Flight Hours fatigue test to substantiate the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Aircraft service life. Work will be performed in El Segundo, California (68 percent); Melbourne, Florida (30 percent); and Bethpage, New York (2 percent), and is expected to be completed in July 2019. Fiscal 2014 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,820,000 are being obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to FAR 6.302-1. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-14-C-0036).

Spin Systems, Inc.,* Sterling, Virginia, is being awarded a $8,447,038 cost-plus-fixed-fee indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00039-14-D-0009) for the technical refresh and deployment, and operations and sustainment of the Department of Defense Information Technology Portfolio Repository and the Department of the Navy Application and Database Management System information technology platform. Work will be performed in Sterling, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by September 2016. Fiscal 2014 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $181,036 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1). The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, Sea Warrior Program (PMW 240), Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N00039-14-D-0009).

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $6,785,176 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-12-C-0004) to provide maintenance for Lot VII F-35 air systems in support of the U.S. Marine Corps and the government of the Netherlands. Work will be performed in Beaufort, South Carolina (55 percent) and Yuma, Arizona (45 percent), and is expected to be completed in March 2015. Fiscal 2014 aircraft procurement (Marine Corps), and international partner funds in the amount of $6,785,176 are being obligated on this award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Marine Corps ($6,143,467; 90.5 percent) and the government of the Netherlands ($641,709; 9.5 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

Petroleum Traders Company,* Fort Wayne, Indiana, has been awarded a maximum $15,838,744 modification (P00010) to add additional line items on a three-year base contract (SP0600-13-D-8523). This is a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel. Locations of performance are South Carolina, Missouri, Arkansas and Georgia, with an Oct. 31, 2016, performance completion date. Using military services are Army and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2014 through fiscal 2015 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

Federal Prison Industries, Inc., Washington, District of Columbia, has been awarded a maximum $9,687,600 modification (P00103) exercising the fourth option period on a one-year base contract (SPM1C1-10-D-F016), with four one-year option periods. This is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity contract for physical fitness uniform t-shirts. Locations of performance are the Washington, District of Columbia area and Georgia, with a July 11, 2015, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2014 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

AIR FORCE

World Wide Technology, Maryland Heights, Missouri, has been awarded a $6,542,299 firm-fixed-price contract for Medical Systems Infrastructure Modernization Multi-Site Phase II A and B Electronic List of Materials. This requirement is for the purchase of a list of Information Technology Network products such as network power supplies, switches, cables, etc., to be delivered to various CONUS and OCONUS Air Force Medical Treatment Facilities. Work will be performed at Maryland Heights, Missouri, and the items are expected to be delivered by Aug. 7, 2014. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition under AF NETCENTS-2 Products indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts, in which 25 offers were solicited and seven offers were received. Fiscal 2012 Defense Health Program other procurement funds, in the amount of $6,542,299, will be obligated at time of award. 773 ESS/PK, San Antonio, Texas, is the contracting activity (FA8732-13-D-0012-RV01).

*Small business

U.S. OFFERS CONDOLENCES ON PASSING OF FORMER GEORGIAN PRESIDENT EDUARD SHEVARDNADZE

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 

On the Passing of Former Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze

Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
July 7, 2014


I offer my deepest condolences on the passing of former Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze.

As foreign minister of the Soviet Union in the 1980s, Shevardnadze played an instrumental role with President Gorbachev, President Reagan, and Secretary Shultz in bringing the Cold War to an end. He reduced the risk of nuclear confrontation by giving new life to arms control negotiations. He opposed the hardliners and refused to use force against Central and Eastern European countries when they began political and economic reforms, and he advocated reform within the Soviet Union as well.

As Georgia's second president following the restoration of independence, Shevardnadze helped ensure the sovereignty and territorial integrity of that fragile state during the 1990s, and put Georgia on its irreversible trajectory toward Euro-Atlantic integration.

As Georgia pauses to reflect on the life of one of its great statesmen, we urge all Georgians to remain committed to a united, democratic Georgia.

