New threats call for new tools. Today, the European Commission is calling on all EU countries to strengthen their efforts against violent extremism and terrorism. Programmes helping people to leave extremist movements should be provided all over Europe. And the EU must cooperate better, by creating a European knowledge hub in this field.
Why is this such a pressing issue? To get an idea of what we are up against, take the ‘Inspire’ publication as an example. On the surface, it looks like any monthly magazine. It has glossy layout, long interviews, big photos and picture montages. But that is where the similarities end. The photos show determined, masked men with automatic weapons, the devastation of cities, and knives covered in blood. Among the articles are instructions for how to make a bomb in your own kitchen. Interested readers can also read about how to carry out attacks without access to firearms. No gun? Then run people over with your car instead. The latest issue features a full-page photo of Boston bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev, smiling widely into the camera against an edited backdrop of fluffy clouds and doves of peace.
Inspire is an English language, al Qaeda-sponsored magazine published a few times a year. It is one of many new propaganda instruments wielded by violent groups to recruit new members. Although it is probably produced in Yemen, it is but a few clicks of a mouse away for those who wish to indulge in terrorist fantasies and read glowing reports about the purportedly honourable life of suicide bombers. ‘Inspire’ has already paid off for al-Qaeda in a tragic way; it is believed that the two perpetrators of the Boston attacks built their pressure-cooker bombs - which claimed the lives of three people and maimed 264 others - with the help of designs published in the first issue of Inspire.
Today, people at risk of being lured into embracing extremist views can be drawn into groups where these views are reinforced. At the same time, they may remain isolated, and commit violent attacks on their own. The problem of extremism is not limited to one ideology or religion. Anders Behring Breivik justified his horrific attacks with a fascist ideology which he embraced in the privacy of his own home. He is a prime example of a lone wolf who prepares deadly attacks secretly, without appearing on the radar of the authorities.
Today, we are presenting the results of this work. Several actions have emerged from the efforts of the network; actions that, if implemented, would contribute to significantly strengthen Europe’s defences against violent extremism. The European Commission is now presenting ten recommendations that EU Member States should carry out as soon as possible. These recommendations are about better cooperation between authorities and others, and doing more locally in order to reach people earlier on in the path to extremism, and to support those who want to leave violent groups. Some EU countries have done much more in this field than others.
2014年1月19日星期日
2014年1月16日星期四
Beauty and the Beat Cop
Even as videos of officer-involved shootings and stories of forced rectal exams on drug suspects make national headlines, officials at the New Mexico Law Enforcement Training Academy plan to reduce peace officer cadets’ basic training time by more than 25 percent.
On Monday, 60 cadets, including 18 recruits from the Santa Fe Police Department and two from the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s office, are scheduled to begin four months of training before they earn their law enforcement credentials, swear an oath, and pin on a shield. But the training program for those men and women will be six weeks shorter than the academy’s last graduating class.
An SFR investigation has discovered the 650 hours law-enforcement cadets will receive is less than half the 1,600 hours that the state requires cosmetology students to spend in specialized schools before they’re eligible to take a mandatory licensing exam. Even barber students complete 1,200 training hours of basic training.
Estheticians, who apply makeup and pluck eyebrows, spend 600 hours earning their New Mexico licenses. “I don’t know a lot about barber schools, but from Day 1 our program is intense,” says Law Enforcement Academy Director Jack Jones.
It may be, but SFR’s investigation also found that the 65 hours cadets spend in high stress firearm shooting scenarios, and eight hours in Taser training, is less than the 75 hours that barber students spend studying bacteria strains and learning how to sanitize their scissors, combs and work stations.
While jurisdictions have the option of running their own training academy (and places like Albuquerque and Bernalillo County do), many peace officers only get academy training from the state. New Mexico laws even allows cops to patrol the streets with a gun and badge long before earning their formal credentials. Commissioned officers may to work up to 12 months before they’re required to enter the academy or lose their job.
It gives them the opportunity to hire a guy and make sure they’re what they need for their community while they’re waiting to get into the academy,” says Jones. “There hasn’t been an issue with it in the past.” But Jones is uncomfortable with commissioned officers who haven’t been to any kind of school being issued a gun and a badge “out there making traffic stops.”
On Monday, 60 cadets, including 18 recruits from the Santa Fe Police Department and two from the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s office, are scheduled to begin four months of training before they earn their law enforcement credentials, swear an oath, and pin on a shield. But the training program for those men and women will be six weeks shorter than the academy’s last graduating class.
