NewzIntel.com

Category: Security

  • MIL-OSI Security: Met prioritises neighbourhood policing to tackle crime in London hotspots

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    The Metropolitan Police is ruthlessly prioritising resources and putting more officers on the beat in the busiest parts of London – including the West End – to focus on core policing priorities, protect the public, and tackle areas with high crime.

    Despite the Met getting smaller, it is applying more resources and smarter tactics to tackle the biggest priorities.

    Up to 80 more officers will join the dedicated West End team to bear down on crimes which Londoners care about the most – including antisocial behaviour, violence against women and girls, shoplifting and phone robbery – as part of the Met’s focus on neighbourhood policing.

    The intensified action is part of ongoing work by the Met and Mayor of London to boost local neighbourhood teams, enhance partnership working and put high visibility policing at the heart of fighting crime and rebuilding trust.

    The West End will see its policing team grow by over 50 per cent so they can relentlessly target prolific offenders as well as being visible and approachable to protect the public and deter criminals.

    Six town centre teams will also be expanded or newly created with 90 additional officers in areas with the highest volumes of thefts and robberies covering Brixton, Kingston, Ealing, Finsbury Park, Southwark, and Spitalfields.

    Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said:

    “The Met is getting smaller but more capable. We have a laser-like focus on ensuring our officers and staff are in roles where they can drive down crime on issues that matter the most to Londoners.

    “This is what the public expects of the police, which is why we are putting neighbourhood policing first, tackling the crimes that we know are impacting the public in the busiest areas, and making the capital’s streets safer.

    “We’re adding up to 170 additional officers, split between the West End and town centres across London. Thanks to the hard work of our local teams, neighbourhood crime has already fallen by almost a fifth over the last year and moving these officers to the frontline will make sure we are a more visible presence in London.

    “While our budget has decreased in real terms, we are using this additional funding from City Hall and Home Office productively to support our mission to take a targeted approach to tackling volume crime and bolster our specialist tactics to disrupt the criminal gangs who fuel anti-social behaviour, robbery and theft.”

    The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said:

    “Nothing is more important to me than keeping Londoners safe. Thanks to record funding from City Hall, the West End will see a 50 per cent increase in the number of police officers on the beat and an additional 90 police officers working in new or enhanced town centre teams in hotspot areas.

    “Despite years of austerity by the previous government, this is the latest example of the Met Police and I prioritising what Londoners want and delivering on our pledge to put high visibility policing at the heart of fighting crime and rebuilding community confidence and trust.

    “These new and boosted Safer Neighbourhood Teams will focus on tackling antisocial behaviour, phone robbery and shoplifting in key areas. This fresh targeted action is happening in tandem with enhanced police and partnership work already underway in our high streets and town centres this summer. We will continue to build on the crime reductions already achieved in the capital – with robbery, theft and knife crime down since the start of the financial year – to build a safer London for all.”

    Already, the Met has recruited over 300 additional PCSOs for neighbourhood policing teams towards a target of 500, as well as adding over 300 officers from Superintendents to Constables.

    This work to focus resource in the right places, builds on enhanced partnership action with local authorities, businesses and communities to tackle crime in London’s busy town centres and high streets, announced earlier this month.

    The Met is arresting 1000 more criminals each month and thanks to the hard work of its officers, London’s Violence Reduction Unit, Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC), local authorities and partners, the first six weeks of this financial year have seen promising reductions in a number of crime types compared to the same period last year.

    • Neighbourhood crime down by 15.3 per cent
    • Knife crime down by 18.1 per cent
    • Residential burglary down by 17.7 per cent
    • Theft from the person down by 15.6 per cent
    • Personal robbery down by 12.8 per cent
    • Shoplifting – solved 163 per cent more cases this year
    • In the West End specifically the Met has reduced:
    • Personal robbery by 20%
    • Violence with injury by 25%
    • Violence against a person by 8%

    Ros Morgan, Chief Executive, Heart of London Business Alliance:

    “A safer West End is essential to its success. We welcome the Mayor and Met Commissioner’s response to our calls for more policing. With over 200 million visitors a year and a £50 billion contribution to the UK economy, keeping this district secure isn’t optional — it’s vital. We’ll continue working with the Met to protect the West End’s reputation as a world-class destination.”

    Dee Corsi, Chief Executive, New West End Company, said:

    “We know, first-hand, the incredible work that the Metropolitan Police Service undertakes every day here in the West End to tackle anti-social behaviour, shoplifting, phone robbery and violence against women and girls. But we also know that tackling complex crime challenges is more difficult when resources are squeezed. That’s why today’s announcement, and renewed commitment to the West End, is a critical step forward. We will continue to work in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Service, the Mayor of London and other local stakeholders to ensure the West End remains safe and welcoming for all.”

    Anthony Hemmerdinger, Managing Director, Boots said:

    “Retail theft alongside intimidation and abuse of our team members is unacceptable, so we welcome this additional support from the Mayor and Metropolitan Police to increase resources in some of our busiest central London store locations.

