The Latest from National Terror Alert Response Center

Some Guantanamo Prisoners Could Be Released In U.S. Posted: 18 Mar 2009 11:17 PM PDT Some of the Guantanamo Bay prisoners could be released into the United States while others could be put on trial in the American court system, Attorney General Eric Holder said on Wednesday. Holder, who was chosen by President Barack Obama to lead the administration’s efforts to close the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba within a year, said the review of what to do with each of the prisoners had begun. About 240 terrorism suspects, including suspected planners of the September 11 attacks, are being held in the prison. Many have been detained for seven years without charges and some were subjected to interrogation techniques denounced by critics as torture. The administration faces intense political resistance to the idea of bringing the prisoners to the United States as part of closing the detention camp. The administration seeks to transfer some detainees to Europe or other countries while freeing others. Holder told reporters at the Justice Department that the administration’s review, made on a case-by-case basis, would determine whether the prisoners need to be put on trial or whether they can be released. “For those who are in that second category, who can be released, there are a variety of options that we have. Among them is the possibility that we could release them into this country,” he said. via Some Guantanamo prisoners could be released in U.S.. This story comes to us via Homeland Security - National Terror Alert. National Terror Alert is America's trusted source for homeland security news and information. Share this post

North Korea Holds US Reporters Posted: 18 Mar 2009 11:12 PM PDT North Korean soldiers have detained at least one Korean-American journalist near the North’s border with China, South Korean media say. YTN TV channel quotes a South Korean official as saying two reporters were held after being asked to stop filming. Other reports say one female journalist was arrested. It is not yet clear who the journalists were working for. The reports come amid heightened tension between the US and North Korea. The North has angered the US by planning a missile launch for April as part of its space communications programme. The US believes the launch is intended to test a rocket that could potentially carry a warhead as far as US territory. Source This story comes to us via Homeland Security - National Terror Alert. National Terror Alert is America's trusted source for homeland security news and information. Share this post

TSA Ramps Up Passenger Screening - Insists No Specific Threat Posted: 18 Mar 2009 06:16 PM PDT The Transportation Security Administration said Wednesday it is screening more passengers at airport gates, but not because of any specific threat. Gate screening — which can involve anything from identification checks to hand-wand metal detectors — was implemented after Sept. 11 as an additional layer of security. It all but disappeared in 2003, when the TSA began screening all checked bags. Although the TSA follows a “risk-based approach” when adding security measures, TSA spokeswoman Lara Uselding told the Associated Press that the move to restore random gate checks developed “as the agency evolved,” not because of a specific threat. The TSA collects intelligence from the FBI as well as state, local and national government agencies when forming new procedures. The gate checks for passengers follow the establishment of an employee security program in 2007, which included random screenings. The checks aim to prevent weapons or other contraband being passed from an employee to a passenger before boarding, among other risks. Source This story comes to us via Homeland Security - National Terror Alert. National Terror Alert is America's trusted source for homeland security news and information. Share this post

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