An SFR investigation has discovered the 650 hours law-enforcement cadets will receive is less than half the 1,600 hours that the state requires cosmetology students to spend in specialized schools before they’re eligible to take a mandatory licensing exam. Even barber students complete 1,200 training hours of basic training.
Estheticians, who apply makeup and pluck eyebrows, spend 600 hours earning their New Mexico licenses. “I don’t know a lot about barber schools, but from Day 1 our program is intense,” says Law Enforcement Academy Director Jack Jones.
It may be, but SFR’s investigation also found that the 65 hours cadets spend in high stress firearm shooting scenarios, and eight hours in Taser training, is less than the 75 hours that barber students spend studying bacteria strains and learning how to sanitize their scissors, combs and work stations.
While jurisdictions have the option of running their own training academy (and places like Albuquerque and Bernalillo County do), many peace officers only get academy training from the state. New Mexico laws even allows cops to patrol the streets with a gun and badge long before earning their formal credentials. Commissioned officers may to work up to 12 months before they’re required to enter the academy or lose their job.
It gives them the opportunity to hire a guy and make sure they’re what they need for their community while they’re waiting to get into the academy,” says Jones. “There hasn’t been an issue with it in the past.” But Jones is uncomfortable with commissioned officers who haven’t been to any kind of school being issued a gun and a badge “out there making traffic stops.”
2014年1月14日星期二
Meyer Lemon Scones
The darling of farmers' markets has arrived! She is canary yellow, smooth, and shiny, with delicate skin and a floral, fresh herb aroma. You should have no trouble identifying Meyer lemons at the market because a crowd of shoppers usually surrounds them. They are a perennial favorite.
Meyer lemons are native to China and were first introduced to the United States in 1908 by Frank Nicholas Meyer, an agricultural explorer (yes, that truly was his job title). Meyer collected the citrus fruit near Beijing, where the tree was commonly grown as an ornamental houseplant. It has dark green leaves and produces impressive quantities of fruit. Though the Meyer lemon's exact origins are unknown, botanists believe it is a cross between lemon and mandarin or perhaps lemon and sweet orange. There is evidence for such lineage in the flavor of the Meyer lemon; it is sweeter and less acidic than the more common Eureka and Lisbon lemons found at the store.
The very qualities that make Meyer lemons appealing to chefs and home cooks -- a tender peel, a thin pith with almost no trace of bitterness, and a high percentage of juice -- also make the Meyer Man arrested for pulling knife on neighbors too fragile for wide commercial distribution. Look for them in farmers' markets from January through April, or try your hand at growing a Meyer lemon tree. Dwarf varieties do well in containers, bear fragrant flowers, and require little pruning.
In the kitchen, Meyer lemons can stand in for regular lemons in just about any dish. Try making a quick relish by chopping the whole lemon (peel and all) into small cubes and tossing them with minced shallot, olive oil, salt, and pepper. I like to spoon this relish over grilled fish. Meyer lemons are equally tasty in sweet dishes. They are perfect for mild yet fragrant lemon curd, ideal for lemonade, and excellent for candied citrus peel.
In a large bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the sugar-zest mixture. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour mixture until there are no butter pieces larger than a pea. Pour in the buttermilk and vanilla. Stir with a wooden spoon just until a crumbly dough forms. Turn it out onto an un-floured surface and knead quickly to bring the dough completely together. Fold it in half onto itself, as if you were closing a book, then pat the dough into a 1-inch-thick square. Using a large knife, cut the dough into 8 triangles and transfer them to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Meyer lemons are native to China and were first introduced to the United States in 1908 by Frank Nicholas Meyer, an agricultural explorer (yes, that truly was his job title). Meyer collected the citrus fruit near Beijing, where the tree was commonly grown as an ornamental houseplant. It has dark green leaves and produces impressive quantities of fruit. Though the Meyer lemon's exact origins are unknown, botanists believe it is a cross between lemon and mandarin or perhaps lemon and sweet orange. There is evidence for such lineage in the flavor of the Meyer lemon; it is sweeter and less acidic than the more common Eureka and Lisbon lemons found at the store.
The very qualities that make Meyer lemons appealing to chefs and home cooks -- a tender peel, a thin pith with almost no trace of bitterness, and a high percentage of juice -- also make the Meyer Man arrested for pulling knife on neighbors too fragile for wide commercial distribution. Look for them in farmers' markets from January through April, or try your hand at growing a Meyer lemon tree. Dwarf varieties do well in containers, bear fragrant flowers, and require little pruning.