    “While we continue to invest significantly in schemes to deter and disrupt crime, including our state-of-the-art CCTV monitoring centre and bodycams for our team members in stores, it is only through close partnership working with Government, Police, and local communities, that we can ensure high streets feel like welcoming and safe spaces for people to work, shop and visit, all the time.”

    Against the backdrop of these improvements and increased demand for policing in London, tough choices are still being made across the organisation.

    The Met is shrinking overall by 1,700 officers and staff – they have started by moving officers from the dedicated Royal Parks policing team and schools officers into local policing teams. This will ensure officers are part of larger neighbourhood policing teams, policing parks as part of larger teams and ensuring children are safe on their school commute where they are most at risk.

    The Met are going further to place officers on the beat, ensuring London is a safer place to live, work and visit. A more visible presence will increase reassurance for the public and create a hostile environment for criminals who will be arrested in greater numbers.

    The Met secured additional funding after submitting their draft budget which laid out how they would spend their money in 2025/26. As a result, they are using £32 million of additional funding from City Hall and the Home Office to reduce the total officer and staff reductions in priority areas.

    The efficiency savings are due to real-term reductions in public spending on policing and every decision the Met makes is to ensure resources are focussed in the most vital areas and on core-policing priorities.

    The funding will also allow specialist police capabilities to be expanded to support neighbourhood policing priorities and improve out outcomes in tackling high-harm offenders and violence against women and girls. This will include:

    • Bolstering Flying Squad with over 50 additional officers to support neighbourhood policing as they tackle the organised crime gangs that fuel phone robbery and shoplifting.
    • Scaling up our use of Live Facial Recognition (LFR) more widely supported by additional officers and staff. Currently LFR is used four times a week across two days, but this will increase up to five days a week, delivering up to 10 deployments a week across London to drive up arrests of wanted offenders.
    • The Public Order Crime Team will expand to accommodate the rise in protest-related criminal investigations to ensure frontline officers are freed up to focus on local issues. Demand in this area increased in the last two years.
    • Additional resource will be funded to support local policing teams to coordinate work to hunt down dangerous and predatory offenders identified in our V100 and Violence Harm Assessment work.

    As well as targeting resource in specific priority areas, the funding has allowed the Met to reduce some of the previously outlined cuts – including providing 17 officers to join neighbourhood policing teams to support the continued policing of Royal Parks as part of our business as usually work and stopping previously proposed reductions to Flying Squad.

    The Met is also publishing A New Met for London: Phase 2 – a plan for the next three years, following the success of the first plan to deliver more trust, less crime and high standards.

    The new plan focusses on shedding distractions and bureaucracy that divert police away from crime-fighting, allowing our officers and staff to focus on what matters most to the public we serve, making greater use of technologies such as live facial recognition and automation, and providing officers and staff with the tools and equipment they need, to be more effective and more productive.

    The Met is asking the public for their views. To share your views complete this survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6NCR3LH

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Met prioritises neighbourhood policing to tackle crime in London hotspots

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    The Metropolitan Police is ruthlessly prioritising resources and putting more officers on the beat in the busiest parts of London – including the West End – to focus on core policing priorities, protect the public, and tackle areas with high crime.

    Despite the Met getting smaller, it is applying more resources and smarter tactics to tackle the biggest priorities.

    Up to 80 more officers will join the dedicated West End team to bear down on crimes which Londoners care about the most – including antisocial behaviour, violence against women and girls, shoplifting and phone robbery – as part of the Met’s focus on neighbourhood policing.

    The intensified action is part of ongoing work by the Met and Mayor of London to boost local neighbourhood teams, enhance partnership working and put high visibility policing at the heart of fighting crime and rebuilding trust.

    The West End will see its policing team grow by over 50 per cent so they can relentlessly target prolific offenders as well as being visible and approachable to protect the public and deter criminals.

    Six town centre teams will also be expanded or newly created with 90 additional officers in areas with the highest volumes of thefts and robberies covering Brixton, Kingston, Ealing, Finsbury Park, Southwark, and Spitalfields.

    Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said:

    “The Met is getting smaller but more capable. We have a laser-like focus on ensuring our officers and staff are in roles where they can drive down crime on issues that matter the most to Londoners.

    “This is what the public expects of the police, which is why we are putting neighbourhood policing first, tackling the crimes that we know are impacting the public in the busiest areas, and making the capital’s streets safer.

    “We’re adding up to 170 additional officers, split between the West End and town centres across London. Thanks to the hard work of our local teams, neighbourhood crime has already fallen by almost a fifth over the last year and moving these officers to the frontline will make sure we are a more visible presence in London.

    “While our budget has decreased in real terms, we are using this additional funding from City Hall and Home Office productively to support our mission to take a targeted approach to tackling volume crime and bolster our specialist tactics to disrupt the criminal gangs who fuel anti-social behaviour, robbery and theft.”

    The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said:

    “Nothing is more important to me than keeping Londoners safe. Thanks to record funding from City Hall, the West End will see a 50 per cent increase in the number of police officers on the beat and an additional 90 police officers working in new or enhanced town centre teams in hotspot areas.

