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-War on Police-

FBI agent charged in off-duty shooting of man on subway

2021-06-02

[FoxNews] An FBI agent has been charged with attempted murder in the off-duty shooting of another man on a Metro subway train last year in a Maryland suburb of Washington, D.C., according to court records unsealed Tuesday. The agent, Eduardo Valdivia, made his initial court appearance Tuesday afternoon in Montgomery County Circuit Court on charges including attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault and reckless endangerment. Valdivia, 37, turned himself in to local authorities at a county jail Tuesday morning, according to Chief Deputy Maxwell Uy of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. Valdivia appeared at bond review hearing on a video conference call from jail Tuesday afternoon and Judge Joan Ryon agreed to release him on personal recognizance. Prosecutors didn’t object. The charges stem from a Dec. 15 shooting on a train near Medical Center Station in Bethesda. Police for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority said in a Dec. 18 statement that the agent fired multiple shots after the man had approached him that morning and they exchanged words. The statement said the wounded man was in stable condition less than a week after the shooting. It didn’t elaborate on the nature of the "verbal exchange" between him and the agent just before the shooting. Robert Bonsib, a lawyer for Valdivia, said in a lengthy statement that his client "has had an impeccable personal and professional background." He joined the bureau in 2011, and at the time of the shooting, was providing "operational guidance and programmatic oversight" of FBI investigations targeting racially motivated and anti-government extremists. Valdivia was on his way to work on the morning of the shooting when he was confronted by a man who Bonsib said "engaged in threatening and aggressive behavior" at close range. When the man asked Valdivia for money on the train, the agent said no and the man muttered expletives while walking away, Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Robert Hill said during Tuesday’s hearing. Valdivia told the man, "Watch your mouth," and the man turned around and approached Valdivia, who told him to back up multiple times. Valdivia shot the man from 2 to 3 feet away, Hill said, and did not identify himself as an agent until after the shooting. The man had part or all of his spleen, colon and pancreas removed during surgery after the shooting. "One does not wait to be physically attacked — one does not wait until the threat has ’hands on you — before one is authorized to defend oneself," Bonsib wrote in his statement. "Neither does one need to retreat — when retreat is not possible — as was not possible here when Eddie Valdivia was seated at the end of the Metro car" with his back against the wall and "no clear exit path." Bonsib also signaled his plans to invoke in his client’s defense the background of the man who was shot in asserting that the shooting was justified. He attached documents showing a lengthy criminal history that he said matched the identity of the shooting victim, including arrests for prior sexual misconduct — such as exposing himself — as well as unprovoked physical attacks. Bonsib said court records indicate the wounded man has a history of unpredictable and violent behavior, including an 2019 incident in which the man allegedly attacked and threatened to kill somebody at a Metro station. The indictment names the man who was shot and also a second man, who it identifies as the victim of the reckless endangerment charge. In a 911 call released in January, a witness said the agent had warned the man to back away, but the man ignored the command and instead prepared to fight him, the Washington Post reported. "The FBI agent said: ‘Move away. I’m an FBI agent. Back away,’" the 911 caller said. "The other gentleman didn’t, dropped his bag, approached him to fight him." The caller said the FBI agent was attacked by the other passenger but did not describe how. The Medical Center station serves the National Institutes of Health and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

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-Lurid Crime Tales-

MS-13 'Dreamer' gang member sentenced to 40 years in ‘demonic' killing

2018-02-09

[FOX] A 17-year-old MS-13 gang member was sentenced to 40 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to the horrific murder of a teenager who was stabbed 153 times at a Maryland park in 2016. Prosecutors called the death of 17-year-old Christian Villagran Morales at the hands of Juan Gutierrez-Vazquez "demonic." One other has been sentenced and another two are awaiting trial for the gruesome killing. In court on Thursday, prosecutor Robert Hill said Gutierrez-Vasquez had just turned 16 when he agreed to take part in the brutal murder. His job, Hill said, was to hold down the victim while other gang members took turns stabbing Morales, a total of 153 times, Fox 5 DC reported.

