Category: Justice

MIL-OSI USA: ICE Houston removes Guatemalan fugitive wanted for criminal impersonation

Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

HOUSTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed Kevin Estuardo Escobar Chanas, a 27-year-old foreign fugitive wanted for criminal impersonation in Guatemala, from the United States March 26.

Escobar was flown from Alexandria, Louisiana, on a charter flight coordinated by ICE’s Air Operations Unit to La Aurora International Airport, Guatemala City, Guatemala. He was turned over to Guatemalan law enforcement authorities upon arrival.

“The successful identification and removal of this foreign fugitive is another reminder of how important it is for state and local law enforcement to work together with ICE,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston Field Office Director Bret A. Bradford. “Without the strength of those partnerships that we have here in Texas, this foreign fugitive would still be out in the community threatening public safety, and his alleged victims in Guatemala would continue to be deprived of the justice they deserve.”

Escobar illegally entered the U.S. Dec. 24, 2023, near Eagle Pass, Texas. He was immediately apprehended by the U.S. Border Patrol and released on his own recognizance Dec. 25, 2023. ICE encountered Escobar Oct. 27, 2024, at the Harris County Jail following his arrest for assault causing bodily injury and lodged an immigration detainer with the jail. Escobar was released into ICE custody Jan. 25 following the completion of his prison sentence for assault and was taken to the Montgomery Processing Center in Conroe, Texas. An immigration judge with the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review ordered Escobar removed to Guatemala Feb. 25.

Members of the public who have information about foreign fugitives are urged to contact ICE by calling the ICE Tip Line at 866-347-2423 or internationally at 001-1802-872-6199. They can also file a tip online by completing ICE’s online tip form.

For more news and information on how the ERO Houston field office carries out its immigration enforcement mission in Southeast Texas follow us on X at @EROHouston.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: ICE Boston arrests Brazilian alien charged with assault, battery in Massachusetts

Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement apprehended an illegally present Brazilian alien charged with assault and battery on a family member when officers arrested Weliton Pires-Dos Santos, 39, in Framingham Jan. 26.

“Weliton Pires-Dos Santos illegally came to this country and refused to abide by our laws,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. “Pires victimized a member family and presents a threat to the residents of our Massachusetts communities. ICE stands committed to prioritizing the safety of our public by arresting and removing criminal alien offenders from our New England neighborhoods.”

The U.S. Border Patrol arrested Pires Nov. 30, 2021, after he illegally entered the United States near San Luis, Arizona. The Border Patrol served Pires with a notice to appear and released him on his own recognizance.

Officers from the Framingham Police Department arrested Pires Nov. 20, 2023, for assault and battery on a family member.

ICE lodged an immigration detainer against Pires later that day with the Framingham Police Department, which refused to honor the detainer and released Pires from custody.

Pires remains in ICE custody following his arrest.

Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our communities on X: @EROBoston

MIL OSI USA News –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Wetaskiwin — Three arrested in connection with armed robbery
Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Wetaskiwin RCMP have arrested three individuals in connection with an armed robbery that occurred On Feb. 6, 2025.

RCMP were made aware of an armed robbery at a residence in Wetaskiwin. The victim said three suspects entered his home, pointed guns at his head and stole a television, bank cards, identification card, money and a cell phone. Three suspects then left on foot.

On Feb. 7, 2025, the investigation led Wetaskiwin RCMP General Investigations Section to a near by residence. With the assistance of the RCMP Emergency Response Team, a search warrant was executed where two individuals were located and arrested.

A 39-year-old individual, a resident of Maskwacis, Alta., was arrested and charged with the following:
- Robbery with a firearm
- Pointing a Firearm
- Assault with a weapons x2
- Uttering Threats.
A 35-year-old individual, a resident of Maskwacis was arrested and charged with the following:
- Robbery with a firearm
- Pointing a firearm
- Assault with a weapon x2
- Uttering Threats.
On Feb. 12, 2025, further investigation led to a second search warrant being executed. With the assistance of the RCMP Emergency Response Team, the Wetaskiwin RCMP’s General Investigations Section and Crime Reduction Unit located the third suspect that was taken into custody without incident. As a result of the search, RCMP located two imitation firearms that were used in the robbery.

A 35-year-old individual, a resident of Wetaskiwin, was arrested and charged with the following:
- Robbery with firearm
- Assault with a weapon x2
- Uttering Threats
All accused are being held in custody, and scheduled to appear in Wetaskiwin Provincial Court on February 20, 2025.

MIL Security OSI –
March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Olds — Old’s Crime Reduction Unit locate a stolen vehicle

Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

On Feb. 27, 2025, Old’s RCMP Crime Reduction Unit located a stolen vehicle at the 7-Eleven in Olds. Checks revealed the vehicle had been stolen out of Calgary. The driver was with the vehicle when stopped by officers. The vehicle was towed, and the registered owner was notified.

A 58-year-old individual, a resident of Calgary, was arrested and charged with possession of property obtained by crime over $5000. He also had warrants from Airdrie, Alta. and Lethbridge, Alta. which were executed.

After a judicial interim release hearing, the individual was released and will be appearing in Alberta Court of Justice in Didsbury, Alta. on March 24, 2025.

MIL Security OSI –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Red Deer — Red Deer RCMP Crime Reduction Team arrest individual for stolen vehicles
Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

On March 4, 2025, the Red Deer RCMP Crime Reduction Team (CRT) responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle. Upon arrival, police observed that there were three vehicles travelling together with one of the vehicles matching the description of a stolen vehicle. Covert surveillance was initiated, and the suspect vehicle later drove down a dead-end road, where it became stuck in the snow. The driver was subsequently arrested.

A 24-year-old individual, a resident of Red Deer, has been charged with the following offences:
- Possession of property obtained by crime under $5000 x2
- Impaired operation of a motor vehicle
- Flight from police
- Drive while prohibited
- Fraudulent concealment
- Possession of a controlled substance
- Drive without insurance
The individual was taken before a justice of the peace and was released on a release order.

On March 11, 2025, officers were conducting proactive patrols within Red Deer when they observed a vehicle matching the description of a known stolen vehicle. Officers initiated covert surveillance and followed the vehicle to the area of Gaetz Avenue and 63 Street, where the driver of the vehicle was arrested.

The 24-year-old individual has been charged with the following offences:
- Possession of property obtained by crime over $5000
- Drive while prohibited
- Fraudulent concealment
- Breach of release order x2
- Drive without insuranceDrive without registration
The individual was taken before a justice of the peace and was remanded into custody and is schedule to appear in court on March 13, 2025, at the Alberta Court of Justice in Red Deer.

MIL Security OSI –
March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Brooks — Brooks RCMP execute search warrants after drug trafficking investigation
Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

On Jan. 30, 2025, Brooks RCMP along with the Southern Alberta District Crime Reduction Unit, conducted a vehicle stop and executed two search warrants as a result of a drug investigation.

Officers conducted the vehicle stop in the area of Sunny Lea while two residences were searched on Maple Drive and Greenbrook Road. A significant quantity of illicit drugs was located in all three locations.

As a result of the searches Brooks RCMP seized approximately:
- 183 grams of cocaine – est. Street Value $18,350
- 55 grams of methamphetamine – est. Street Value $3,300
- 700 tablets of dilaudid – est. Street Value $14,000
Brooks RCMP have charged a 58-year-old individual a 37-year-old individual with possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking.

Names can be released once charges are sworn.

Background:

Jan. 30, 2025

Brooks RCMP advise of heavy police presence – update

Brooks RCMP advise that the heavy police presence and corresponding police operations on Maple Road and Greenbrook Drive have now ended. Brooks RCMP thank the public for their cooperation in this matter.

There is no further information available at this time.

Background:

Jan. 30, 2025

Brooks RCMP advise of heavy police presence

Brooks RCMP are currently on scene conducting police operations at two locations in Brooks. Police are currently at locations on Maple Road and Greenbrook Drive. Although there is no ongoing risk to the public, police are asking residents to avoid the area until the operation is over.

An update will be provided.

MIL Security OSI –
March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: The world is in crisis – what role should our universities play?

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Vinita Srivastava, Host + Exec. Producer, Don’t Call Me Resilient | Senior Editor, Culture + Society

It’s hard not to categorize our present global moment as a crisis. And just when we think things can’t get worse — they do.

Across the globe, we’re witnessing a rise in far-right movements and governments.

Just a few weeks ago, the AfD party in Germany secured second place. This marks the first time a far-right party has gained this level of power in the country since the Second World War. Germany is not alone in this trend: Italy, Hungary, Finland, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Croatia are now led by far-right governments.

And it may come as no surprise that many of these new leaders are increasingly hostile towards universities.

In India, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, universities have the lowest academic freedom since the 1940s. In Brazil, former president Jair Bolsonaro claimed that public universities transform students into leftists, gays, drug addicts and perverts.

Meanwhile in the United States, Vice President JD Vance has called universities the enemy for allegedly teaching that America is “an evil, racist nation.” (Vance was echoing President Richard Nixon who called professors and the press the enemy. President Donald Trump even signed an executive order demanding higher education institutions dismantle their DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) programs. He’s also pulled federal funding from universities that allow “illegal protests”, and he’s demanded that Columbia University’s Middle Eastern, South Asian and African Studies Departments be independently reviewed.