    “Despite years of austerity by the previous government, this is the latest example of the Met Police and I prioritising what Londoners want and delivering on our pledge to put high visibility policing at the heart of fighting crime and rebuilding community confidence and trust.

    “These new and boosted Safer Neighbourhood Teams will focus on tackling antisocial behaviour, phone robbery and shoplifting in key areas. This fresh targeted action is happening in tandem with enhanced police and partnership work already underway in our high streets and town centres this summer. We will continue to build on the crime reductions already achieved in the capital – with robbery, theft and knife crime down since the start of the financial year – to build a safer London for all.”

    Already, the Met has recruited over 300 additional PCSOs for neighbourhood policing teams towards a target of 500, as well as adding over 300 officers from Superintendents to Constables.

    This work to focus resource in the right places, builds on enhanced partnership action with local authorities, businesses and communities to tackle crime in London’s busy town centres and high streets, announced earlier this month.

    The Met is arresting 1000 more criminals each month and thanks to the hard work of its officers, London’s Violence Reduction Unit, Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC), local authorities and partners, the first six weeks of this financial year have seen promising reductions in a number of crime types compared to the same period last year.

    • Neighbourhood crime down by 15.3 per cent
    • Knife crime down by 18.1 per cent
    • Residential burglary down by 17.7 per cent
    • Theft from the person down by 15.6 per cent
    • Personal robbery down by 12.8 per cent
    • Shoplifting – solved 163 per cent more cases this year
    • In the West End specifically the Met has reduced:
    • Personal robbery by 20%
    • Violence with injury by 25%
    • Violence against a person by 8%

    Ros Morgan, Chief Executive, Heart of London Business Alliance:

    “A safer West End is essential to its success. We welcome the Mayor and Met Commissioner’s response to our calls for more policing. With over 200 million visitors a year and a £50 billion contribution to the UK economy, keeping this district secure isn’t optional — it’s vital. We’ll continue working with the Met to protect the West End’s reputation as a world-class destination.”

    Dee Corsi, Chief Executive, New West End Company, said:

    “We know, first-hand, the incredible work that the Metropolitan Police Service undertakes every day here in the West End to tackle anti-social behaviour, shoplifting, phone robbery and violence against women and girls. But we also know that tackling complex crime challenges is more difficult when resources are squeezed. That’s why today’s announcement, and renewed commitment to the West End, is a critical step forward. We will continue to work in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Service, the Mayor of London and other local stakeholders to ensure the West End remains safe and welcoming for all.”

    Anthony Hemmerdinger, Managing Director, Boots said:

    “Retail theft alongside intimidation and abuse of our team members is unacceptable, so we welcome this additional support from the Mayor and Metropolitan Police to increase resources in some of our busiest central London store locations.

    “While we continue to invest significantly in schemes to deter and disrupt crime, including our state-of-the-art CCTV monitoring centre and bodycams for our team members in stores, it is only through close partnership working with Government, Police, and local communities, that we can ensure high streets feel like welcoming and safe spaces for people to work, shop and visit, all the time.”

    Against the backdrop of these improvements and increased demand for policing in London, tough choices are still being made across the organisation.

    The Met is shrinking overall by 1,700 officers and staff – they have started by moving officers from the dedicated Royal Parks policing team and schools officers into local policing teams. This will ensure officers are part of larger neighbourhood policing teams, policing parks as part of larger teams and ensuring children are safe on their school commute where they are most at risk.

    The Met are going further to place officers on the beat, ensuring London is a safer place to live, work and visit. A more visible presence will increase reassurance for the public and create a hostile environment for criminals who will be arrested in greater numbers.

    The Met secured additional funding after submitting their draft budget which laid out how they would spend their money in 2025/26. As a result, they are using £32 million of additional funding from City Hall and the Home Office to reduce the total officer and staff reductions in priority areas.

    The efficiency savings are due to real-term reductions in public spending on policing and every decision the Met makes is to ensure resources are focussed in the most vital areas and on core-policing priorities.

    The funding will also allow specialist police capabilities to be expanded to support neighbourhood policing priorities and improve out outcomes in tackling high-harm offenders and violence against women and girls. This will include:

    • Bolstering Flying Squad with over 50 additional officers to support neighbourhood policing as they tackle the organised crime gangs that fuel phone robbery and shoplifting.
    • Scaling up our use of Live Facial Recognition (LFR) more widely supported by additional officers and staff. Currently LFR is used four times a week across two days, but this will increase up to five days a week, delivering up to 10 deployments a week across London to drive up arrests of wanted offenders.
    • The Public Order Crime Team will expand to accommodate the rise in protest-related criminal investigations to ensure frontline officers are freed up to focus on local issues. Demand in this area increased in the last two years.
    • Additional resource will be funded to support local policing teams to coordinate work to hunt down dangerous and predatory offenders identified in our V100 and Violence Harm Assessment work.

    As well as targeting resource in specific priority areas, the funding has allowed the Met to reduce some of the previously outlined cuts – including providing 17 officers to join neighbourhood policing teams to support the continued policing of Royal Parks as part of our business as usually work and stopping previously proposed reductions to Flying Squad.

