I have asked the Department of Defense to designate a site in the United States where we can hold military commissions. I am appointing a new senior envoy at the State Department and Defense Department whose sole responsibility will be to achieve the transfer of detainees to third countries. I am lifting the moratorium on detainee transfers to Yemen so we can review them on a case-by-case basis.President Obama, during his lengthy speech today on counterterrorism. Obama also stated his continued support for shutting down the facility, saying that “there is no justification beyond politics for Congress to prevent us from closing a facility that it should — should have never been opened.” source
President Obama just delivered a near hour-long speech on drone strikes and counterterrorism policy. There was a lot there; he announced, among other things, new steps the administration is taking to close Guantanamo Bay, changes in policies regarding drone strikes, and a more lenient policy for the transfer of Guantanamo detainees. He defended the strike that killed Anwar al-Awlaki and the practice of drone strikes in general, but also acknowledged their limitations. You can read the full text of the speech here (Photo credit: AP) source
The first page of the letter from Attorney General Eric Holder revealing that Americans have been killed in counterterrorism operations. Click to read more.
A man has been killed in a machete attack and his two assailants shot by police in Woolwich, south-east London.
The government is reported to be treating the assault as a suspected terrorist incident and the prime minister said it was “truly shocking”.
Home Secretary Theresa May has summoned a meeting of the government’s emergency response committee Cobra.
Both suspects in the attack have been apprehended, and are being treated at separate London hospitals for their injuries. Our thoughts go out to the family and friends of the unidentified victim.
The White House on Wednesday released almost 100 pages of internal emails regarding the talking points that Ambassador Susan Rice and other officials used on Sunday shows following the deadly Benghazi, Libya attack on September 11, 2012.
You can read ‘em here. Meanwhile, the President is going to give a statement on the IRS scandal in 20 minutes.
As Islamists increasingly fill the ranks of Syrian rebels, President Bashar al-Assad is waging an energized campaign to persuade the United States that it is on the wrong side of the war
“If the Syrian regime falls, al Qaeda wins.” That’s what Bashar al-Assad wants US officials to believe: By playing off US fears of Islamic terrorism, he’s hoping America will shift its support from the Syrian rebels to the incumbent regime, or at least withhold providing any more material support for the rebels. Because at least one rebel faction is allied with al Qaeda, it’s not an altogether crazy strategy. The regime is reportedly relying on Khaled Mahjoub, a Syrian-American businessman, to relay this message to US officials. “We are partners in fighting terrorism,” said Wael Nader al-Halqi, Syria’s prime minister.
Here’s the full Department of Justice complaint with details on the charges being filed against Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who remains hospitalised at this time.
Yahoo wants to buy Hulu now too. They’re going on an “I...
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OMG. I got so...
In this week’s Newsweek, a little...
Tumblr this morning. [h/t anne]
#@#$%!.tumblr.com
Here’s a hidden feature that shipped in...
So Paul Kevin Curtis, the suspect in the ricin mailing incidents (one to a Sen. Roger Wicker; one to President Obama), fancies himself a musician in that sort of broken, home-spun way you might remember from such films as “The Foot Fist Way.” I know what you’re thinking: “SFB, Danny McBride didn’t sing in ‘The Foot Fist Way!’” Well, as it turns out, this guy is also a master of martial arts, based on his Twitter profile pic. (Also, he sort of made it obvious it was probably the same person, using the same phrasing on social media as he did in the tainted letters he sent.) Above is a video of him singing the Prince classic “Little Red Corvette” to a room of terrified students. (ht Dave Weigel)
An arrest of a suspect in the Boston Marathon bombing case is imminent, a law enforcement source said Wednesday, with the suspect to be brought to court soon, the Associated Press reported.
The AP reports comes as several news sources report that investigators have identified images of a suspect seen delivering one of the explosive devices that killed 3 people and injured more than 170 at the finish line of the marathon.
CNN reported that the arrest has already taken place, but that could not be independently confirmed.
A promising development in the investigation which has followed Monday’s shocking act of terrorism at the Boston Marathon. Let’s hope they’ve got the right person, and that those most affected by Monday’s attack will have an opportunity to move forward with their lives as soon as possible.
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