But, despite this hostility, universities — and students — have historically been springboards for progressive change. It was student protests 25 years ago that helped lead to the downfall of apartheid in South Africa. More recently, in Bangladesh, student protests helped topple the country’s authoritarian leader. This past year, students across the world have worked to raise public awareness of acts of genocide in Gaza.

Meanwhile, here in Canada, universities are facing financial pressure because of reductions in international student permits. This drop in revenue has caused alarming budget constraints at universities, revealing a deep reliance on international students as a revenue source.

This has led to existential questions about our universities. With today’s world in crisis, what should the role of the university be? And why are our public universities so underfunded? And how can they continue to serve their communities?

Theses are big questions, ones that seemed fitting to tackle on our final episode of Don’t Call Me Resilient recorded live in front of an audience at the University of British Columbia. Joining us to tackle them was Annette Henry, a professor in the Department of Language and Literacy Education at UBC who is cross-appointed to the Institute for Race, Gender, Sexuality and Social Justice. Her work examines race, class, language, gender and culture in education for Black students and educators in Canada.

We also spoke with Michelle Stack, an associate professor in UBC’s Department of Educational Studies whose work looks at educational policy, university rankings and equity and education.

At a time when critical conversations in higher education are under attack worldwide, can Canadian universities rise to the challenge and be a force for good?

Read more:

Universities should stand up for integrity and public trust in university teaching

How Commonwealth universities profited from Indigenous dispossession through land grants

Universities should respond to cuts and corporate influence with co-operative governance

Cops on campus: Why police crackdowns on student protesters are so dangerous

Student protests: How the university perpetuates colonial violence on campus

This episode was coproduced by Ateqah Khaki (associate producer), Marisa Sittheeamorn (student journalist) and Jennifer Moroz (consulting producer). Our sound engineer was Alain Derbez, with onsite assistance from Josh Mattson. Thank you to UBC’s Global Journalism Innovation Lab and its crew, The UBC School of Journalism and the Social Science Research Council of Canada for their generous support.

– ref. The world is in crisis – what role should our universities play? – https://theconversation.com/the-world-is-in-crisis-what-role-should-our-universities-play-250235

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Fatal Accident Inquiry support for families

Source: Scottish Government

Immediate access to non-means tested legal aid.

Family members involved in deaths in custody Fatal Accident Inquiries (FAI) are to have immediate, free access to legal aid support and advice.

Justice Secretary Angela Constance confirmed that she is using existing Ministerial powers to remove means-testing for legal aid in such cases, so that from 7 April families will not have to provide information on their income.

Ms Constance announced the move as she updated the Scottish Parliament on a range of actions to address systemic failures identified by Sheriff Collins in his FAI determination relating to the deaths of Katie Allan and William Lindsay (also known as William Brown) at HM Prison & Young Offenders Institution Polmont. This followed the Justice Secretary’s previous statement to Parliament on the issue in January this year.

All of the Sheriff’s 25 recommendations have been accepted and work on these will be delivered at pace and progress will be closely monitored.

Ms Constance outlined the measures being implemented, which include:

•           The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) has initiated a dedicated operational taskforce, chaired by the SPS Chief Executive, and involving NHS partners, to ensure all of the recommendations are actioned.

•           His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland will provide the Justice Secretary with an initial report by the summer on how the implementation of Sheriff Collins’ FAI recommendations will be independently reviewed.

•           The Scottish Prison Service is overhauling its Suicide Prevention Strategy ‘Talk to Me’ across the prison estate. The strategy will be published at the end of this year, with a full training package to be rolled out in 2026.

•           In consultation with the Lord Advocate, an independent review of the FAI system has been commissioned to focus on improving the efficiency, effectiveness, and trauma-informed nature of investigations into deaths in prison custody. The appointment of a Chair is expected to be announced shortly.

Ms Constance said:

“I was grateful to have had the opportunity to again meet with the families of William Lindsay and Katie Allan today and extend my deepest condolences to them, as I do to all those affected by a death in custody.

“It is through ongoing and decisive action that we will create the lasting change they rightly demand and deserve. We have made substantial progress since my January statement to Parliament.

“We will continue to drive forward change and strengthen accountability. This is about changing the system and the culture that underpins it.”

Background

From Monday 7 April, close family members involved in deaths in custody FAIs will have access to free non-means-tested legal aid.

The formal response from Scottish Ministers and Scottish Prison Service to the FAI determinations was submitted to the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service and published on 13 March.

Read the Justice Secretary’s statement to Scottish Parliament, 27 March 2024

Read the Justice Secretary’s Deaths in Custody statement to Scottish Parliament, 23 January 2024

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New opening hours for Provost Skene’s House

Source: Scotland – City of Aberdeen

From 1 April 2025 Provost Skene’s House will be open:

April to October
Thursday to Monday 10am-5pm (Sunday 11am-4pm)
Admission free

About Provost Skene’s House
Provost Skene’s House celebrates the pioneering people of Aberdeen and the North-East of Scotland who have not only shaped the city, but have also helped transform the world. Dating from 1545, the oldest surviving townhouse in Aberdeen shares the stories, discoveries and achievements of over 100 remarkable individuals: innovators, scientists, life savers, writers, sporting champions and stars of stage and screen. They range from singer and activist Annie Lennox to Robert Thomson, inventor of the pneumatic tyre, and football legend Denis Law.

Provost Skene’s House is managed by Aberdeen Archives, Gallery & Museums (AAGM). The other city-centre locations are Aberdeen Art Gallery, Aberdeen Maritime Museum, and Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives.

The opening hours for the Art Gallery and Maritime Museum are unchanged.

For visiting information go to www.aagm.co.uk or follow AAGM on Facebook, Instagram Tiktok and Linkedin @AbdnArtMuseums

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Four Individuals and One Company Plead Guilty to Bid Rigging Schemes and Related Crimes Plaguing Public Schools in Mississippi and Louisiana

Source: US State of North Dakota

Four individuals and one company pleaded guilty in three separate U.S. District Courts for their roles in various bid rigging and wire fraud conspiracies which targeted the sale of sports equipment to public schools throughout Mississippi and Louisiana. The schemes affected sales to hundreds of public schools in both states.

The individuals and company pleaded guilty between February and March of 2025. Yesterday, Patrick Joseph Stewart of Hattiesburg, Mississippi pleaded guilty to one count of bid rigging and one count of wire fraud affecting sales to at least 69 public schools in the Eastern District of Louisiana. In the Southern District of Mississippi, Maurice Daniel Bowering Jr., of Hattiesburg, Mississippi pleaded guilty to five counts of bid rigging affecting sales to at least 50 public schools on March 6; and Robert Tucker Craig of Starkville, Mississippi pleaded guilty to three counts of bid rigging affecting sales to at least 38 public schools and one count of obstruction for the deletion of related evidence on Feb. 19. Lastly, Robert Douglas Heflin of Starkville, Mississippi pleaded guilty to two counts of bid rigging affecting sales to at least 31 public schools on March 4; and Mississippi company Wilder Fitness Equipment Inc., pleaded guilty to two counts of bid rigging affecting sales to at least 60 public schools on Feb. 20, in the Northern District of Mississippi.

“School sports are integral to the development and upbringing of American children. From these opportunities, they learn the benefits of teamwork and open competition. Bid rigging, on the other hand, is the antithesis of American meritocracy. It is also patently unlawful,” said Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Omeed A. Assefi of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The defendants here selfishly targeted school sports programs, depriving students of an opportunity to thrive. The Antitrust Division’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force has zero tolerance for bid collusion schemes, particularly when they target children.”

“The defendants rigged bids for school sports equipment which resulted in an unfair playing field,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick Lemon for the Southern District of Mississippi. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi is committed to working with our law enforcement and Antitrust Division partners to protect school athletics and taxpayer dollars.”

“Financial fraud perpetrated against the U.S. government is a serious crime,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “Particularly egregious, is fraud that undercuts government procurement processes and erodes public trust in the fair-bidding practice. These guilty pleas send a clear and decisive message that our office, along with our federal partners, will continue to protect the taxpayer by vigorously investigating and prosecuting all such corruption cases.”

“Bid rigging and the collusion that makes it possible drive up prices for taxpayers and will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner for the Northern District of Mississippi. “We will continue our commitment to work with the FBI and to root out corruption.”

“This investigation underscores the FBI’s commitment to safeguarding public schools from criminal schemes that defraud the American people and exploit taxpayer money,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the FBI Jackson Field Office. “Stewart, Bowering, Craig, Heflin, and Wilder Fitness Equipment Inc. were in positions to help shape children’s learning, the benefits of physical fitness in living prosperous lives. Instead, these co-conspirators chose to abuse the trust given to them by stealing future opportunities from students in fraudulently filling their pockets with the hard-earned tax dollars schools are entrusted to invest in the development of America’s future leaders. The FBI will continue to work with our federal partners to relentlessly pursue and bring justice to individuals and companies who use fraudulent schemes to defraud our communities.”

According to court documents, Tucker, Bowering, Heflin, Stewart, and Wilder Fitness Equipment Inc. entered into conspiracies in which they agreed to submit complementary bids to public schools to obtain procurements for sports equipment and related services. The longest of the charged conspiracies lasted more than a decade. Two other co-conspirators, Charles Ferrell Trimm and Bradley D. Willcutt, previously pleaded guilty in the Southern District of Mississippi in May 2024 and September 2024, respectively.