In the kitchen, Meyer lemons can stand in for regular lemons in just about any dish. Try making a quick relish by chopping the whole lemon (peel and all) into small cubes and tossing them with minced shallot, olive oil, salt, and pepper. I like to spoon this relish over grilled fish. Meyer lemons are equally tasty in sweet dishes. They are perfect for mild yet fragrant lemon curd, ideal for lemonade, and excellent for candied citrus peel.
In a large bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the sugar-zest mixture. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour mixture until there are no butter pieces larger than a pea. Pour in the buttermilk and vanilla. Stir with a wooden spoon just until a crumbly dough forms. Turn it out onto an un-floured surface and knead quickly to bring the dough completely together. Fold it in half onto itself, as if you were closing a book, then pat the dough into a 1-inch-thick square. Using a large knife, cut the dough into 8 triangles and transfer them to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
2014年1月10日星期五
Man arrested for pulling knife on neighbors
A Murfreesboro man was arrested around 10:15 p.m. Wednesday following an altercation with his neighbors, according to Murfreesboro Police Department reports. Jerome R. Richardson, 22, of Old Lascassas Pike, was cahrged with aggravated burglary, aggravated assault and vandalism, Officer Robert Jamison reported. Richardson’s neighbors said he was fighting an unknown person in their yard and they interceded to break it up. In the process, he allegedly pushed his neighbor, who is a 60-year-old man, was pushed to the ground. The man’s son pulled Richardson away and escorted him inside their residence, according to Jamison’s report.
“At this point, they advised, (Richardson) abruptly came into their residence through the front door with a kitchen knife, cursing and pursuing an altercation with (the son),” Jamison reported. The son pushed Richardson outside, where Jamison found him on the front porch with “the knife in question” and drinking an intoxicating beverage, the officer reported. Richardson said he had the knife for protection from his neighbors. Jamison arrested him and charged him accordingly. Richardson is being held at Rutherford County Adult Detention Center on $11,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear March 6 in General Sessions Court.
A 23-year-old Murfreesoro woman claimed she was robbed around 4:30 Wednesday afternoon by a man who was supposed to give her a ride, Officer Reginal Primas reported. The woman said her nephew’s friend, who she knows as “John,” agreed to give her a ride to the bank and came over to her apartment, according to a Murfreesoro incident report. The suspect asked the victim for a cigarette and, as she retrieved one, he grabbed her purse and tried to run out of the residence, Primas reported. The victim said she grabbed her purse and the pair struggled for control of the purse.
“During the struggle, (the suspect) was grabbing money and pill bottles from her purse and made the statement ‘b----, don’t make me shoot you’ as he displayed the black handle of what appeared to be a gun,” Primas wrote. At this point, the victim let go of the purse and the suspect ran from the house. She followed and “snatched the keys from the ignition” of his car before he could leave, she told the officer. The suspect hit the victim a few times before fleeing the scene by jumping over a fence. He later returned to his vehicle and “sped away,” Primas reported. The suspect made off with $40 and $490 in prescription pain medication, according to the police report. Primas reported he has the likely identity of the suspect, but no arrest has been made at this time.
“At this point, they advised, (Richardson) abruptly came into their residence through the front door with a kitchen knife, cursing and pursuing an altercation with (the son),” Jamison reported. The son pushed Richardson outside, where Jamison found him on the front porch with “the knife in question” and drinking an intoxicating beverage, the officer reported. Richardson said he had the knife for protection from his neighbors. Jamison arrested him and charged him accordingly. Richardson is being held at Rutherford County Adult Detention Center on $11,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear March 6 in General Sessions Court.
A 23-year-old Murfreesoro woman claimed she was robbed around 4:30 Wednesday afternoon by a man who was supposed to give her a ride, Officer Reginal Primas reported. The woman said her nephew’s friend, who she knows as “John,” agreed to give her a ride to the bank and came over to her apartment, according to a Murfreesoro incident report. The suspect asked the victim for a cigarette and, as she retrieved one, he grabbed her purse and tried to run out of the residence, Primas reported. The victim said she grabbed her purse and the pair struggled for control of the purse.