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International-UN-NGOs

Former Mossad director joins anti-Iran organization

2016-06-19

In which eminent persons who know what they are talking about share their unease with our beloved president's keystone policy in a personnel announcement. [Ynet] Tamir Pardo, who left Israel's foreign intelligence service in January, explains his decision saying the dangers of a nuclear Iran cannot be ignored. Former Mossad director Tamir Pardo is joining the board of directors of the American non-profit United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), which operates internationally in an effort to raise awareness of the dangers posed by the Shiite state's regime. Check out the membership: UANI's membership also includes former US senator Joseph Holy Joe Lieberman ...what a Democrat maverick would look like if the Democrats had mavericks... ...former Senator Lieberman is the last of the Skip Jackson Democrats. His party left him... , former American special Middle East government coordinator Dennis Ross, ...who must have been monumentally frustrated, to so openly oppose his former master... former Spanish foreign minister Ana de Palacio, former heads of the CIA, I note the plural. and former Australian defense minister Robert Hill. UANI also works to convince international corporations not to do business with Iran. UANI was founded in 2008 ...interesting timing... by ambassador Mark D. Wallace, the late ambassador Richard Holbrooke, former CIA director Jim Woolsey and Middle East expert Dennis Ross. ...who is mentioned twice, in a slight excess of enthusiasm. In addition to Pardo, former US ambassador to the United Nations ...a lucrative dumping ground for the relatives of dictators and party hacks... John Bolton ...putting his powers to good use... and former Polish foreign minister Radosław Sikorski have also joined UANI. According to Pardo, the world's leading powers should not ignore the clear dangers posed by the Iranian regime, which he says threaten the personal safety and freedom of people both inside the country's borders and in the world on the lam. He expressed his satisfaction at being part of the UANI board.

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Down Under

Aust. & U.K Fighter purchase off if Stealth secrets not shared

2006-03-15

AUSTRALIA is threatening to reconsider its $12 billion commitment to buy up to 100 joint strike fighters unless the US agrees to share the secrets of the planes' Stealth technology. In a dramatic escalation of the stakes over the US-led JSF program, the head of the Australian Defence staff in Washington told the powerful US Senate Armed Services Committee that Australia needed access to the technology to support the new-generation war planes. Rear Admiral Raydon Gates said that if Australia did not win that access to information such as software codes to be able to service the fighters, Canberra's involvement was in doubt. "Guaranteed access to necessary JSF data and technology to allow Australia to operate and support the JSF will be required before we join the next phase of the project," Admiral Gates told the committee, which is conducting two days of hearings into the JSF. Admiral Gates said if the issue was not resolved it would also have ramifications for future joint combat operations with the US. Canberra has already expressed concern about the technology-transfer issue. But Admiral Gates's warning adds weight to a diplomatic row that is disappointing US allies who are partners in the JSF - particularly Britain, the US's biggest partner in the development, which also wants access to the technology. Australia is slated to spend $12billion buying up to 100 of the F-35s, which are due for delivery about 2012 to 2014 to replace its ageing F-111 and F/A-18 fleet. It would be the biggest military procurement in Australia's history and central to Australia's defence capability for the next 30 years. But Admiral Gates said that "overly restrictive access to United States technology could have numerous negative consequences for both of us". He said this included "forcing Australia to acquire systems elsewhere" as well as threatening the inter-operability of the warplanes in allied assaults. He added it would "limit operational capability of Australian forces alongside US forces, and reduce the level of co-operative technological development between our governments and industries". Admiral Gates told the senators that Australia was still committed to the JSF program as a "key element of our future defence capability, both for the defence of Australia and to contribute to future coalition operations (but) let me stress our ongoing success in terms of operations and co-operative projects, such as the JSF, are subject to timely access to necessary technology and data". He said this kind of access was "essential for successful coalition operations, including our ongoing co-operation in Afghanistan and Iraq". Canberra says negotiations with the Pentagon are being conducted with goodwill, with sign-off on the next phase of the JSF program due in September. But the US Congress and aircraft-maker Lockheed Martin are resisting the transfer of technology. They fear handing over the keys to the closely guarded Stealth aircraft evasion systems, particularly to industrial competitors. Without a transfer, Australia and other JSF partners would become beholden to Lockheed Martin specialists after every sortie of the warplanes in order to work through any technology issues. Australia expects there should be a domestic capability. The senators were told that letters between US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and then defence minister Robert Hill in 2002, when Australia joined the project, spelt out an understanding over the technology-transfer issue. Outside the hearing, Admiral Gates played down the threat of Australia withdrawing from the program but said the technology issue was a "major concern for us", saying it "was largely about our ability to support the aircraft". He remained "confident of a good outcome". Britain's Defence Procurement Minister, Paul Drayson, who also attended yesterday's hearing chaired by Republican John Warner, told the committee: "We are approaching important decisions that will impact on both UK and US military capability for a generation." Lord Drayson said the US needed to understand that a mutual commitment to the JSF was dependent on Britain having "the operational sovereignty that we require". He also told reporters that Britain's ability to buy the next-generation fighter was at risk. "We should be absolutely clear about what our bottom line is on this matter ... we will not be able to purchase the aircraft," he said.