The maximum penalty for the Sherman Act is 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine. The fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime. The maximum penalty for conspiracy to commit wire fraud is 20 years in prison, a criminal fine, and Court-ordered restitution. The maximum penalty for obstruction in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c) is 20 years in prison and a criminal fine of no more than $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine the sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Today’s guilty pleas result from an ongoing federal antitrust investigation into bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct in the school sports equipment industry being conducted by the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant Chief Laura Butte; Trial Attorneys Jill Rogowski, Marc Hedrich, and Hannah Muller; and Senior Litigation Counsel Paul Torzilli are prosecuting the case.

Anyone with information about this investigation or other procurement fraud schemes should notify the PCSF at www.justice.gov/atr/webform/pcsf-citizen-complaint. The Justice Department created the PCSF in November 2019. It is a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government — federal, state and local. For more information, visit www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Four Individuals and One Company Plead Guilty to Bid Rigging Schemes and Related Crimes Plaguing Public Schools in Mississippi and Louisiana

Source: United States Attorneys General

Four individuals and one company pleaded guilty in three separate U.S. District Courts for their roles in various bid rigging and wire fraud conspiracies which targeted the sale of sports equipment to public schools throughout Mississippi and Louisiana. The schemes affected sales to hundreds of public schools in both states.

The individuals and company pleaded guilty between February and March of 2025. Yesterday, Patrick Joseph Stewart of Hattiesburg, Mississippi pleaded guilty to one count of bid rigging and one count of wire fraud affecting sales to at least 69 public schools in the Eastern District of Louisiana. In the Southern District of Mississippi, Maurice Daniel Bowering Jr., of Hattiesburg, Mississippi pleaded guilty to five counts of bid rigging affecting sales to at least 50 public schools on March 6; and Robert Tucker Craig of Starkville, Mississippi pleaded guilty to three counts of bid rigging affecting sales to at least 38 public schools and one count of obstruction for the deletion of related evidence on Feb. 19. Lastly, Robert Douglas Heflin of Starkville, Mississippi pleaded guilty to two counts of bid rigging affecting sales to at least 31 public schools on March 4; and Mississippi company Wilder Fitness Equipment Inc., pleaded guilty to two counts of bid rigging affecting sales to at least 60 public schools on Feb. 20, in the Northern District of Mississippi.

“School sports are integral to the development and upbringing of American children. From these opportunities, they learn the benefits of teamwork and open competition. Bid rigging, on the other hand, is the antithesis of American meritocracy. It is also patently unlawful,” said Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Omeed A. Assefi of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The defendants here selfishly targeted school sports programs, depriving students of an opportunity to thrive. The Antitrust Division’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force has zero tolerance for bid collusion schemes, particularly when they target children.”

“The defendants rigged bids for school sports equipment which resulted in an unfair playing field,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick Lemon for the Southern District of Mississippi. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi is committed to working with our law enforcement and Antitrust Division partners to protect school athletics and taxpayer dollars.”

“Financial fraud perpetrated against the U.S. government is a serious crime,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “Particularly egregious, is fraud that undercuts government procurement processes and erodes public trust in the fair-bidding practice. These guilty pleas send a clear and decisive message that our office, along with our federal partners, will continue to protect the taxpayer by vigorously investigating and prosecuting all such corruption cases.”

“Bid rigging and the collusion that makes it possible drive up prices for taxpayers and will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner for the Northern District of Mississippi. “We will continue our commitment to work with the FBI and to root out corruption.”

“This investigation underscores the FBI’s commitment to safeguarding public schools from criminal schemes that defraud the American people and exploit taxpayer money,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the FBI Jackson Field Office. “Stewart, Bowering, Craig, Heflin, and Wilder Fitness Equipment Inc. were in positions to help shape children’s learning, the benefits of physical fitness in living prosperous lives. Instead, these co-conspirators chose to abuse the trust given to them by stealing future opportunities from students in fraudulently filling their pockets with the hard-earned tax dollars schools are entrusted to invest in the development of America’s future leaders. The FBI will continue to work with our federal partners to relentlessly pursue and bring justice to individuals and companies who use fraudulent schemes to defraud our communities.”

According to court documents, Tucker, Bowering, Heflin, Stewart, and Wilder Fitness Equipment Inc. entered into conspiracies in which they agreed to submit complementary bids to public schools to obtain procurements for sports equipment and related services. The longest of the charged conspiracies lasted more than a decade. Two other co-conspirators, Charles Ferrell Trimm and Bradley D. Willcutt, previously pleaded guilty in the Southern District of Mississippi in May 2024 and September 2024, respectively.

The maximum penalty for the Sherman Act is 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine. The fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime. The maximum penalty for conspiracy to commit wire fraud is 20 years in prison, a criminal fine, and Court-ordered restitution. The maximum penalty for obstruction in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c) is 20 years in prison and a criminal fine of no more than $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine the sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Today’s guilty pleas result from an ongoing federal antitrust investigation into bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct in the school sports equipment industry being conducted by the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant Chief Laura Butte; Trial Attorneys Jill Rogowski, Marc Hedrich, and Hannah Muller; and Senior Litigation Counsel Paul Torzilli are prosecuting the case.

Anyone with information about this investigation or other procurement fraud schemes should notify the PCSF at www.justice.gov/atr/webform/pcsf-citizen-complaint. The Justice Department created the PCSF in November 2019. It is a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government — federal, state and local. For more information, visit www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.

MIL Security OSI –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Running with Purpose: USMS Honors Fallen Heroes Across the Nation

Source: US Marshals Service

On March 7, 2025, members of the United States Marshals Service (USMS) nationwide took part in the annual Fallen Heroes Honor Run, meeting the challenge to commemorate colleagues lost in the line of duty. The event, now known as the USMS Fallen Heroes Honor Run, began as a local tradition in the Eastern District of Missouri (E/MO) nine years ago and has since evolved into a beloved national tribute. Initially created by deputies from E/MO in memory of Deputy U.S. Marshal (DUSM) Josie L. Wells, Sr., the event honors his legacy and the sacrifice he made on March 10, 2015, when he was killed in the line of duty. At the time, DUSM Wells was temporarily assigned to the Southern District of Mississippi and serving a warrant when he was fatally wounded. Adding to the tragedy, Josie and his wife, Channing, were expecting their first child; their son, Josie Jr., was born later that year in August.

Those who knew Josie often spoke of his devotion to his family, the USMS, and physical fitness. Two of his E/MO workout partners, District of Arizona (D/AZ) Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal (SDUSM) Karolina Duda and recently retired SDUSM Steve Linder of the Northern District of Illinois, designed the Fallen Heroes Honor Run to help district personnel deal with their grief in a life affirming way, while also memorializing all who made the ultimate sacrifice.

The USMS Fallen Heroes Honor Run provides an outlet to acknowledge loss and sacrifice, while also building a stronger, more united, and physically fit Agency. The Run incorporates challenging elements such as wearing a 20 to 30-pound tactical vest or full gear and rotationally carrying the American flag. Regardless of the level of exertion, the event offers all participants an opportunity to honor the selfless service of those who died in the line of duty.

For 2025, nationwide coordinators included DUSM Mark Waggamon of the Southern District of West Virginia, and from the D/AZ, SDUSM Brittany Dean and DUSM Karolina Duda. Chief Inspector Luis Arellano, Jr. of the Investigative Operations Division’s Organized Crime and Gangs Branch coordinated this year’s Headquarters Run. To quote the coordinators: “Friday’s run was a solemn reminder of the sacrifices made by our fallen heroes. We honored their memory and their families as we came together as one agency, united in purpose. As coordinators of the event, we couldn’t be prouder of the participants and the individual coordinators from each district, division, and foreign field office who helped us make this a successful event.”

Although designed to honor all who have made the ultimate sacrifice, the USMS Fallen Heroes Honor Run is held each year near the anniversary of DUSM Wells’ End of Watch. The spring season begins in March, and serves as a reminder of new beginnings and renewed hope. Each year, the number of participants, districts, and partner organizations continues to grow—as do the photos shared, documenting the group’s camaraderie and accomplishments.

This year, the Run paid special tribute to our most recent fallen heroes—DUSM Thomas Weeks and Task Force Officers (TFO) Joshua Eyer, William “Alden” Elliott, and Samuel Poloche – who tragically lost their lives in the line of duty on Monday, April 29, 2024, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Districts across the Nation showed tremendous support. In North Carolina, approximately 80 participants from the Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force and Western District of North Carolina joined the event, along with federal, state, and local partners including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Secret Service, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police and Fire Departments, Gaston County Police Department, Gastonia Police Department, the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections, and Mooresville Police Department. Fallen DUSM Week’s wife, Kelly Weeks, and TFO Elliot’s wife, Justine Elliott, also took part, making the tribute all the more personal and impactful.

The Southern District of Mississippi, where DUSM Josie Wells was last assigned, featured participation from his siblings, the Mississippi Highway Patrol, the Mississippi Gaming Commission, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and Josie’s wife, Channing Wells.

In total, representatives from 107 state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies, along with numerous USMS districts and divisions nationwide, participated in the 2025 Fallen Heroes Honor Run, highlighting the event’s significance and widespread support.