    The Met is also publishing A New Met for London: Phase 2 – a plan for the next three years, following the success of the first plan to deliver more trust, less crime and high standards.

    The new plan focusses on shedding distractions and bureaucracy that divert police away from crime-fighting, allowing our officers and staff to focus on what matters most to the public we serve, making greater use of technologies such as live facial recognition and automation, and providing officers and staff with the tools and equipment they need, to be more effective and more productive.

    The Met is asking the public for their views. To share your views complete this survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6NCR3LH

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Delivers Opening Statement At Spotlight Forum Examining Trump Administration’s Voter Suppression Efforts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    July 30, 2025

    Today’s spotlight forum comes after Durbin and Padilla led all Senate Democrats in reintroducing the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at his and U.S. Senator Alex Padilla’s (D-CA) spotlight forum entitled “Protecting the Future of American Democracy: Fighting a Surge in Voter Suppression.” Today’s spotlight forum examined the recent surge in voter suppression by Republican state legislatures and the Trump Administration, ranging from attempts to purge voter rolls to the push to invalidate the results of the 2024 North Carolina State Supreme Court election through targeted disenfranchisement of voters after they had cast their ballots.

     

    Today’s spotlight forum comes after Durbin and U.S. Senator Reverand Raphael Warnock (D-GA) led all Senate Democrats in reintroducing the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, legislation that would update and restore critical safeguards of the original Voting Rights Act.

     

    Key quotes:

    “We are here today because the sacred right to vote in America is under attack. Republican elected officials—and now federal institutions under the Trump Administration—are attempting to further restrict access to the ballot under the false banner of ‘election integrity.’ Most disturbingly, some of these efforts are being carried out or enabled by the very government entities charged with protecting that right.”

    “This betrayal is deliberate. It is strategic. It is eroding the foundation of our democracy. Let me be clear. There is no longer a functioning federal entity actively safeguarding your right to vote.”

    “The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, once the proud defender of voting access for communities of color, military service members, rural voters, and people with disabilities, has turned inward. Under a reimagined mission, aligned with MAGA politics and driven by the lies of widespread voter fraud, the Division’s Voting Section has completely abdicated its role in confronting the real and rising tide of disenfranchisement.”

    “Look at North Carolina, where there was an aggressive, though thankfully unsuccessful, attempt to discard valid ballots and overturn an election after Justice Allison Riggs—now a member of the state’s highest court and a witness here today— finally won her seat.”

    “Look at our federal agencies. The Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security are making demands for voter rolls from multiple states to initiate voter roll purges. These efforts, made under the guise of combating fraud, will disproportionately endanger voters of color, low-income communities, and active-duty military personnel.”

    “What we are witnessing today is not a series of isolated misjudgments. This is a coordinated effort—emboldened by the myth of the stolen 2020 election—to restrict access to the polls through redistricting, voter roll purges, and legislative barriers.”

    “We must treat this effort to erode our democracy with the urgency it demands. Yesterday, I joined Senators Warnock, Schumer, Blumenthal, Booker, [and Padilla], in reintroducing the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. This legislation would restore and strengthen preclearance protections gutted by the Supreme Court in 2013 and reestablish meaningful federal oversight of voting laws in jurisdictions with a history of discrimination.”

    “The last time the Voting Rights Act was reauthorized, the Senate unanimously passed the legislation… This year marks the sixtieth anniversary of the passage of the original Voting Rights Act, and 20 years since its last reauthorization—and unfortunately, the bipartisan support we once saw for protecting the most fundamental of our rights has disappeared.”

    “Have we forgotten Selma? Have we forgotten that people bled on the bridge and others lost their lives so that all Americans could have the freedom to cast their ballot without intimidation and baseless, discriminatory restrictions?”

    “We must act—not just to protect the future, but to honor the legacy of those who fought to secure the ballot. History is watching, and it will not be kind to silence.”

    Video of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.

    Audio of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.

    -30-

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Questions Judicial Nominees During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    July 30, 2025

    Durbin’s questions provided the nominees a chance to clarify their controversial positions and past remarks before the Committee

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the nominations of Joshua Dale Dunlap, nominated to be a United States Circuit Judge for the First Circuit; Eric Chunyee Tung, nominated to be a United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit; William Walter Mercer, nominated to be a United States District Judge for the District of Montana; and Stephen Chad Meredith, nominated to be a United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Kentucky.

     

    Durbin first asked Mr. Tung to clarify his commentary on gender roles and LGBTQ+ rights. Just months ago, in remarks for a Federalist Society event, Mr. Tung defended originalism and wrote, “Whether there’s a constitutional right to abortion, same-sex marriage, sodomy, pornography, transgender procedures — the answer for the originalist is simple: No.”

     

    “You seem to be questioning landmark Supreme Court decisions like Lawrence v. Texas and Obergefell [v. Hodges.] Let me ask you point blank: do you believe there’s a constitutional right formarriage for same-sex couples?” Durbin asked.