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Southeast Asia

Australian boats to flush out J.I camps in Mindanao

2006-03-13

AUSTRALIA will supply up to 30 small river-boats to The Philippines to help track Jemaah Islamiah terrorists hiding in jungle camps on the southern island of Mindanao. Philippines Defence Secretary Avelino Cruz told the Foreign Correspondents Association in Manila that the boats would help Filipino troops "get to the terrorists who may have bunkers in these marshlands". The concept of providing small rivercraft to help The Philippines armed forces patrol the waterways of southern Mindanao was first canvassed by former defence minister Robert Hill during a visit there last year. Australia and The Philippines have stepped up bilateral counter-terrorism co-operation over the past two years, with Canberra spending more than $10million a year on military training and equipment. The biggest concern remains the movement of JI fighters from Indonesia to training camps in the southern Philippines run by Muslim separatists including the Abu Sayyaf group. Mr Cruz said intelligence reports indicated that up to 30 JI militants "come back and forth" to Mindanao for terror training. Among the terrorists believed to be hiding in Mindanao are two JI militants, Dulmatin and Omar Patek, identified as key suspects in the 2002 Bali bombings. Canberra's focus has been on improving surveillance of The Philippines borders and waterways in southern riverine and marshland areas of Mindanao. Australia also trains Philippines police and special forces. Mr Cruz said Australia would train Filipino troops for the riverine operation. He said the Government did not judge the JI threat as serious "at this point". The Philippines and Australia were moving closer to finalising a status of forces agreement that would allow Australian troops to conduct joint military training in the country, he said.

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International-UN-NGOs

UN rotten says Australian diplomat

2006-02-16

A TOP Australian diplomat says the United Nations is rotten to the core and is mishandling the threat of nuclear weapons. Australia's ambassador to the United Nations John Dauth has returned to Canberra after four-and-a-half years in the role. Mr Dauth said that while bodies such as the UN's food program and children's fund UNICEF were working, the General Assembly was not. "The General Assembly is defunct," Mr Dauth said. "No debate there carries with it any practical action or decision or agreement or compromise. "And if the heart of the body, if the core of the apple, is rotten, eventually the rest of the apple will be rotten too." Mr Dauth said he was particularly concerned over the UN's mishandling of the issue of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). He said an increasing number of nation states believed that owning WMDs enhanced their security. But the UN had failed to tackle the growing problem. "The evidence at the UN in the last year has been pretty bleak on WMD, on arms control," Mr Dauth said. "We had the nuclear non-proliferation treaty review conference in May that failed to come up with an agenda – a month of negotiations that failed to come up with an agenda. "We had the summit in September that despite vigorous negotiation, most of which I chaired, achieved nothing – not a single reference in the outcome document on issues relating to arms control and proliferation. "That is an indictment of a global inter-governmental negotiating process that has gone badly wrong in New York." He said many of the UN's institutions had become "empty shells". Mr Dauth is widely tipped to be replaced by former defence minister Robert Hill.