“Our Fallen Heroes may no longer be with us, but their legacy lives on through each of you. Whether you ran, walked, volunteered, or simply showed your support, you honored our Fallen Heroes in a powerful way. Your commitment ensures their memory lives on,” acknowledged USMS Acting Director Mark P. Pittella, emphasizing leadership’s gratitude for all involved.

For a photo gallery highlighting the USMS personnel, partner agencies, and community members who participated, please click here.

MIL Security OSI –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Illegal Alien Charged with Possession of Child Pornography

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

OXFORD, MS– A Mexican national, illegally in the United States, was ordered detained by a Federal Magistrate Judge on Tuesday after he was arrested last week on a criminal complaint related to his alleged possession of child pornography.

According to court documents, Adolfo Raul Vasquez-Santana, 32, of Southaven, Mississippi, downloaded and shared videos that depicted the sexual abuse of children, some of whom appear to be younger than thirteen years of age. Vasquez-Santana is charged with the receipt or distribution of those images using the internet. If convicted of these charges, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Vasquez-Santana was investigated initially by the Southaven Police Department responding to a tip that they received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. He had been arrested and charged by the Southaven Police Department, but prior to his prosecution for these offenses in state court, he was released to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for removal from the United States. The Department of Homeland Security charged the defendant with the federal offenses at issue in the complaint.

U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner of the Northern District of Mississippi made the announcement. Joyner said, “The Department of Justice will fully prosecute any alien that violates the laws of our great country. Possession of child sexual abuse images leads to further abuse of the most vulnerable members of our society: our children. The DOJ will do everything in our power to protect them and to that end, I appreciate the Southaven Police Department for their thorough investigation of this matter.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Addison is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

MIL Security OSI –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Armed Greenville Fentanyl Distributor Sentenced to 11 Years

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

WILMINGTON, N.C. – Ernest Russell Early, Jr., of Greenville, was sentenced today to 11 years in prison for an armed robbery and for possessing fake oxycodone pills that contained fentanyl. Early, 37, pled guilty to the charges on August 21, 2024.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, on August 19, 2023, Early entered the Falkland Mini Mart located on South Main Street in Falkland. He approached the clerk at the back of the store and brandished a black pistol. He then compelled the clerk to return to the register and demanded that he hand over all the money. When the clerk opened the register, Early grabbed $1,500, exited the store, and entered a black Nissan Sentra with New Jersey plates. The cashier followed him outside and was able to obtain a partial license plate number.

Pitt County Sheriff’s Deputies responded and located the suspect’s vehicle, initiating a pursuit. After initially evading the deputies, Early crashed the car and fled on foot. Deputies were able to collect fingerprints from the vehicle, which had been reported stolen, and later confirmed that the prints matched Early’s.

Early remained at large until he was spotted by a detective from the Greenville Police Department on December 8, 2023. The police arrested Early on active warrants in a parking lot in Greenville. During the arrest, they seized 103 counterfeit oxycodone pills and a .40 caliber handgun from his pockets. The pills were subsequently tested and found to contain fentanyl.

Early’s criminal history features three state felony convictions and fifteen misdemeanor convictions. In 2013, he was convicted in Wake County Superior Court of common law robbery.

Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Pitt County Sheriff’s Office, and Greenville Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phil Aubart and Jake D. Pugh prosecuted.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-0025-M.

###

MIL Security OSI –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: New York Man Sentenced To Two Years In Prison For Laundering Proceeds Of Fraudulent Schemes

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

NEWARK, N.J. – A New York man was sentenced to two years in prison for laundering the proceeds of elder fraud and computer fraud schemes, U.S. Attorney John Giordano announced.

Hector Claveria 51, of Elmhurst, New York, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in Newark federal court on March 26, 2025 following his guilty to Count Two of an Indictment charging him with international money laundering.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

In early 2020, Claveria acted as a money mule for a fraudulent scheme by picking up numerous packages that contained cash that he knew were proceeds of illegal activity. He then laundered some of this money in June 2020 by wiring $20,000 from his U.S. bank account to a foreign bank account. These funds were the proceeds of two fraudulent schemes: The first was an elder-fraud scheme in which the perpetrators tricked elderly victims into believing that they owed money to various government agencies and companies, and then into sending payments to locations identified by the perpetrators. The second was a computer-fraud scheme in which perpetrators tricked victims into believing that they owed money to a computer services company, and then into sending payments to locations identified by the perpetrators, purportedly at the direction of the computer company. At the time Claveria wired the funds to a foreign account, he knew that the transfer was designed to conceal and disguise the nature of the funds.

In additional the prison term, Judge Salas sentenced Claveria to three years of supervised release. Claveria was also ordered to forfeit $20,000.

U.S. Attorney Giordano credited special agents of the Social Security Administration Office, of the Inspector General, Boston-New York Field Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Bradley Parker.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chana Zuckier of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering and Recovery Unit and Jennifer Kozar of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.

###

Defense counsel: Vinoo Varghese, Esq.

MIL Security OSI –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: St. Michael man sentenced for possessing a firearm as a felon during a domestic violence assault

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A St. Michael man was sentenced Tuesday to over three years in prison and will serve three years on supervised release for possessing a firearm as a felon during a domestic violence assault.

According to court documents, on Oct. 21, 2023, Ryan Washington, 40, began verbally assaulting witnesses in their residence in St. Michael. After this incident, Washington left the residence with a shotgun. Washington claimed he was going “duck hunting,” and one of the witnesses reported the incident to the Village Police Officer (VPO).

Court documents explain that Washington returned a short time later and pointed the shotgun at one of the witnesses, instructing him to get out of the residence. The witness immediately left out of fear of being shot by Washington and reported the assault to the VPO, who reported it to the Alaska State Troopers (AST).

The next morning, two Troopers arrived in St. Michael to investigate the assault. After interviewing one of the witnesses, the Troopers arrested Washington and seized the shotgun.

Prior to the charged conduct, Washington had been convicted of three state felonies, including assault and sexual abuse of a minor.

On Nov. 7, 2024, Washington pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

“Mr. Washington is a repeat criminal offender who has consistently caused problems in the St. Michael community,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “In my recent travel to a few rural villages, Tribal partners have voiced the widespread damage one criminal can cause in the community, which is why prosecuting federal crimes committed in these villages is a priority for my office. We encourage our rural Alaskan neighbors to continue reporting these crimes to law enforcement so we can continue working with partners to hold dangerous offenders accountable when federal jurisdiction is warranted.”

“The Alaska State Troopers will continue to work tirelessly with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to hold anyone that victimizes Alaskans accountable for their actions,” said Alaska State Trooper Colonel Maurice Hughes. “This sentence sends a clear message: violent offenders who use firearms to harm others will face significant jail time for their actions. There is no place for domestic violence in our state, and we remain committed to seeking justice for victims and ensuring the safety of Alaskans.”

“Domestic violence has no place in our communities,” said U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Seattle Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “Furthering this with a firearm makes this even more heinous, particularly when, as a felon, Mr. Washington knew he was not supposed to possess them. This is a well-deserved sentence.”

AST and the ATF Anchorage Field Office investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody Tirpak prosecuted the case. This case was referred to the U.S. Attorney’s Office by the Alaska Department of Law, Nome District Attorney’s Office.

###

MIL Security OSI –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Convicted Felon Sentenced To Prison For Possession Of Ammunition In Ghost Gun

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

The Defendant Was on Federal Supervised Release for Heroin and Fentanyl Distribution

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Leopold Rob Finley, 45, of Candler, N.C. was sentenced today to 48 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possessing ammunition loaded in a “ghost gun,” announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. At the time, Finley was on supervised release for a federal drug conviction.

Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Michael Lamb of the Asheville Police Department (APD), join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.

According to filed documents and court proceedings, on December 20, 2022, Finley’s vehicle was stopped by APD officers for a traffic violation. During a search of the vehicle, a “ghost gun” was recovered from Finley’s car. A “ghost gun” is an untraceable firearm with no serial number that is assembled by components purchased separately or as part of a kit. The ghost gun was loaded with 15 rounds of 9mm ammunition. When Finley was arrested, he was on federal supervised release for a prior drug conviction, specifically distribution of heroin and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and marijuana.

Finley is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the ATF and the Asheville Police Department for their investigation of the case.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.

MIL Security OSI –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Pasco Drug Dealer Who Attempted Assault a Richland Police Officer Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

Yakima, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard Barker announced that Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Leonardo Daniel Martinez, age 32, of Pasco, Washington to 125 months in prison for trafficking fentanyl. Chief Judge Bastian also imposed 5 years of supervised release.

According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, on May 20, 2022, Richland Police Department (RPD) officers responded to a domestic disturbance at a house involving Martinez. Officers told Martinez to leave, but he refused and attempted to assault an officer. Officers took Martinez into custody, and during the arrest pat down, found a 9mm handgun on Martinez’s person. At the time he possessed the handgun, Martinez was prohibited from possessing firearms because of his criminal history, which included a domestic violence conviction.

Inside of Martinez’s dark blue BMW, RPD located an additional handgun, 10,179 fentanyl pills, $72,354 in cash, a small quantity of methamphetamine, a digital scale, and three cell phones.

“Domestic violence is a significant source of firearm-related crime in Eastern Washington and in the Tri-Cities area. Domestic violence offenders are far more likely to engage in intimate partner violence as well as violence directed at law enforcement officers responding to emergency calls,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Barker. “This danger is further exasperated when offenders, like Mr. Martinez, possess large quantities of dangerous narcotics. I am grateful for the dedication of the DEA and Richland Police Department for their diligent work in removing large volumes of dangerous fentanyl from our communities.”