    Mr. Tung responded only that if confirmed as a circuit judge, he would “be bound” by the precedent in the Supreme Court’s ruling.

     

    “What do you believe now [in regard to gender roles?]” Durbin asked.

     

    Mr. Tung dodged the question by stating that he could not comment on “live issues” as a judicial nominee.”

     

    Durbin responded, “See that is where we run into problems. When we get down to basic values and positions, we know what he [wrote] years ago. I asked him what he believes today, and he tells me he can’t tell me the answer because he is possibly going to be on the bench. So, it’s very difficult to really understand where you stand on this situation.”

     

    Durbin then asked Mr. Dunlap about minors’ abortion rights. In March 2015, Mr. Dunlap submitted written testimony to the Maine Legislature in support of a bill that would have made it more difficult forminors and incapacitated people to access abortions. The bill he supported sought to change Maine law which does not require minors to obtain the consent of a parent or guardian before having an abortion.

     

    “Should a minor who is sexually assaulted or a victim of incest be forced to give birth if her parents do not consent to her having an abortion? Durbin asked.

    Mr. Dunlap would not directly answer but claimed that his own views would not be relevant if he is confirmed to the bench and that he would “faithfully” abide by binding precedent.

     

    “Let me ask you: are you saying what you said [in] March 2015 is the same position you hold today or a different one?” Durbin asked.

     

    Mr. Dunlap again said his personal views are not applicable if confirmed as a judge.

     

    What about Obergefell? Durbin asked.

    Mr. Dunlap responded, “that would be binding precedent should I be confirmed.”

     

    Durbin then asked Mr. Tung about his affiliation with Mike Davis, the president of the right-wing Article III Project. According to public reporting, Mr. Davis has played a key role in advising President Trump on judicial nominations during his second term.

     

    “Is he [Mike Davis] your friend?” Durbin asked.

     

    To which Mr. Tung replied that they are friends.

     

    “Have you had any conversations regarding your nomination before President Trump announced it on July 2? Durbin asked.

     

    “Just simply that it happened, Senator,” Mr. Tung responded.

     

    Durbin then asked about Mr. Davis’s overtly racist remarks. In an October 2023 social media post, Mr. Davis wrote “[t]he violent Black underclass is a danger to America” and “[t]hese monsters will kill.”

     

    “Do you condemn this offensive statement by Mr. Davis?” Durbin asked.

     

    Mr. Tung refused to fully condemn the statement and instead said only that Mr. Davis’s comments “are not necessarily my views.”

     

    Video of Durbin’s first round of questions in Committee is available here.

    Audio of Durbin’s first round of questions in Committee is available here.

    Footage of Durbin’s first round of questions in Committee is available here for TV Stations.

     

    During the second round of questions, Durbin asked Mr. Mercer about his views of January 6 defendants.

     

    “What is your reaction to the full and unconditional pardon of the January 6 defendants by President Trump?” Durbin asked.

    Mr. Mercer refused to answer the question and instead said the judiciary has no involvement with the pardon power.

    Durbin then asked Mr. Meredith about his anti-choice record. Beginning in 2017, Mr. Meredith defended Kentucky law that required doctors to present certain information to patients before performing an abortion procedure. As part of his defense of that law, he stated, “not every patient understands the consequences of an abortion procedure.”

     

    “Do you believe that female patients are less likely or less able to understand medical advice than male patients? Durbin asked.

    Mr. Meredith asked Durbin to clarify.

     

    “Well, you said not every patient understands the consequences and we know we’re talking about primarily of women of childbearing status. You went onto say there are a ‘number of patients who don’t understand the nature of the fetus [within them].’ Do you believe that female patients are less likely to understand this?” Durbin asked.

     

    Mr. Meredith claimed that he was summarizing the evidence in the record for the court.

     

    “If you want to clarify what you said in light of what I quoted, please do so. At this point, I think there really is serious question as to what you’re trying to say,” Durbin responded.

     

    Video of Durbin’s second round of questions in Committee is available here.

    Audio of Durbin’s second round of questions in Committee is available here.

    Footage of Durbin’s second round of questions in Committee is available here for TV Stations.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Government releases important review into the Over-Representation of First Nations People in the ACT Criminal Justice System

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    As part of ACT Government’s ‘One Government, One Voice’ program, we are transitioning this website across to our . You can access everything you need through this website while it’s happening.

    Released 30/07/2025 – Joint media release

    The ACT Government has today released the Jumbunna Institute’s final report of its Independent Review into the Over-Representation of First Nations People in the ACT Criminal Justice System.

    This comprehensive report was commissioned by the ACT Government to help address this significant issue in our community.

    The ACT Government thanks the Jumbunna Institute for this extensive and comprehensive report.

    The review contains 99 recommendations that span across the spectrum of ACT Government, including corrective services, community supports, policing, courts and sentencing, the administration of bail, youth justice, child protection, and education.

    The recommendations range across numerous themes including the need to address systemic racism, improved access to data, increased First Nations involvement in governance structures, and increased accountability.

    It has also identified the need to build on and expand important government programs and services that already exist in youth justice, child protection, the Galambany Court, bail support, post-release support and detainee programs.