STATE DEPARTMENT PRESS STATEMENT ON AFGHAN ELECTIONS

Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DCFROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 
Press Statement
Jen Psaki
Department Spok
July 7, 2014

The United States reaffirms its support for a sovereign, unified, and democratic Afghanistan and for the Afghan election process. We have seen today’s announcement of preliminary results and note that these figures are not final or authoritative and may not predict the final outcome, which could still change based on the findings of the Afghan electoral bodies. Serious allegations of fraud have been raised and have yet to be adequately investigated.

We note that the United Nations, invited by President Karzai and both candidates to facilitate the process, has proposed a series of additional audits of suspect ballots, and that other measures have been under discussion. As the Independent Election Commission (IEC) statement noted, four additional measures have been accepted by both camps. Those measures affect more than 7000 ballot boxes, and potentially more than 3 million ballots. It is essential that the IEC work with the Independent Electoral Complaints Commission and the United Nations to execute the UN proposed audits and to answer all the legitimate questions raised by the two campaigns and independent observers.

A full and thorough review of all reasonable allegations of irregularities is essential to ensure that the Afghan people have confidence in the integrity of the electoral process and that the new Afghan President is broadly accepted inside and outside Afghanistan. It is the two electoral Commissions’ responsibility to address all credible allegations of fraud. They must implement a thorough audit whether or not the two campaigns agree.

We call upon both campaigns and their supporters to cooperate with these audits and to refrain from provocative statements or actions. As the Commission made clear, these results are not final and neither candidate should claim victory on the basis of this announcement. It is especially important that both campaigns send agents to observe the audit process. We believe that UN recommended audit process, provided it begins immediately, can be completed in time to allow the inauguration of the next President to proceed as scheduled on August 2.

The United States does not support any individual candidate. We have long stated our support for a credible, transparent, and inclusive process that is broadly supported by the Afghan people and produces a president who can bring Afghanistan together and govern effectively. We call on all sides to work toward this goal and to avoid steps that undermine national unity. The continued support of the United States for Afghanistan requires that Afghanistan remains united and that the result of this election is deemed credible.

U.S. NAVY GETS READY FOR SUPER TYPHOON NEOGURI

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 
Sailors in Okinawa Brace for Super Typhoon
By Navy Chief Petty Officer Kimberley Martinez
Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 1

OKINAWA, Japan, July 7, 2014 – Sailors from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 1 are bracing and preparing for the impact of Super Typhoon Neoguri, forecasted to arrive here as a Category 5 strength storm tomorrow.
NMCB 1 sailors spent July 6 and 7 storing items, sandbagging ground-level entrances subject to flooding and staging tactical vehicles, water dispensers and packaged meals throughout Camp Shields.

“Right now, we’re finishing up securing the camp, tying up and putting away anything that is not immobile so that nothing will become a projectile hazard throughout Camp Shields,” said Navy Command Master Chief Petty Officer Dean Fischer, the battalion’s command master chief.

Although Super Typhoon Neoguri has wind gusts at more than 150 mph according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, the Seabees are adept in natural disaster preparation and the relief efforts, which may be needed in the storm’s aftermath, Fischer said.

“Typhoon season pretty much aligns with hurricane season back home in Mississippi, so Gulfport Seabees have a very long history of dealing with TCCOR [tropical storm condition of readiness] conditions,” the command master chief said. “All of the engineering assets on Okinawa will be in contact before, during and after the storm coordinating anything they would need. For us, the primary mission would be to support the Navy bases, the Marine Corps and the Air Force bases.”

Typhoon season officially runs from June through November. According to AccuWeather.com meteorologists, Neoguri will still be a super typhoon when it crosses the gap between the Ryukyu Islands of Miyako Jima and Okinawa.
NMCB 1 sailors are making the best of a stormy outlook, preparing to hunker down in their barracks until they receive an all-clear notice from their chain of command.