“Mr. Martinez disregarded the safety of those around him by engaging in domestic violence, attempting to assault a police officer, carrying a handgun, and possessing enough fentanyl to potentially kill almost 6,000 people,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Our community is safer with Mr. Martinez behind bars, and I am gratified that the Drug Enforcement Administration could help the Richland Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office make that happen.”

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Richland Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Stephanie Van Marter and Brandon L. Pang.

4:22-cr-06034-SAB

MIL Security OSI –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Senators Coons, Blunt Rochester join Senate Democratic Caucus in reintroducing Paycheck Fairness Act to end wage discrimination and close the gender pay gap
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons and Lisa Blunt Rochester (both D-Del.) joined the entire Senate Democratic Caucus in reintroducing Senator Patty Murray’s (D-Wash.) Paycheck Fairness Act on Equal Pay Day this week. This legislation would combat pay discrimination and help close the gender pay gap by strengthening the Equal Pay Act of 1963, ending the practice of pay secrecy, and strengthening available remedies to ensure wronged employees can challenge pay discrimination and hold employers accountable. U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) led the reintroduction of the Paycheck Fairness Act in the House.

More than six decades after the passage of the Equal Pay Act of 1963, the gender wage gap still exists. While Delaware is better than most, women in the First State still only earn an average of 87% of what a man makes, according to the Delaware Office of Women’s Advancement and Advocacy. Over the course of a 40 year career, a typical American woman stands to earn $460,000 less than a man doing the same job, according to the National Women’s Law Center.

“Guaranteeing equal pay for equal work isn’t just about fairness—it would strengthen our economy and improve quality of life for Delaware’s women and families,” said Senator Coons. “Fixing the gender pay gap through the Paycheck Fairness Act is a critical step towards ensuring that hard work is valued equally, regardless of your sex.”

“It has been 50 years since the Equal Pay Act became law, yet the gender pay gap persists. It is simply unacceptable that for every dollar a man makes nationally, a woman is paid 75 cents,” said Senator Blunt Rochester, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee. “As Delaware’s former Secretary of Labor and State Personnel Director, I am proud to be standing with all my Democratic colleagues in reintroducing the Paycheck Fairness Act, legislation I have long supported. Now is the time for us to deliver on the promise of the Equal Pay Act and make equal pay for equal work a reality.”

“When you do the same work as your colleagues, you should get the same pay, and no one should get to rip you off and pay you less because you are a woman. The principle is simple—but the problem we are talking about is far from trivial; it’s an injustice that compounds over time, robbing women of hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of their career,” said Senator Murray. “For anyone who is serious about fighting for women, for anyone who is serious about ensuring our economy is built on merit and not undermined by discrimination, this is basic stuff. But Trump and Elon—some of the richest men in the world—are right now eliminating a 60-year old executive order that helped ensure federal contractors don’t discriminate against women, illegally firing commissioners at the EEOC, which enforces existing pay discrimination laws, and making it easier to rip workers off. Women don’t want more discrimination. They don’t want more of their pay stolen by bosses like Elon. They just want the pay they earned. They just want to be treated decently—and paid fairly no matter who they are. Republicans can choose to stand with billionaires who cheat their workers—but by reintroducing the Paycheck Fairness Act today, Democrats are showing that we stand with women, we stand with workers, we stand for fairness, and we are going to keep fighting to make sure people get the pay they have rightfully earned, down to the last dime.”

“Equal Pay Day marks how far into the current year a woman must work to catch up to what her male counterpart earned in the previous year,” said Representative DeLauro. “Six decades after passage of the Equal Pay Act of 1963, women working full-time or part-time still earn 75 cents for every dollar earned by men. We are in a cost of living crisis – this must end. Equal pay for equal work is a simple concept – men and women in the same job deserve the same pay. It is time we make it real for the millions of American women who are being unfairly undervalued in the workplace. Let’s enact the Paycheck Fairness Act and empower working women by giving them the tools to ensure their contributions to the workplace are properly respected and reflected in their pay.”

Specifically, the Paycheck Fairness Act would:
- Require employers to prove that pay disparities exist for legitimate, job-related reasons. In doing so, it ensures that employers who try to justify paying a man more than a woman for the same job must show the disparity is not sex-based, but job-related and necessary.
- Ban retaliation against workers who discuss their wages.
- Remove obstacles in the Equal Pay Act to facilitate participation in class action lawsuits that challenge systemic pay discrimination by allowing workers to opt-out, rather than requiring them to opt-in.
- Improve the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s and Department of Labor’s tools for enforcing the Equal Pay Act. To help these enforcement agencies better uncover and remedy wage discrimination, the bill will require the collection of compensation data from certain employers, including federal contractors.
- Provide assistance to all businesses to help them with their equal pay practices, recognize excellence in pay practices by businesses, and empower women and girls by creating a negotiation skills training program.
- Prohibit employers from relying on and seeking the salary history of prospective employees.
Throughout his career, Senator Coons has supported efforts to close the gender pay gap and ensure equal pay for equal work, and he has cosponsored the Paycheck Fairness Act since it was first introduced.
MIL OSI USA News –
March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Places of worship to be protected from intimidating protests
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

News story

Places of worship to be protected from intimidating protests

New police powers to protect worshippers from intimidating protests and the new National Holocaust Memorial to be added to list of protected sites.
Image: Getty Images

Places of worship will be better protected from intimidatory protests under new powers being given to police.

The new measures, which will be included as an amendment in the government’s landmark Crime and Policing Bill, will protect synagogues, mosques, churches and other religious sites from intimidating levels of disruption caused by protest activity.

These changes will build on existing laws under the Public Order Act, providing a new threshold for officers to be able to impose conditions – including on the route and timing of a march – where the effect of the protest is to intimidate those attending a place of worship. This will give the police total clarity on how and when they can protect religious sites from the types of protest designed to disrupt them.

Concerns have been raised repeatedly in recent months after protests near synagogues have caused the cancellation of events on the Sabbath and have forced congregants to stay at home due to fears about travelling to their places of worship during large-scale demonstrations, especially in central London. Similarly, during last summer’s violent disorder, thugs targeted mosques in Southport, Hull, Sunderland and other areas, causing significant distress to members of the local community.

The move comes as religious hate crime has continued to rise at an alarming rate, with police-recorded antisemitic hate crimes having soared by 113% in the year ending March 2024, and anti-Muslim hate crimes having risen by 13%.

The Home Secretary has also announced new protections for the Holocaust Memorial planned to be built next to Parliament, with protesters or vandals who climb on the memorial facing imprisonment.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

The right to protest is a cornerstone of our democracy which must always be protected, but that does not include the right to intimidate or infringe on the fundamental freedoms of others.

That’s why we are giving the police stronger powers to prevent intimidating protests outside places of worship to ensure that people can pray in peace.

The Home Secretary has announced that the new offence for climbing on a war memorial – already announced when the Crime and Policing Bill was introduced – will be extended to cover the new National Holocaust Memorial scheduled to be built next to Parliament in Victoria Tower Gardens.

The preventative measure will ensure that the memorial to the 6 million Jews murdered in the Holocaust and all other victims of Nazi persecution will get the protection it deserves, with those breaking the law facing imprisonment.

The move to protect the memorial comes after a rise in disruptive and dangerous tactics used during protests that have caused distress to so many who cherish these sites of cultural and historical significance. The bill measure bans climbing on the most significant memorials built in Britain to commemorate the fallen of World War 1 and World War 2, and the Holocaust Memorial will be added to this protected list.

The new measure to better protect places of worship will not ban protests and recognises the public’s right to take part in peaceful demonstrations. As they currently do, the police will have to make a proportionality assessment before imposing conditions on specific protests – balancing the right to freedom of expression with the right for others to go about their daily lives free from intimidation and serious disruption.

Alongside the new legislation, the government is also providing up to £50 million to protect faith communities next year. This includes £18 million through the Jewish Community Protective Security Grant, £29.4 million through the Protective Security for Mosques scheme and for security at Muslim faith schools, and £3.5 million for the places of worship and associated faith community centres of all other faiths.

Lord Khan, Lords Minister for Faith, Communities and Resettlement, said:

Everyone should be protected to practice their faith freely and safely, and no one should fear attending their place of worship.

The freedom to protest is a key part of a democracy which must be protected. These new powers will add to the significant security funding we are providing places of worship, enabling worshippers – and the many others who rely on these important community assets – to go about their daily lives free from intimidation and fear.

Mark Gardner, Chief Executive of the Community Security Trust, said:

The cumulative impact on central London synagogues of repeated large, noisy protests, often featuring antisemitism and support for terrorism and extremism, has been intolerable.

We welcome these new measures to protect the rights of the Jewish community to pray in peace and we thank the Home Secretary for her ongoing support. Everyone has the right to protest, but there must be a balance so that all communities can attend their places of worship free from hate and without fear of being intimidated.

We also welcome the protection of the forthcoming Holocaust memorial which is set to be built next year – a tribute that will have cultural and historical significance for the entire country.

Phil Rosenberg, President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said:

We welcome the Home Secretary’s announcement about measures to protect places of worship under the new Crime and Policing Bill. This is something we have been calling for over recent months.