    The ACT Government remains committed to reducing the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in our justice system.

    As this review shows, this is a complex challenge that will require a whole-of-government and community approach.

    Given the large number of recommendations, we will now consider the review thoroughly before providing an interim response in September.

    In developing this report, the Jumbunna Institute undertook extensive consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members and organisations, as well as non-Aboriginal organisations with First Nations programs and staff.

    Key ACT Government stakeholders were also included in the consultation process, including ACT Policing, ACT Corrective Services, ACT Courts and Tribunal and the Education Directorate.

    There is a significant amount of evidence contained in the Final Report of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s lived experience and history. The ACT Government acknowledges the courage of those sharing their perspectives and experiences and is committed to hearing and responding to their contributions.

    Quotes attributable to Attorney-General Tara Cheyne:

    “This review provides an honest and critical assessment of how our justice system affects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It reinforces the need to ensure that our laws, institutions and processes deliver justice fairly and equitably for everyone.

    “As Attorney-General, I take seriously the responsibility to lead reforms that uphold human rights, build public trust, and ensure better outcomes for First Nations people. I recognise this report lays bare that for change to occur, the recommendations need to be considered in totality and through their interconnectedness, and all parts and levels of Government need to share a commitment to achieving better outcomes. We will consider the recommendations in full and work closely with community and across government to deliver meaningful change.”

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Suzanne Orr:

    “The over representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people within the justice system is one of the starkest examples of where our systems and institutions are failing.

    “While other states and territories may be walking back their commitments for justice reform this report is the start of the ACT walking with community to do much much more.”

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Education, Yvette Berry:

    “This report highlights the need for our education system to be a safe and supportive space for all students, and to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students can thrive.

    “We are committed to embedding cultural safety, inclusive practices, and trauma-informed responses in our schools. Education must play a leading role in breaking cycles of disadvantage and ensuring every young person is supported to succeed.”

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Corrections and Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services, Marisa Paterson:

    “The over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in our justice system is unacceptable and must change. This report is an important reminder of work still to be done.”

    “ACT Corrective Services has already begun work to improve outcomes, but this review provides a valuable and necessary roadmap for deeper reform. I am committed to ensuring our correctional system is safe, culturally appropriate, and genuinely rehabilitative.”

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Children, Youth and Families, Michael Pettersson:

    “This report reinforces the urgent need to reduce the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in the justice system.

    “We are committed to supporting initiatives to divert young people away from the system and providing a trauma informed and culturally safe response.”

    Quotes attributable to Chris Cunneen, Professor of Criminology at the Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research, University of Technology Sydney

    “Jumbunna has provided the ACT Government with a comprehensive blueprint for tackling the problem of First Nations over-representation in the criminal legal system.

    “Our report has practical recommendations for reform related to a range of matters involving child protection, youth justice, policing, bail, sentencing, the AMC and post-release support.

    “The report also has proposals aimed at more structural issues including addressing systemic racism and improving processes for First Nations decision-making and government accountability.

    “We particularly acknowledge the wide support and participation we received from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in the ACT.”

    – Statement ends –

    Tara Cheyne, MLA | Suzanne Orr, MLA | Yvette Berry, MLA | Marisa Paterson, MLA | Michael Pettersson, MLA | Media Releases

    «ACT Government Media Releases | «Minister Media Releases

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Coast Guard medevacs woman from cruise ship 120 miles off Washington coast

    Source: United States Coast Guard

    News Release  

    U.S. Coast Guard Northwest District PA Detachment Astoria
    Contact: Coast Guard PA Detachment Astoria
    Office: (503) 861-6380
    After Hours: (206) 220-7237
    PA Detachment Astoria online newsroom

     

    07/30/2025 07:14 PM EDT

    A Coast Guard MH-60 helicopter crew from Air Station Astoria, Oregon, medevaced a woman experiencing a health emergency onboard the cruise ship Carnival Legend nearly 120 miles west of Grays Harbor, Washington, Tuesday night.  At the time of the hoist, the cruise ship was transiting from Prince Rupert, British Columbia, to San Francisco, California.  At 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, watchstanders at the Coast Guard Northwest District Command Center received the medevac request from the cruise ship Carnival Legend for a 71-year-old woman experiencing a cardiac event.  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Woman on assault police charge, dangerous dog seized

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Woman on assault police charge, dangerous dog seized

    Thursday, 31 July 2025 – 9:09 am.