“I will take accountability of all of the personnel in my building continue to maintain their safety throughout the storm and make sure they have food and water,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Johnny Turner, a yeoman. “Our mustering point will be in our lounge area, where we will meet and get accountability to the command mustering point of contact, and while we ride out the storm, it will be an opportunity for us to bond [and] relax after working hard to secure the base.”
Master Chief Petty Officer Benno Lederer, Camp Shields officer in charge, said that because of NMCB 1’s diligent efforts in preparing for the typhoon, Camp Shields is braced for the storm well ahead of schedule.

“All NMCB 1 and 30th Naval Construction Regiment typhoon preparations are done, and we are prepared for the storm,” he said. The sailors will begin lockdown for Tropical Cyclone Conditions of Readiness 1 late today or early tomorrow and are expected to be in that state until July 9 or 10, he added.
Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 1 is deployed to Okinawa as part of its 2014 deployment.

STAMPEDE SUPERCOMPUTER HELPS SCEINTISTS UNDERSTAND JET ENGINES AND THE HUMAN EAR

FROM:  THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION 
The aeroacoustics of jets
Simulations helps scientists understand and control turbulence in humans and machines

Aerospace engineers from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign are using the National Science Foundation-supported Stampede supercomputer to explore how jets in general, like those on modern aircraft and inside the human body, generate noise.

Jet engines generate intense sound waves that bother people who live near active airports. The noise can be so bothersome that limits are often placed on how loud aircraft can be and how many aircraft can fly over residential communities. Making jet aircraft quieter requires new engine designs; however, no simple explanation of how jets generate noise is available.

Daniel Bodony and his colleagues are trying to solve this problem. They are using Stampede to simulate the turbulent motion generated by air moving from the jet engines and then virtually testing the shape and location of actuators and acoustic liners that can reduce jet noise. This research has been published in the Journal of Fluid Mechanics and Physics of Fluids.

In related research, Bodony is seeking to understand how the voice is created, which also relies on the research around the aeroacoustics of jets. However, this time the unsteady jet of air is created by vocal folds, or vocal chords, when a person speaks.

Once speech production is understood, Bodony and his team will use Stampede to determine how to design synthetic vocal chords to restore speech when it is lost due to strokes or other pathologies.

"Stampede has been a very easy platform on which to run our production simulations, and its more-than-two-times speed advantage over Ranger quickly made it a favorite," Bodony said. "It is our workhorse platform and enables our fundamental research that supports science and engineering objectives, including jet noise reduction, human voice prediction and control, and analysis of future high-speed aircraft systems."

-- Aaron Dubrow, NSF
Investigators
Daniel Bodony
Related Institutions/Organizations
University of Texas at Austin
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Cultivating Compliance

NASA SCIENCECASTS: NO TURNING BACK-WEST ANTARCTIC GLACIERS IN IRREVERSIBLE DECLINE

Sunday, July 6, 2014

FIREWORKS ON THE NATIONAL MALL FROM THE WHITE HOUSE

U.S. CONGRATUALTES THE PEOPLE OF THE UNION OF THE COMOROS' ON THEIR NATIONAL DAY

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT UNION OF THE COMOROS' NATIONAL DAY

On the Occasion of the Union of the Comoros' National Day

Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
July 3, 2014


On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I congratulate the people of Comoros as you mark the 39th anniversary of your independence on July 6.

As you continue down the path toward democratic rule, the governments of our two nations have deepened their mutual respect and friendship. We look forward to working in partnership with Comoros to promote education, economic growth, cultural exchange, and regional security.

The United States shares your hopes for a safe and prosperous future, where all Comorans have a voice in society and can enjoy the benefits of liberty and peace.