We also welcome the inclusion of the new Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre in the protected list of war memorials. Protests near synagogues have led to serious and unacceptable disruption to our communal life over the last 18 months. The intimidatory protests outside mosques during the violent disorder last summer were similarly intolerable.

The new provisions will ensure the right to free speech does not conflict with freedom of worship or religious practice, and will build towards the more cohesive Britain we all want to see.

The Bishop of Manchester, Rt Revd David Walker, said:

People and families should always expect to be able to worship freely, confident in their own safety. Freedom of speech, including the right to protest, is also important in a free and democratic society. I welcome the government’s commitment to making sure our places of worship are safe and secure, and I look forward to exploring these proposals in more detail.

Further information

The new protest powers for police, being introduced into the bill at committee stage, will create a new threshold for sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act 1986, which enable police to impose conditions on public processions and assemblies.

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Published 27 March 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Disrupts Hamas Terrorist Financing Scheme Through Seizure of Cryptocurrency

Source: US State of Vermont

The Court-Authorized Seizure Interdicts Cryptocurrency Valued at Approximately $200,000 Intended to Support the Terrorist Activities of Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya (Hamas)

The Justice Department announced the disruption of an ongoing terrorist financing scheme through the seizure of approximately $201,400 in cryptocurrency held in wallets and accounts intended to benefit Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya (Hamas). The seized funds were traced from fundraising addresses purportedly controlled by Hamas that were used to launder more than $1.5 million in virtual currency since October 2024.

“At Attorney General Pam Bondi’s direction, the Department of Justice is committed to dismantling Hamas using every tool at our disposal,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.

“These seizures show that this office will search high and low for every cent of money going to fund Hamas, wherever it is found, and in whatever form of currency,” said U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. for the District of Columbia. “Hamas is responsible for the death of many U.S. and Israeli nationals, and we will stop at nothing to stop their campaign of terror and murder.”

“Hamas raised and laundered more than a million dollars to support its terrorist operation, but through our investigation, the FBI traced and seized these funds,” said Assistant Director David J. Scott of the FBI Counterterrorism Division. “Disrupting funding mechanisms and seizing cryptocurrency from Hamas is one of the FBI’s many tools that we use in the fight against terrorism. The FBI will work with our partners to dismantle this terrorist group and protect the American people from their violent and horrific acts.”

“Countering terrorism remains the FBI’s number one priority. By successfully disrupting access to funds, we weaken their ability to function,” said Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office. “This success demonstrates that financial warfare is a critical component to fight terrorism. We will continue to do everything in our power to protect the American people and pursue justice by depriving terrorist organizations of the resources they need to continue their illicit activity.”

As alleged in court documents, a group chat claiming association with Hamas on an encrypted communications platform provided Hamas supporters worldwide with a changing set of at least 17 cryptocurrency addresses. Supporters were encouraged to donate money to those addresses. Those funds were sent into an operational wallet and laundered through a series of virtual currency exchanges and transactions by leveraging suspected financiers and over-the-counter brokers. More than a million dollars was raised and laundered using the laundering system and the virtual currency accounts described in the affidavit.

Included among the assets seized were cryptocurrency addresses valued at approximately $89,900 and three additional accounts containing cryptocurrency valued at approximately $111,500. These accounts were registered in the names of Palestinian individuals living in Turkey and elsewhere.

The FBI Albuquerque Field Office is investigating the case, in coordination with the FBI Counterterrorism Division and Cyber Division.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tejpal Chawla for the District of Columbia, Trial Attorney Jacques Singer-Emery for the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section, and Trial Attorney Jessica Joyce of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Senators Hassan, Shaheen, Goodlander Urge Department of Justice to Protect Retention Incentives for FCI Berlin Workforce

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), along with U.S. Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), are urging the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to reverse a recent decision to cut retention incentives provided to several federal corrections facilities across the country, including at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Berlin. In a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Associate Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Shaheen, Hassan and Goodlander highlight that the decision would worsen persistent staffing shortages that threaten FCI Berlin’s operational capacity and security.

The lawmakers wrote, in part: “FCI Berlin has had a 25 percent retention incentive authorized since 2023. As the nationwide staffing crisis makes it difficult to recruit new officers, these retention incentives have been instrumental in ensuring that the facility is able to retain and adequately pay existing staff, keeping the facility operational. However, even despite this critical assistance, FCI Berlin’s custody department is currently staffed at only 64 percent, with far reaching consequences as stretched-thin correctional officers must take on unreasonable amounts of overtime to help maintain the daily operations of the facility.”

They continued: “There is no doubt that the abrupt reduction in retention benefits will have real financial impacts on those who bravely serve FCI Berlin and its population. We urge you to find a solution to provide the highly professional and dedicated staff at FCI Berlin with the compensation they deserve for their work and, at a minimum, allow this facility and others facing chronic understaffing to continue to receive their full retention incentives as originally authorized.”

The lawmakers concluded: “Now more than ever, we remain committed to working with you to ensure FCI Berlin has the resources and support it requires to continue its integral work in our state.”

Read the full text of the letter here.

Shaheen has long advocated on behalf of FCI Berlin. In 2011, Shaheen fought to get FCI Berlin open. During the 2019 government shutdown, Shaheen spoke on the Senate floor about the damaging impacts the shuttered federal government had on FCI Berlin staff members. In 2023, Shaheen was instrumental in ensuring corrections officers, medical personnel and support staff at the facility received access to these critical retention incentives. Further, during her time as Chair of the Senate Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, Shaheen repeatedly secured language in annual government funding legislation calling attention to the BOP staffing crisis nationwide.

Last month, Shaheen offered an amendment to the Republican budget resolution that would have raised pay for Federal Bureau of Prisons correctional officers in New Hampshire and across the country. Additionally, Shaheen offered an amendment to last week’s continuing resolution that would have preserved retention incentives at federal correctional facilities ahead of this weekend’s impending cut.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy, Hyde-Smith, Blackburn Reintroduce Stop Supreme Court Leakers Act

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) today reintroduced the Stop Supreme Court Leakers Act to criminalize individuals who leak confidential information from the Supreme Court of the United States.
“Supreme Court leaks should be a criminal offense. Leakers threaten the safety of justices, damage the Court’s reputation, and put lives at risk,” said Dr. Cassidy. “They must be held accountable, not celebrated.”
“Supreme Court justices must be able to carry out their responsibilities without the threat of their every action being leaked, whether to influence, embarrass, or threaten them. Such actions, which we’ve seen in recent years, only undermine public trust and the Supreme Court as an institution,” said Senator Hyde-Smith. “This legislation is needed to establish significant criminal penalties and fines for those who cross that line and betray the Court.”
“Individuals who aim to undermine the highest Court in our nation and intimidate its justices should be held accountable for their actions,” said Senator Blackburn. “The Stop Supreme Court Leakers Act is a vital piece of legislation, which would ensure that the Court’s work remains free from unwanted outside interference by cracking down on those who leak confidential information.”
The Stop Supreme Court Leakers Act requires a $10,000 fine and imposes up to a 10-year prison sentence on those who leak confidential information from the Supreme Court. Additionally, Cassidy’s legislation goes one step further by enforcing a seizure of profits derived from the leak which could include book deals or cable television contributor contracts.
The Stop Supreme Court Leakers Act criminalizes leaks of the following information:

Internal notes on cases heard by the Supreme Court of the United States.
Any communication between the Chief Justice or an associate justice and an employee or officer of the Supreme Court on a matter pending before the Supreme Court.
A draft opinion or a final opinion prior to the date on which such opinion is released to the public.
Personal information of the chief justice or an associate justice that is not otherwise legally available to the public.
Any other information designated to be confidential by the chief justice.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Barrasso, Van Hollen, Ricketts Lead and Applaud Passage of Resolution Honoring Greek Independence Day

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), John Barrasso (R-WY), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Pete Ricketts (R-NE) led and applauded the Senate passage of a bipartisan resolution to commemorate the 204th anniversary of Greek Independence Day (March 25). In addition to celebrating Greece’s historic role as the birthplace of democracy and its immense contributions to global society, the bipartisan resolution also recognizes the strength of the United States’ enduring partnership and friendship with Greece.

“For hundreds of years the United States and Greece have worked together, inspired each other, and fought alongside each other to protect democracy everywhere,” said Senator Booker. “I extend my deepest congratulations to the people of Greece as they celebrate 204 years of democracy, and I am pleased to see this resolution recognizing Greek Independence Day pass the Senate.”

“Congratulations to the people of Greece as they celebrate the anniversary of their independence. The U.S. Senate is honoring our strong partner and important ally with this bipartisan Greek Independence Day Resolution,” said Senator Barrasso. “For over 200 years, our nations have fought side by side to advance freedom, liberty and democracy around the world. The U.S. – Greece relationship is built on shared values and a lasting partnership. We look forward to finding additional ways to strengthen our close cooperation and friendship in the years ahead.”

“In 1821, America proudly stood in support of the new Greek Republic emerging from the ashes of the Ottoman Empire – and ever since then, we have enjoyed a strong cultural, economic, and security partnership. With this resolution, we commemorate 204 years of self-determination for the people of Greece and the enduring bonds between our two nations,” said Senator Van Hollen.

“I want to congratulate Greece on its 204th Independence Day. Greece is a steadfast ally of the United States,” said Senator Ricketts. “Omaha, NE is home to an amazing Greek community. Today, we all celebrate its independence—and look forward to continued partnership in the years ahead!”