    A 57-year-old woman has been charged with assaulting police, and a dangerous dog seized, after an incident in East Devonport on Wednesday.
    The North-West woman was remanded in custody overnight and is scheduled to appear in the Devonport Magistrates Court today.
    She is facing charges of assaulting police, abusing and threatening police, and being the owner of a dog that attacks a person.
    The charges stem from an incident at Melrose Street, East Devonport, on Wednesday afternoon.
    Police had been called to assist Devonport Council and North West Animal Control Services issue a warrant to seize an American pit bull, a dog that had been identified as being dangerous.
    Police will allege the woman refused to surrender the dog and that she threatened and verbally abused officers during the issuing of the warrant.
    Tasmania Police specialist resources were deployed and negotiations with the woman continued for several hours.
    During this time, the unrestrained dog was released by the woman and the animal ran off.
    The woman is then alleged to have assaulted police officers before being arrested without further incident and taken into custody.
    The dog was subsequently located and safely seized by police in collaboration with Animal Control Services. Police drone resources were used to help locate the dog.
    Tasmania Police would like to thank members of the public for their assistance in reporting sightings of the dog, which played a key role in its safe recovery.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar Opening Remarks on Protecting Online Data

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law, delivered the following opening statement at the subcommittee hearing titled “Protecting the Virtual You: Safeguarding Americans’ Online Data.”

    Testifying at the hearing was Alan Butler, Executive Director and President of the Electronic Privacy Information Center; Samuel Levine, Senior Fellow at the UC Berkeley Center for Consumer Law & Economic Justice; Kate Goodloe, Managing Director at the Business Software Alliance; Paul Martino, General Counsel at the Main Street Privacy Coalition; and Joel Thayer, President of the Digital Progress Institute.

    A rough transcript of Klobuchar’s full opening statement is available below and a video can be downloaded here.

    Senator Klobuchar: Well. Thank you very much, Chair Blackburn, and thank you to all of our witnesses, and I’m really grateful for your leadership on these issues, Madam Chair, and your willingness to work with me and Senator Blumenthal and many others. 

    We all know new technologies have made it easier for people to monitor their health, collaborate with colleagues, communicate with loved ones, and more. But federal law doesn’t do enough, as we all know, to address the privacy that comes with these innovations, the privacy concerns.

    Technology companies collect an enormous amount of personal information about our daily lives. They know what we buy, who our friends are, where we live, where we work and travel, even how much we would be willing to pay for something. Yet, for too long, the big tech companies, many of which dominate the market that they operate in, have been telling American consumers, “Just trust us,” even though their business models are designed to collect personal information and to use it for profit. 

    The bottom line is that we are the product, we are, and that’s how many tech companies make their money, and a lot of it. In 2024, Google and Meta earned a combined $420 billion in advertising revenues alone. And they made a lot more money because Americans lack privacy protections. An American’s data earned Meta $68 in a single quarter last year. Think about that, all these people who don’t realize that they’re being tracked. But a European Facebook user with a comprehensive privacy protection only generated $23, and that money can be used for a lot of other things that people need right now.

    And it seems like every day we hear a new story about companies playing fast and loose with data and taking advantage of customers. Earlier this year, a whistleblower from Facebook, now Meta, testified to another subcommittee about how the company would track users so closely that it could identify when teenage girls felt emotionally vulnerable and then target them with ads exploiting these emotions. For example, when a teenage girl would delete a selfie, Facebook might serve her an ad for diet products. 

    Criminals also view huge troves of data as attractive targets for hacking. We’ve seen major data breaches ranging from the 2017 Equifax database breach that exposed sensitive financial information from more than 140 million individuals to the hack of Change Healthcare, affecting 190 million people and causing more than 100 electronic systems vital to the U.S. health care system to be shut down. 

    On my way here, I was on the phone with the mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota, because they, like so many other jurisdictions, are responding to a targeted cyber-attack on their IT infrastructure, which has shut down some of the city’s digital services and may have compromised city employee data. 

    Once in the hands of criminals, data can be used for everything from identity theft to more serious crimes. And we all learned too tragically with the horrific murders in my state of my good friend Melissa Hortman, the former Speaker of the House, and her husband Mark how accessible personal data is, including people’s addresses, because the murderer only killed the people and went to the houses of the people whose addresses he had. 

    Businesses are also using personal data collected across the internet in novel ways, such as to set individualized prices designed to increase costs for consumers.

    Should a person, and this is a question we have to ask as Senators, really have to submit to this kind of intrusive data collection just to send a message to a friend online, to book a flight, or to order some diapers? I don’t think so. 

    That’s why more than 20 states have stepped in. I suspect today we’ll hear from some of our witnesses about the patchwork of state laws. I agree it’s a problem, but I believe we should have passed privacy legislation many, many years ago. I advocated for it back then. We tried, and in fact, in [2024], I [worked on] a comprehensive privacy bill with Senator Cantwell and Kathy McMorris Rogers, a former Republican House member. The bill would have required companies to collect only the information necessary to provide the goods and services that consumers sought, ensured consumers consented before their personal data was shared with third parties, and put consumers in control of their data by allowing them to access, correct, and even delete personal data. 

    But many of the businesses that today complain about the burden of complying with the patchwork of state laws, I have the advantage of having been there then, even before Maria Cantwell’s bill was introduced, when the companies were lobbying against a federal privacy law, and now they’re back complaining about the patchwork of laws. And I would like to change that, but I do think it’s important to know that’s why we’re in the position that we are and to understand why some of these states are looking at this going, “Wait a minute.”