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Down Under

Aussies go shopping

2006-01-15

AUSTRALIA'S Defence Force is about to embark on its biggest weapons buying spree since World War II, spending $52 billion on new planes, ships and tanks. The massive expenditure will make Australia's navy, army and air force the most powerful and high-tech military in the region well into the 21st century. The spending splurge comes not to combat the war on terror, but because much of the Defence Force's most costly equipment is 30 years old and has to be replaced. Pressure from international arms firms to sell Australia the big ticket items is intense. This month the new American destroyer USS Pinckney will sail into Sydney on a mission to persuade the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to splash out. The US ship has the latest anti-air warfare Aegis system and is designed to protect fleets from air and missile attack. The ADF plans to spend $6 billion buying three such ships and is looking at a future cut-down version of the Pinckney as well as the existing Spanish F100 destroyer. The US Navy is pulling out big guns to win the contract and the ship will host Defence Minister Robert Hill and other ministers on board when it visits during the Navy's Sea Power Conference starting in Sydney on January 31. The destroyers will be the most powerful warships in the navy, but not the biggest. Two new 22,000 tonne amphibious assault transport ships costing more than $1 billion each are to be decided on in 2007. ADF is looking at a French design that resembles a mini aircraft carrier. The spending spree continues in the air force where the Government plans to lay out $16 billion on 100 American-built F-35 Joint Strike Fighters. But the cost is likely to blow out beyond the current $160 million per plane as the US is cutting back its orders. The F-35 is still being tested and isn't due until 2012. Defence insiders believe the Government will curtail its plans and announce next month that it will buy just 50 to 60 of the F-35s. Big new transport planes are also on the RAAF wish list. The $200 million McDonnell Douglas built C-17 Globemaster can carry 120 troops or the heavy M1 Abrams tank, far more than the existing trusty Hercules. New surveillance drones to help the Orion aircraft are also being considered. The US built Global Hawk unmanned drones, costing $45 million apiece, could be patrolling Australian northern waters in the next decade. Big bucks have already been tied in by the army. In June the first of 59 second-hand American M1 Abrams tanks the ADF has bought from the US Army will arrive. The Government has just announced there will be an extra $1.5 billion in May's budget to recruit another 1500 troops for the more mechanised army. Another $3 billion is being spent on 7000 units of army field equipment such as helicopters, trucks, jeeps and trailers.

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Europe

Dutch must send troops or pay the price

2006-01-12

WASHINGTON'S former administrator in Iraq Paul Bremer has warned the Dutch they could face economic penalties That's that there Consequenses thingy that I heard so much about, ain't it! in the US if they fail to send troops to Afghanistan. NATO has also turned up the heat on the Dutch, ooooh! Solidarity! while the fate of a 200-strong provincial reconstruction team Australia wants to send to Afghanistan hangs in the balance because it is relying on the Dutch to provide security. "I assume from time to time decisions must be taken by the US Government and Congress which affect Dutch economic interests," Mr Bremer, a former ambassador to The Netherlands, told Dutch newspaper De Volksrant. "It is not difficult to imagine that decisions will be made that are not in the best interests of The Netherlands. Is he being subtle there? What is NATO about if our allies are not prepared to stand shoulder to shoulder with us?" US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried said the US was perplexed by the Dutch hesitation. Dutchman and NATO chief Jaap de Hoop Scheffer has also called on The Hague to back the deployment. "We shouldn't grant the Taliban or al-Qa'ida victory, we should go on supporting the Karzai Government," the NATO chief said on Tuesday. Increased attacks from Taliban and al-Qa'ida fighters have prompted NATO to boost its forces in Afghanistan from 10,000 to 16,000 troops, which will free up US troops to mount a more aggressive offensive along the border with Pakistan. But while Canada and Britain have agreed to send more troops, the Dutch parliament has yet to approve its deployment of up to 1400 troops, F-16 fighters and Apache helicopters. Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende has backed the move, but public fears the troops could face heavy casualties have delayed parliamentary approval. I suspect they wouldn't face heavy casualties if they were properly armed and ammunitioned, and if their rules of engagement said something like, "When in doubt, shoot first." But that's my civilian ignorance showing, I s'pose. Australian Defence Minister Robert Hill said he believed the Dutch would give the mission the go-ahead. "NATO believes that the Dutch deployment would be the one that worked best with the type of contribution Australia wants to make," Senator Hill said. He announced on Tuesday that Australia would send two Chinook helicopters, 110 support crew and some special forces troops to reinforce the 190 Australian SAS troops already in southeast Afghanistan. The new deployment means Australia will have 500 troops in Afghanistan by mid-year, although the entire complement is scheduled to be withdrawn before the end of the year. Getting them properly trained for that drawdown through Iran? Afghan Defence Ministry spokesman Major-General Mohammad Zahir Azimi yesterday thanked Australia for its new contribution. He told the ABC that Afghanistan would require the support of international troops until it was powerful enough to take responsibility for its own security.

