In the News: Aug-06

Officials: Suspect said terrorists had anthrax - 6 Aug 2008 at 2:21pm - Army scientist Bruce Ivins was the custodian of a large flask of highly purified anthrax spores that had certain "genetic mutations identical to the anthrax used in the attacks" that killed five people in 2001, according to documents unsealed Wednesday in the government's investigation.... A few days before the attacks, Ivins sent an e-mail warning that Osama bin Laden had anthrax and had declared war on the United States and Israel, according to the documents.

Iraq encourages displaced people to return home - 6 Aug 2008 at 1:34pm - Iraq's government has given people occupying houses that were abandoned by refugees fleeing the violence one month to evacuate or face legal action, an official said Wednesday. After a sharp decline in violence, the government last month adopted a number of measures to encourage the return of internally displaced people and refugees who had moved to other countries.

Bin Laden's ex-driver found guilty on one terrorism charge - 6 Aug 2008 at 10:31am - US NAVAL BASE AT GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba (AFP) - Military jurors on Wednesday found Osama bin Laden's former driver guilty of providing material support to terrorism in the first US war crimes trial since World War II.

GAO: Iraq could have $79 billion budget surplus - 6 Aug 2008 at 9:23am - The Iraqi government could end the year with as much as a $79 billion budget surplus as ever-increasing oil revenues pile on top of leftover income the Iraqis still haven't spent on their national rebuilding effort, congressional auditors say. A report by the Government Accountability Office made public Tuesday prompted renewed calls from senators that Baghdad pay more of the bill for its own reconstruction, which has been heavily supported with U.S. funds.

Feds start process of unsealing anthrax data - 6 Aug 2008 at 9:15am - WASHINGTON -- A federal prosecutor has arrived at a U.S. courthouse as the Justice Department begins the process of unsealing documents in the investigation of anthrax mailings that killed five people.

U.S. says further "punitive" steps against Iran needed - 6 Aug 2008 at 8:18am - ABOARD AIRFORCE ONE (Reuters) - The White House said on Wednesday it believed world powers had to take further "punitive" measures against Iran because Tehran gave no concrete reply to their demand that it freeze its nuclear activities.

U.S. Judge Unseals Evidence In Anthrax Case - 6 Aug 2008 at 8:04am - Officials close to the anthrax investigation have told NPR that the FBI will declare the case of the 2001 anthrax letters solved Wednesday, but that the case will remain open so agents can follow up on some recent leads.

Pentagon to test unclassified alternative to Talon - 6 Aug 2008 at 2:46am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon, which closed its Talon intelligence database nearly a year ago amid concerns about domestic spying, will soon begin testing an unclassified alternative for tracking possible threats to U.S. military bases, officials said on Tuesday.

Thought for the day:
Crime does not pay ... as well as politics. -Alfred E. Newman