EPA WARNS OF SWIMMING RELATED ILLNESSES

FROM:  U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 
Human Health

Most of the time when beaches are closed or advisories are issued, it's because the water has high levels of harmful microorganisms (or microbes) that come from untreated or partially treated sewage: bacteria, viruses, or parasites. We also use the word "pathogens" when they can cause disease in humans, animals, and plants.
Illnesses.

hildren, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems are most likely to develop illnesses or infections after coming into contact with polluted water, usually while swimming. The most common illness is gastroenteritis, an inflammation of the stomach and the intestines that can cause symptoms like vomiting, headaches, and fever. Other minor illnesses include ear, eye, nose, and throat infections

Fortunately, while swimming-related illnesses are unpleasant, they are usually not very serious - they require little or no treatment or get better quickly upon treatment, and they have no long-term health effects. In very polluted water, however, swimmers can sometimes be exposed to more serious diseases like dysentery, hepatitis, cholera, and typhoid fever.

Most swimmers are exposed to waterborne pathogens when they swallow the water. People can get some infections simply from getting polluted water on their skin or in their eyes. In rare cases, swimmers can develop illnesses or infections if an open wound is exposed to polluted water.

Not all illnesses from a day at the beach are from swimming. Food poisoning from improperly refrigerated picnic lunches may also have some of the same symptoms as swimming-related illnesses, including stomachache, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

It is also possible that people may come into contact with harmful chemicals in beach waters during or after major storms, especially if they swim near what we call “outfalls,” where sewer lines drain into the water. You can learn more about this by visiting our web site for stormwater.

Finally, the sun can hurt you if you're not careful. Overexposure can cause sunburn, and over time, it can lead to more serious problems like skin cancer. The sun can also dehydrate you and cause heat-related illnesses like heat exhaustion, muscle cramps, and heat stroke. Learn more about sun safety at our SunWise site or heat-related illnesses at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention site.

How to Stay Safe

There are several things you can do to reduce the likelihood of getting sick from swimming at the beach. First, you should find out if the beach you want to go to is monitored regularly and posted for closures or swimming advisories. You are less likely to be exposed to polluted water at beaches that are monitored regularly and posted for health hazards.

In areas that are not monitored regularly, choose swimming sites in less developed areas with good water circulation, such as beaches at the ocean. If possible, avoid swimming at beaches where you can see discharge pipes or at urban beaches after a heavy rainfall.

To find out about the beaches you want to visit, contact the local beach manager.

Since most swimmers are exposed to pathogens by swallowing the water, you will be less likely to get sick if you wade or swim without putting your head under water.

7 COLOMBIANS EXTRADITED TO U.S. TO FACE CHARGES IN DEATH OF DEA AGENT JAMES TERRY WATSON

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT 
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Seven Colombian Nationals Charged in Connection with the Murder of a DEA Agent Extradited to the United States

Seven Colombian nationals were extradited to the United States to face charges relating to the kidnapping and murder of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent James Terry Watson.

Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Dana J. Boente for 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 Director Bill A. Miller of the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) made the announcement.

“With the extradition of these suspects, we are one step closer to ensuring that justice is served for the kidnapping and murder of an American hero,” said Attorney General Holder.  “Special Agent Watson gave his life in the service of his country.  We owe him, and his family, a debt of gratitude we can never fully repay.  The Justice Department will never waver in our commitment to ensure that those who commit acts of violence against our best and bravest can be caught and held accountable.”

“DEA Special Agent James ‘Terry’ Watson was a brave and talented special agent who represented everything good about federal law enforcement and our DEA family,” said DEA Administrator Leonhart.  “We will never forget Terry’s sacrifice on behalf of the American people during his 13 years of service, nor will DEA ever forget the outstanding work of the Colombian National Police and our other law enforcement partners.  Their efforts quickly led to the arrest and extradition of those accused of committing this heinous act.”