The resolution is also cosponsored by U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jim Justice (R-WV), Ed Markey (D-MA), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Chris Coons (D-DE), Rick Scott (R-FL), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Todd Young (R-IN), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Michael Bennet (D-CO).

To read the full text of the resolution, click here.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Disrupts Hamas Terrorist Financing Scheme Through Seizure of Cryptocurrency

Source: United States Attorneys General 1

The Court-Authorized Seizure Interdicts Cryptocurrency Valued at Approximately $200,000 Intended to Support the Terrorist Activities of Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya (Hamas)

The Justice Department announced the disruption of an ongoing terrorist financing scheme through the seizure of approximately $201,400 in cryptocurrency held in wallets and accounts intended to benefit Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya (Hamas). The seized funds were traced from fundraising addresses purportedly controlled by Hamas that were used to launder more than $1.5 million in virtual currency since October 2024.

“At Attorney General Pam Bondi’s direction, the Department of Justice is committed to dismantling Hamas using every tool at our disposal,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.

“These seizures show that this office will search high and low for every cent of money going to fund Hamas, wherever it is found, and in whatever form of currency,” said U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. for the District of Columbia. “Hamas is responsible for the death of many U.S. and Israeli nationals, and we will stop at nothing to stop their campaign of terror and murder.”

“Hamas raised and laundered more than a million dollars to support its terrorist operation, but through our investigation, the FBI traced and seized these funds,” said Assistant Director David J. Scott of the FBI Counterterrorism Division. “Disrupting funding mechanisms and seizing cryptocurrency from Hamas is one of the FBI’s many tools that we use in the fight against terrorism. The FBI will work with our partners to dismantle this terrorist group and protect the American people from their violent and horrific acts.”

“Countering terrorism remains the FBI’s number one priority. By successfully disrupting access to funds, we weaken their ability to function,” said Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office. “This success demonstrates that financial warfare is a critical component to fight terrorism. We will continue to do everything in our power to protect the American people and pursue justice by depriving terrorist organizations of the resources they need to continue their illicit activity.”

As alleged in court documents, a group chat claiming association with Hamas on an encrypted communications platform provided Hamas supporters worldwide with a changing set of at least 17 cryptocurrency addresses. Supporters were encouraged to donate money to those addresses. Those funds were sent into an operational wallet and laundered through a series of virtual currency exchanges and transactions by leveraging suspected financiers and over-the-counter brokers. More than a million dollars was raised and laundered using the laundering system and the virtual currency accounts described in the affidavit.

Included among the assets seized were cryptocurrency addresses valued at approximately $89,900 and three additional accounts containing cryptocurrency valued at approximately $111,500. These accounts were registered in the names of Palestinian individuals living in Turkey and elsewhere.

The FBI Albuquerque Field Office is investigating the case, in coordination with the FBI Counterterrorism Division and Cyber Division.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tejpal Chawla for the District of Columbia, Trial Attorney Jacques Singer-Emery for the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section, and Trial Attorney Jessica Joyce of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.

MIL Security OSI –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Ranking Member Coons, Democratic Ranking Members call on Inspectors General to investigate mishandling of classified information by Trump administration officials

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, led a letter to the Acting Inspectors General of the Department of Defense, the Intelligence Community, the National Archives and Records Administration, and the Department of State calling for an investigation into senior Trump administration officials for mishandling attack plans and other sensitive information through an unsecure messaging group chat, thereby putting U.S. servicemembers and intelligence officers at risk. The letter comes in response to a series of articles in The Atlantic by Jeffrey Goldberg detailing conversations by high-ranking Trump administration officials about military strikes conducted in Yemen in a Signal group chat in which Goldberg was included.

The letter details concerns that multiple cabinet officials potentially violated laws and regulations related to the handling of national security information and the retention of federal records, including the precise timing of missile strikes and information about intelligence gathering.

In the letter to the inspectors general, the senators expressed grave concern “over potential violations of the Presidential Records Act and the Federal Records Act, as the article outlines policy debates between the Vice President, the Secretary of Defense, and senior White House officials—discussions that should be preserved as official government records… the use of a messaging application with auto-delete functions raises further questions about whether these records were improperly destroyed.”

The senators also highlighted how a report to the Department of Justice has been yet to be filed regarding this breach, despite the legal requirement to address leaks of classified material.

“We note that classified information is designated as such because its release would significantly damage U.S. national security and put at risk our national security personnel,” the senators wrote. “As such, this information can only be shared in a sensitive compartmented facility and such operational information is classified at least the SECRET level or higher based on the Department of Defense’s own guidance. Disclosing classified information on an unsecured messaging group chat, which contained an uncleared individual, could be a violation of 18 U.S. Code § 798. We are unaware of any report to the Department of Justice associated with this event, which is a standard practice when classified information is leaked to the media.”

“This report, if accurate, indicates multiple violations of law and policy by a host of elected and confirmed officials responsible for national security issues,” the senators added. “Given that this was an accidental disclosure, it also raises the potential that the officials involved in this chat may be conducting other potentially classified and unlawful conversations on this messaging application.”

In addition to Senator Coons, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Gary Peters, Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee; Jeanne Shaheen, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; Brian Schatz, Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations (SFOPS); and Patty Murray, Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chair.

You can read the full text of the letter here.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Combined Drug Operation Seizes Six Tons of Cocaine in Gulf of Guinea

Source: United States AFRICOM

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In a significant joint operation, the French Navy seized over six tons of cocaine from a fishing vessel in the Gulf of Guinea on Saturday, March 15. The operation, which highlights the effective collaboration among the French Navy, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) underscores ongoing efforts to combat transnational organized crime in the region. Information was coordinated and deconflicted by the Maritime Analysis Operations Center Narcotics (MAOC-N) in Lisbon, Portugal.

The French Navy, while conducting routine patrols as part of Operation Corymbe, intercepted a fishing vessel approximately twenty meters long, flagged in Guyana. The operation resulted in the confiscation of 6,386 kg of cocaine with an estimated market value of nearly €371 million. The seized narcotics were subsequently transferred to the French naval ship for destruction in accordance with directives from the Brest prosecutor’s office.

“This remarkable seizure underscores the collaborative efforts among international partners to combat drug trafficking and enhance maritime security,” said U.S. Army Lt. Gen. John Brennan, U.S. Africa Command deputy commander. “The steadfast commitment of our allies, including the French Navy and other U.S. agencies, reflects our collective determination to safeguard our borders and disrupt the operations of organized crime syndicates.”

The maritime prefecture noted that the operation demonstrates the effectiveness of French naval actions in safeguarding external borders and tackling organized crime. The six individuals found aboard the vessel comprised a Colombian, a Dominican, and four citizens of Guyana, all of whom were arrest-ed during the operation.

In a statement released on Sunday, the Government of Guyana expressed its support for the French operation, affirming its commitment to international cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking and other forms of transnational crime. The statement also confirmed that authorization had been granted for the French forces to board the vessel.

This successful mission not only signifies a significant blow to drug trafficking networks but also rein-forces the importance of international collaboration in enhancing regional security across the Gulf of Guinea. U.S. Africa Command remains dedicated to supporting such initiatives and fostering partner-ships aimed at stabilizing the region.

MIL Security OSI –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Russia has most to gain from Black Sea ceasefire – but it’s marginal, and Ukraine benefits too

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Basil Germond, Professor of International Security, Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion, Lancaster University

A maritime ceasefire deal to allow the safe passage of ships and end the use of force in the Black Sea could soon come into effect. Brokered over the past two weeks by the United States and agreed to by both Russia and Ukraine, it has immediately raised concerns that it could mainly benefit Russia.

Indeed, at first sight, since Ukraine has had the upper hand in the Black Sea for the past two years, the ceasefire seems to not only benefit Russia but also undermine Ukraine’s strategic advantage at sea.

But a more careful assessment of the naval situation in the Black Sea, balanced against possible diplomatic gains, reveals a more nuanced picture.

Benefits for Russia

There are obvious benefits for Russia. First and foremost, the ceasefire deal will improve Moscow’s access to the global grain and fertiliser market and possibly soften western sanctions on payment systems and access to ports to enable that.

In addition to the expected economic benefits, the deal would also enable the Kremlin’s propaganda machine to claim that Russia cares – as Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov insisted – “about the food security situation in Africa and other countries of the global south”.

In military terms, Black Sea fleet commanders will be happy to know that the remainder of their naval assets might be safe at last. The deal is also likely to prevent Ukraine from any attempt to destroy the strategically and symbolically important Kerch bridge linking occupied Crimea with Russia.

Concessions by Russia

Russia has almost nothing to lose operationally, since its remaining surface warships could not operate safely in the northwestern Black Sea and were thus stuck most of the time in ports as far away from Ukraine as possible.

One concession may be that Russia pauses any submarine-launched cruise missile attacks on Ukraine. But this activity has been limited of late. So, with the clear economic and diplomatic benefits this deal represents in return for very limited military concessions, Russia appears as the logical winner of this deal – at least at first sight.

Benefits for Ukraine

Ukraine will certainly also benefit from cheaper and safer access to the global markets (insurance premiums are expected to fall considerably, for a start). And Kyiv will be able to use the time bought by the ceasefire to procure more drones and missiles that might be used later if naval operations against the Russian Black Sea fleet eventually resume.