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Down Under

Australia deploying more troops to Afghanistan

2006-01-10

Australia will send an extra 110 troops to Afghanistan to bolster the fight against Islamist militants, increasing its presence in the country to about 300, the Australian government said on Tuesday. The deployment, which includes two Chinook helicopters, would provide additional medical evacuation and air mobility support to 190 Australian special forces troops in Afghanistan, it said. Australia's special forces were sent to Afghanistan in July to help hunt down Taliban and al Qaeda fighters who have doggedly pursued a violent insurgency since a 2001 U.S.-led invasion ousted the Taliban for harbouring the militant al Qaeda network. "(Australia's extra troops) will be deployed as part of Australia's continuing commitment to the fight against terrorism," Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile, who is acting prime minister while John Howard is on holiday, told Australian radio. Australia initially sent 1,550 troops to Afghanistan in 2001 to join the U.S.-led attack, including special forces who were involved in some of the earliest and fiercest fighting. Defense Minister Robert Hill said the helicopters and extra troops would be fully operational by March and would remain in Afghanistan for the rest of the special forces deployment, which is due to finish in September. "Afghanistan has made significant progress since its liberation from the Taliban and it is important the international community continues to work together with the Afghan government to ensure progress continues," Hill said in a statement. The Australian Greens party said the country should be withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan, not sending more. "Our troops should be in Australia and our neighborhood where our national interests are concentrated," Greens leader Bob Brown said in a statement. The Australian government is also due to decide whether to send a 200-strong reconstruction team to Afghanistan. The Australian newspaper reported on Tuesday that a reconstruction team would be deployed in April, but Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer told reporters in Washington no final decision had been made. The Australian deployment comes as NATO urged the Dutch parliament on Monday to approve a government plan to send 1,400 more troops to Afghanistan, warning insurgents would exploit any delay in alliance efforts to step up peacekeeping. The North Atlantic alliance is looking to raise its troop numbers in Afghanistan by 6,000 to more than 15,000 to help ease the burden on the larger U.S.-led coalition there.

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Down Under

Australia revamping military to deal with terrorism, WMD threats

2005-12-15

Australia’s armed forces will be revamped to better fight terror and crack down on weapons of mass destruction under a new strategy unveiled by Defence Minister Robert Hill on Thursday. The new defence outlook is designed to make the Australian military more flexible and increase troop numbers, and puts the fight against terror and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction at the centre of planning. It also includes plans for major purchases, such as heavy-lift aircraft, to help Australian forces deploy quickly to regional troublespots and to help deliver aid in the event of regional disasters. “Defeating the threat of terrorism, countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and supporting regional states in difficulty remain the government’s highest priorities,” Hill said. Australia, a strong ally of the United States, has about 1,300 forces in and around Iraq, as well as 200 special forces in Afghanistan helping U.S. forces hunt down Taliban an al Qaeda fighters. Australia also has a military aid team in Pakistan. But Australia has also taken a stronger military role in the Pacific region in recent years, sending more than 5,000 troops to East Timor to quell militia violence in 1999, and sending 1,400 military personnel to the Solomon Islands in 2003 to help stop the country’s decline into violence and anarchy. Australia is also strong supporter of the regional Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), designed to intercept the illegal transport of weapons of mass destruction, which has the support of 60 nations. Defence analyst Aldo Borgu, from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said the review had a stronger defence focus on global issues and Australia’s regional interests. “The problem is there is a big step up in the rhetoric in the strategy, but not a big step up in capability,” Borgu told Australian television. Hill said under the new defence outlook, Australia will pass new laws to allow the defence forces to help civil authorities in Australia during periods of national emergency. He said Australia aims to expand army troops numbers by 1,500 over the next 10 years, with the army to be restructured into new flexible battlegroups, while Australia would look at new tanks, helicopters, trucks and transport to help with army deployments. “In the years ahead, we might also find ourselves facing challenges that cannot be anticipated or predicted easily,” Hill said. “This puts a focus on forces that are versatile, robust, joint and integrated,” he said. Australia’s army currently has about 42,000 soldiers, including 16,800 reservists and 25,400 permanent soldiers.