All of the defendants were indicted by a grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia on July 18, 2013.   Gerardo Figueroa Sepulveda, 39; Omar Fabian Valdes Gualtero, 27; Edgar Javier Bello Murillo, 27; Hector Leonardo Lopez, 34; Julio Estiven Gracia Ramirez, 31; and Andrés Alvaro Oviedo-Garcia, 22, were each charged with two counts of second degree murder, one count of kidnapping and one count of conspiracy to kidnap.  Oviedo-Garcia was also charged with two counts of assault.   Additionally, the grand jury indicted Wilson Daniel Peralta-Bocachica, 31, also a Colombian national, for his alleged efforts to destroy evidence associated with the murder of Special Agent Watson.

The defendants arrived in the United States on July 1, 2014, and made their initial appearance in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, today before United States Magistrate Judge Thomas Rawles Jones Jr.   A detention hearing is scheduled for July 9, 2014, before United States Magistrate Judge Ivan D. Davis.

According to the indictment, Figueroa, Valdes, Bello, Lopez, Gracia and Oviedo-Garcia were part of a kidnapping and robbery conspiracy that utilized taxi cabs in Bogotá, Colombia, to lure victims into a position where they could be attacked and robbed.  Once an intended victim entered a taxi cab, the driver of the taxi cab would signal other conspirators to commence the robbery and kidnapping operation.

The indictment alleges that on June 20, 2013, while he was working for the U.S. Mission in Colombia, Special Agent Watson entered a taxi cab operated by one of the defendants.  Special Agent Watson was then allegedly attacked by two other defendants – one who stunned Special Agent Watson with a stun gun and another who stabbed Special Agent Watson with a knife, resulting in his death.

On July 1, 2014, the Government of Colombia extradited the defendants to the United States.

This case was investigated by the FBI, DEA and DSS, including the Office of Special Investigations and the Regional Security Office at Embassy Bogatá, 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 Stacy Luck of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael P. Ben’Ary from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for 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.

The charges in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

U.S. SENDS WARMEST WISHES TO PEOPLE OF SOLOMON ISLANDS ON THEIR INDEPENDENCE DAY

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 

Solomon Islands Independence Day

Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
July 3, 2014


On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States of America, I send my warmest wishes to the people of Solomon Islands as you celebrate the 36th anniversary of your nation’s independence on July 7.

Our two countries have a long friendship, forged in battle, which has only been strengthened through our strong cooperation since our nations fought side by side in the Guadalcanal campaign.

In the decades since, we have continued to work together not only on issues of key interest to Pacific nations but on broader global concerns as well. We have promoted peace, stability, a strong commitment to democracy, respect among nations, and joint action against threats like unexploded ordnance and climate change.

Our countries share many common values and we look forward to working with the Solomons to further advance these goals in the future.

As you celebrate your independence day, know that the United States remains a partner and friend to your country.

STAMPEDE SUPERCOMPUTER AND DRIVING DNA THROUGH THE NANOPORE

FROM:  NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION 
Blueprint for the affordable genome

Stampede supercomputer powers innovations in DNA sequencing technologies
Aleksei Aksimentiev, a professor of physics at the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, used the National Science Foundation-supported Stampede supercomputer to explore a cutting-edge method of DNA sequencing. The method uses an electric field to drive a strand of DNA through a small hole, or "nanopore," either in silicon or a biological membrane.

By controlling this process precisely and measuring the change in ionic current as the DNA strands move through the pore of the membrane, the sequencer can read each base pair in order.

"Stampede is by far the best computer system my group has used over the past 10 years," Aksimentiev said. "Being able to routinely obtain 40-80 nanoseconds of molecular dynamic simulations in 24 hours, regardless of the systems' size, has been essential for us to make progress with rapidly evolving projects."

Aksimentiev and his group showed that localized heating can be used to stretch DNA, which significantly increases the accuracy of nanopore DNA sequencing. In addition, he and his team used an all-atom molecular dynamics method to accurately describe DNA origami objects, making it possible to engineer materials for future applications in biosensing, drug delivery and nano-electronics. These results were published in ACS Nano and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

-- Aaron Dubrow, NSF
Investigators
Aleksei Aksimentiev
Related Institutions/Organizations
University of Texas at Austin
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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