At the same time, the Russian navy cannot be reinforced as long as the Turkish Straits remain closed to warships under the Montreux Convention. Ukraine’s upper hand in the Black Sea is a result of its efficient use of asymmetrical weapons, such as drones and missiles, that can be stockpiled. But Russia’s Black Sea fleet remains depleted and vulnerable because it has been unable to repair or replace any of its warships, due mainly to the closure of the Turkish Straits passage mentioned above.

Read more:
What the Montreux Convention is, and what it means for the Ukraine war

On the diplomatic front, this ceasefire enables Kyiv to show that they have made major concessions. This is a show of goodwill, and a clever way to appease the US president, Donald Trump, for whom the importance of being able to announce he has made progress towards an overall ceasefire is central. And all these benefits can be obtained at a limited cost.

Concessions by Ukraine

Ukraine will not lose key operational or strategic options as a result of the deal, since at the moment there is only a limited war going on at sea – given that Russia has largely been forced out and has moved its fleet east from Sevastopol to ports on the Russian mainland. In fact, Ukraine had already achieved almost everything realistically possible in the Black Sea. The ceasefire does not now cancel these achievements, since Russia is also prevented from attacking Ukraine from the sea.

Peace in the Black Sea. But how long will it last?
Peter Hermes Furian/Shutterstock

Overall, the fact that this initial step toward a lasting peace agreement has been achieved at sea is testament to Ukraine’s upper hand in the maritime domain as well as the efficiency of western sanctions in cutting Russia off from the global maritime supply chain.

Moscow is the winner but Kyiv is not a loser

Based on the above assessment of the benefits and concessions in light of the naval situation in the Black Sea, both Russia and Ukraine benefit from the ceasefire – although this is indeed less obvious in the case of Ukraine.

Kyiv can consider it a success because Ukraine has nothing substantial to pay or lose. In contrast it gets the ball rolling towards a bigger deal and – most importantly – it keeps the Trump administration onside. Putin can also assess himself to have won because of the direct economic and diplomatic gains Russia gets from the deal.

It’s probably correct to say that Russia has gained more than Ukraine from this agreement – but the reality is more nuanced. The ball is now in Russia’s camp. If it violates any condition of the deal (and the level of trust in Moscow’s goodwill remains low), it will discredit the Kremlin’s diplomacy and anger Trump. And neither side wants to do that right now.

Basil Germond does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Russia has most to gain from Black Sea ceasefire – but it’s marginal, and Ukraine benefits too – https://theconversation.com/russia-has-most-to-gain-from-black-sea-ceasefire-but-its-marginal-and-ukraine-benefits-too-253165

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Coffee enemas probably won’t detox your system – they’re more likely to cause you serious damage

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Dipa Kamdar, Senior Lecturer in Pharmacy Practice, Kingston University

AJR_photo/Shutterstock

What do King Charles and Gwyneth Paltrow have in common? Give up? They’ve both at one point or another caused coffee colonic-related controversies.

In a 2004 speech to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists on complementary therapies and cancer care, the then Prince of Wales’s comments on Gerson therapy – a health programme, marketed as an alternative treatment for cancer, that includes regular coffee enemas as a way to clear toxins from the body – seemed to endorse the unproven regimen. The prince’s opinion drew criticism from medical experts.

Wellness influencer Gwyneth Paltrow, on the other hand, promoted a DIY coffee enema kit on Goop, her lifestyle website – again drawing criticism from specialists who urged Goop fans to “keep the coffee out of your rectum and in your cup”.

Read more:
Gwyneth Paltrow’s new Goop Lab is an infomercial for her pseudoscience business

Despite the expert critique, coffee enemas continue to be a social media wellness trend offered in many alternative health clinics as a method to cleanse the colon and detoxify the body. More worryingly, coffee enemas are still recommended by some influencers as an alternative treatment for cancer and other serious illnesses.

So, why does the popularity of this controversial trend persist despite the bad press? Do the benefits of a coffee enema outweigh the risks?

An enema clears the bowel of faecal matter. Usually, the procedure involves inserting a nozzle attached to a pouch containing fluid into the rectum so the liquid can be squeezed in. In conventional medicine, enemas are used to clear the bowel before surgery, for severe cases of constipation or sometimes as part of a bowel management scheme – in people with inflammatory bowel diseases, for example.

It’s claimed by some coffee enema advocates that, before the advent of modern painkillers, Florence Nightingale used coffee enemas as a form of pain management in soldiers during the Crimean War, and doctors used them in the second world war.

Gerson therapy

But despite the advances in medicine and technology since Nightingale was nursing injured soldiers, coffee enemas continue to be promoted as a health practice.

Gerson therapy continues to be highly publicised as an alternative option to chemotherapy. Patients follow a strict organic vegetarian diet, which can include up to 13 glasses of fruit juice and up to five coffee enemas daily.

Read more:
Apple Cider Vinegar: how social media gave rise to fraudulent wellness influencers like Belle Gibson

The Gerson Institute claims the enemas can increase gut movement which helps to empty bowels. Coffee enemas are believed to help the body expel toxins from the liver and gut, which is thought to relieve pain.

Coffee contains compounds kahweol and cafestol, thought to boost an enzyme which helps remove harmful substances from the body. These substances are turned into bile salts and expelled from the body. The caffeine in coffee is thought to stimulate the liver and widen the bile ducts to increase the flow of bile and help remove toxins.

Several studies show there is no evidence to prove this regime works to cure cancer and it is not supported by any reputable cancer organisations. But it’s possible the placebo effect might help some patients feel better. A review showed there were more reports about the side effects of coffee enemas than their efficacy. Some people, for instance, experienced proctocolitis – inflamed rectum and colon – and rectal burns.

Self-cleaning

Because of the amount of waste that is expelled from the gut, coffee enemas can remove potassium from the body. This can lead to electrolyte imbalance, dehydration, muscle weakness and nausea. In severe cases, it can cause irregular heartbeats and lung problems. Using any enemas regularly for a long time can cause the bowel muscle to weaken, which is linked to constipation and inflammation of the bowel. In some cases, enemas may damage the balance of good bacteria in the gut, which can cause cramping, diarrhoea and bloating and increase the risk of infection.

There no need for DIY enemas of any kind: the gut is self-cleaning. Regular digestion and bowel movements means the body gets rid of waste naturally. A high-fibre diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, wholegrains and seeds should be enough for good digestive health and could even reduce the risk of cancer. Current advice suggests we consume at least 30g of fibre daily. Most adults, however, have an average of only 19g of fibre daily. Drinking plenty of water is also crucial to gut health. Research suggests that eating fermented foods, such as kimchi, kefir and kombucha, can help the good bacteria in the gut and aid with digestion.

Drinking coffee is more likely to be beneficial for health than coffee enemas. Studies show that moderate coffee intake is linked to lower risk of heart disease, for example.

Social media can be a useful way to learn about health but it’s important to check who is giving this information – do they have credentials to back up their claims? It’s always best to check with your doctor or specialist before embarking on any alternative or complementary therapies.

Dipa Kamdar does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Coffee enemas probably won’t detox your system – they’re more likely to cause you serious damage – https://theconversation.com/coffee-enemas-probably-wont-detox-your-system-theyre-more-likely-to-cause-you-serious-damage-252412

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Mar 27, 2025 ATU Applauds Formation of King County Safety Task Force, Urges Other Transit Agencies to Do the Same

Source: US Amalgamated Transit Union

ATU Local 587-Seattle, WA, Played Key Role in Bringing King County Metro, Politicians, Police, and Stakeholders Together to Push for Real Safety Changes for Workers and Riders

Silver Spring, MD – Praising the formation of King County’s new Transit Safety Task Force after the tragic murder of King County Metro Transit Operator Shawn Yim in December last year, the Amalgamated Transit Union commends ATU Local 587-Seattle, WA, for pushing for the task force.

As a longtime advocate for improving safety on public transit for both riders and operators, the ATU calls on other transit agencies to establish safety task forces. The Union fought for and secured Joint Safety Committees at transit agencies under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) that gives workers an equal voice about safety on the job

“Losing Shawn was a tragedy that shook this community and our entire Union,” said ATU International President John Costa. “Transit Operator safety is a public safety issue, and I hope this task force will be a turning point in the fight to make public transit safer for everyone. The ATU has always worked tirelessly to advocate for improved safety measures. Thank you to our Local 587, who called for this task force just hours after we lost Shawn and has consistently offered recommendations for reducing assault through established safety committees before this tragic event. Because of their leadership through this tragedy, we’re on the path to end this violence.”

Since its inception, the ATU has pushed for comprehensive safety reform in the transit industry, including implementing more training programs, installing fully enclosed barriers on buses, improving communication systems, and enhancing emergency response protocols.

“The tragic murder of Shawn has only amplified the urgent need for systematic changes for better safety on our transit systems. Not a day goes by that I don’t hear of a transit worker being shot, stabbed, spit on, verbally abused, and more,” continued Costa. “Our transit agencies must do better, but all stakeholders must work collaboratively and urgently to develop comprehensive solutions. The safety of our transit workers and their passengers should never be compromised.”

The task force includes ATU Local 587 members, city leaders, public safety officials, transportation stakeholders, transit agency representatives, and King County representatives. A report is due in September 2025.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 28, 2025