“During the struggle, (the suspect) was grabbing money and pill bottles from her purse and made the statement ‘b----, don’t make me shoot you’ as he displayed the black handle of what appeared to be a gun,” Primas wrote. At this point, the victim let go of the purse and the suspect ran from the house. She followed and “snatched the keys from the ignition” of his car before he could leave, she told the officer. The suspect hit the victim a few times before fleeing the scene by jumping over a fence. He later returned to his vehicle and “sped away,” Primas reported. The suspect made off with $40 and $490 in prescription pain medication, according to the police report. Primas reported he has the likely identity of the suspect, but no arrest has been made at this time.
2014年1月2日星期四
Masked men in Burnley knife raid
TWO masked men armed with large kitchen knives burst into a Burnley phone shop in a terrifying raid. The men entered Sana Communications store in Colne Road and threatened to stab the owner and two members of staff. But staff fought back and threw a stepladder at one of the robbers after he was trapped inside by boss Mohammad Jabar, 62. The incident happened just before 6pm on New Year's Day. One of the robbers ran behind the counter, waving the blade at Mr Jabar. After failing to open the till, he grabbed an iPhone worth 300 and a Blackberry worth 100 from underneath the counter. His accomplice, who was also brandishing a knife, then ran out of the shop and was chased by Mr Jabar. The shopkeeper then closed the door from the outside in a bid to trap the other robber.
In a fit of panic the offender kicked through the glass panels. As he tried to escape, Mr Jabar's nephew Imran Mehmood threw a stepladder narrowly missing him. Mr Jabar, who has run the shop for five years, said: "When they came in they were shouting and swearing. I was worried they were going to use the knives. We didn't argue with them. It was very frightening. One of them tried to get into the till but didn't manage it. There are lots of buttons on it and he didn't know which one would open it. Then he grabbed an iPhone and Police appeal after third armed robbery a Blackberry from underneath the counter, and maybe another phone too. I recognised him and I told him 'I know you', which made him angry. I've seen him around town. Then he went out the shop and I went after him and closed the door from the outside so the other one couldn't get out before the police got here.
But he started trying to break his way out, kicking the glass in the door, smashing it until he made a big hole and then got out."
Mr Mehmood, 27, who works in the shop, said: "I threw a stepladder at him to try and stop him smashing the glass, but I missed. I couldn't try to stop him another way because I thought he might use the knife against me. It was very frightening. It all happened very fast, within two minutes. We never argue with people. Everybody knows and likes my uncle and we never have trouble. "I would never have thought this would happen because we've got eight security cameras in the shop." Mr Jabar said: "I've lived and worked in Burnley as a builder for 45 years. People are friendly. We've never had anything like this happen before." "But we are hearing about more of these types of robberies in the area. People being threatened with knives. It is worrying." Two offenders with their faces covered entered the premises and produced a knife and threatened the shopkeeper. They attempted to enter the till, didn't manage it, and stole some mobile phones before leaving through the front door.
In a fit of panic the offender kicked through the glass panels. As he tried to escape, Mr Jabar's nephew Imran Mehmood threw a stepladder narrowly missing him. Mr Jabar, who has run the shop for five years, said: "When they came in they were shouting and swearing. I was worried they were going to use the knives. We didn't argue with them. It was very frightening. One of them tried to get into the till but didn't manage it. There are lots of buttons on it and he didn't know which one would open it. Then he grabbed an iPhone and Police appeal after third armed robbery a Blackberry from underneath the counter, and maybe another phone too. I recognised him and I told him 'I know you', which made him angry. I've seen him around town. Then he went out the shop and I went after him and closed the door from the outside so the other one couldn't get out before the police got here.
But he started trying to break his way out, kicking the glass in the door, smashing it until he made a big hole and then got out."
Mr Mehmood, 27, who works in the shop, said: "I threw a stepladder at him to try and stop him smashing the glass, but I missed. I couldn't try to stop him another way because I thought he might use the knife against me. It was very frightening. It all happened very fast, within two minutes. We never argue with people. Everybody knows and likes my uncle and we never have trouble. "I would never have thought this would happen because we've got eight security cameras in the shop." Mr Jabar said: "I've lived and worked in Burnley as a builder for 45 years. People are friendly. We've never had anything like this happen before." "But we are hearing about more of these types of robberies in the area. People being threatened with knives. It is worrying." Two offenders with their faces covered entered the premises and produced a knife and threatened the shopkeeper. They attempted to enter the till, didn't manage it, and stole some mobile phones before leaving through the front door.
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