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Down Under

Oz Defence deals on US Stealth probed

2005-12-13

Dirty Deeds and they're Done Dirt Cheap AN independent investigation has been ordered into whether the Defence Department tried to illegally buy secret US Stealth technology for RAAF aircraft. He's double dealin' with your best friend- That's when the teardrops start. Attorney-General Philip Ruddock launched the investigation after a Defence Department inquiry found $1 million had been paid to a US engineer, now imprisoned in Hawaii and facing espionage charges. Here's what you gotta do -Pick up the phone-I'm always home Indian-born American Noshir Gowadia is facing 60 years' jail for allegedly selling classified B-2 bomber Stealth technology to foreign powers and corporations. Call me any time-Just ring-36 24 36 hey-I lead a life of crime The technology is at the heart of the B-2's ability to evade heat-seeking missiles. An investigation by The Australian last month revealed that Mr Gowadia, 61 -- one of three lead engineers who developed the B-2 Stealth technology at the US-based Northrop Corporation -- co-owned a Canberra-based company with Australian defence employee and former navy lieutenant-commander Arthur Lazarou. NTech Australia is one of two companies US prosecutors allege was central to the illegal sale of the technology. Pick up the phone-Leave her alone-It's time you made a stand US media reports have named China and Australia as among the countries that may have acquired Stealth secrets. Several charges against Mr Gowadia relate to the passing of secret documents and classified information, through training courses, to foreign governments at the time Canberra was doing business with NTech. In response to questions from The Weekend Australian, the Defence Department said a preliminary investigation showed it paid $1 million to NTech between 1999 and 2003. "Defence purchased around $1million worth of services (for studies and training relating to defence projects) from NTech Australia between 1999-2003," it said. For a fee-I'm happy to be-Your back door man The department said its investigation had yet to find "any evidence of illegality". But Defence Minister Robert Hill referred the matter to Mr Ruddock this week. "The Minister for Defence has written to the Attorney-General requesting an independent investigation to ensure that, in NTech's dealings with Defence, no disclosure of US classified information to Defence took place outside of established channels," the statement said. Dirty Deeds and they're Done Dirt Cheap The department confirmed a report by The Australian last month that it had carried out testing of NTech's Advanced Infra-Red Suppression System (AIRSS) for the RAAF's Hercules C-130 transport aircraft. The AIRSS, according to a 2002 postgraduate thesis written by Mr Lazarou, 44, was developed by Mr Gowadia "in conjunction" with his work on the B-2 bomber. FBI documents used to support the charges against Mr Gowadia claim he marketed an infra-red military suppression system for aircraft "derived in whole or in part from his work on the B-2". Testing was called off in late 2002 after Mr Gowadia insisted on owning all intellectual property rights from the venture. After initially denying the charges, Mr Gowadia allegedly later admitted passing classified information to foreign countries. "At the time, I knew it was wrong and I did it for the money," he said. Dirty Deeds and they're Done Dirt Cheap US Assistant Attorney Ken Sorenson has obtained from The Australian the university thesis by Mr Lazarou detailing NTech's dealings with Canberra. Concrete shoes, cyanide, TNT Done Dirt Cheap Neckties, contracts, high voltage Done Dirt Cheap

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Down Under

Australia, Indonesia to end special forces ban

2005-12-11

SYDNEY - The threat of regional terrorism has forced an ended to a seven year ban on military contact between Australian special forces and Indonesia’s elite Kopassus unit, with the two forces set to train together in early 2006. Australia cut links with Kopassus in 1999 after the former Indonesian territory of East Timor voted for independence, sparking a spree of violence by pro-Jakarta militias backed by Indonesian military elements. “In this era of heightened terrorist threats, it is in Australia’s interests to engage with regional special forces, such as Kopassus, to safeguard the lives of Australians,” Defence Minister Robert Hill said on Sunday. Hill said Australia’s Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment and Kopassus’ counter-terrorism Unit 81 will stage a two week exercise in Australia in early 2006 called “Dawn Kookaburra” which will focus on counter-hijack and hostage recovery. “Kopassus Unit 81 has the most effective capability to respond to a counter-hijack or hostage recovery threat in Indonesia,” Hill said in a statement. “In the event of a terrorist incident, the safety of Australians in Indonesia could well rest on effective cooperation between TNI (Indonesia’s armed forces) and the ADF (Australian Defence Force),” he said. Necessity, bedfellows, etc. In light of the 2002 Bali bombings, Australia announced a year later that it would renew links with Kopassus, but the closer ties collapsed due to restrictions on the training imposed by Australia. An Australian think tank report released a year ago found Kopassus had not reformed and urged the Australian Defence Force not to renew ties. The report by the Australian National University’s Strategic and Defence Studies Centre said Kopassus had not changed from its history of illegal operations and human rights abuses. Kopassus earned a notorious reputation for its alleged role in the torture and abduction of dissidents during former autocrat Suharto’s 32-year rule of Indonesia that ended in chaos in 1998. The last training exercise between Australian military and Kopassus took place in 1997.

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