    The need for federal privacy reform is even more urgent as AI continues to expand its role in to our lives. Data is both the gasoline and the engine for AI models. That means that demand for our data is skyrocketing, so it is critical that we set guardrails to ensure the data that powers AI is responsibly sourced and used for legitimate means and protected when you want to have it protected. 

    Luckily, there is a bipartisan agreement that Congress needs to act. The Commerce Committee, on which Chair Blackburn and I also sit, has seen strong bipartisan, bicameral proposals for federal privacy reform. Not everyone agrees with all of them, but there has been some start out of that committee, and I look forward to hearing from our witnesses about why we need these guardrails now. 

    Thank you, Senator Blackburn.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: On 60th Anniversary of Medicaid and Medicare, Congressman Amo Visits Providers Hit Hard by Trump’s Big, Ugly Law 

    Source: US Congressman Gabe Amo (Rhode Island 1st District)

    Republicans’ Big, Ugly Law undercuts the promise of health care for the elderly and vulnerable, which Medicare and Medicaid were meant to fulfill.

    RIVERSIDE, RI – TODAY, Congressman Gabe Amo (D-RI), member of the House Budget Committee, toured the East Bay Community Action Program (EBCAP) Family Health Care- Riverside to discuss with Medicaid providers how President Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans’ Big, Ugly Law will devastate their ability to serve vulnerable Rhode Islanders. Amo met with EBCAP’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Lisa Denny and former Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Sarah Fessler. 

    “For six decades, Medicaid and Medicare have provided essential, life-improving health care to Rhode Islanders,” said Congressman Gabe Amo (D-RI). “Republicans’ Big, Ugly Law is poised to take health care from 47,000 Rhode Islanders and break the promise President Lyndon B. Johnson made 60 years ago today that our government would care for the elderly and vulnerable. Trump and Congressional Republicans’ decimation destabilizes our state’s entire health system. Today, the East Bay Community Action Program’s medical staff shared the immense challenges that Rhode Island’s health centers and their patients will face because of their new law. I won’t stop speaking out until we reverse Trump’s treacherous cuts, restore investment in Medicaid and Medicare, and ensure all Rhode Islanders have access to high-quality health care.”

    “East Bay Community Action Program provides services and resources to more than 30,000 Rhode Islanders each year,” said Jesse Shipley, Chief Operation Officer, East Bay Community Health Program. “Any health care funding reductions passed into law put our East Bay residents at risk, add continued pressure to hospitals and the health care workforce, and can contribute to reductions in health care access across our state.”

    Background

    On July 3, 2025, Congressman Amo voted no on the Big, Ugly Law after speaking out against the bill on the House Floor at 3:45 AM.

    On July 2, 2025, Amo took to the floor to urge adoption of an amendment to protect Medicaid and SNAP. Republicans stood in the way. 

    On July 1, 2025, Amo spoke out in the House Rules Committeeabout Republicans’ dastardly plan to steal from the poor to gift tax handouts to the rich. 

    Amotook to the House Floor at 3:30 AM to hit back at Republicans’ original passage of the Big, Ugly Bill in the House on May 22, 2025, before he voted no.

    On April 9, 2025, Amo slammed the Republican budget resolution on the House floor and shared the story of a Rhode Islander in the First Congressional District who would be hurt by Republican cuts. 

    On February 25, 2025, Amo took to the House Floor to slam the Republican budget resolution that threatens devastating cuts to critical programs.

    On February 24, 2025, Amo submitted two amendments to the House Committee on Rules to protect SNAP and affirm that Medicaid is a critical program for more than 306,000 Rhode Island residents. The Republican-controlled House Committee on Rules refused to consider Congressman Amo’s amendments.    

    During the House Budget Committee markup on February 13, 2025, Amo offered two amendments to support protecting and extending Medicare’s solvency as well as protecting SNAP, the Community Eligibility Provision, the School Breakfast Program, and the National School Lunch Program. Republicans voted no.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: On 60th Anniversary of Medicaid and Medicare, Congressman Amo Visits Providers Hit Hard by Trump’s Big, Ugly Law 

    Source: US Congressman Gabe Amo (Rhode Island 1st District)

    Republicans’ Big, Ugly Law undercuts the promise of health care for the elderly and vulnerable, which Medicare and Medicaid were meant to fulfill.

    RIVERSIDE, RI – TODAY, Congressman Gabe Amo (D-RI), member of the House Budget Committee, toured the East Bay Community Action Program (EBCAP) Family Health Care- Riverside to discuss with Medicaid providers how President Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans’ Big, Ugly Law will devastate their ability to serve vulnerable Rhode Islanders. Amo met with EBCAP’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Lisa Denny and former Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Sarah Fessler. 

    “For six decades, Medicaid and Medicare have provided essential, life-improving health care to Rhode Islanders,” said Congressman Gabe Amo (D-RI). “Republicans’ Big, Ugly Law is poised to take health care from 47,000 Rhode Islanders and break the promise President Lyndon B. Johnson made 60 years ago today that our government would care for the elderly and vulnerable. Trump and Congressional Republicans’ decimation destabilizes our state’s entire health system. Today, the East Bay Community Action Program’s medical staff shared the immense challenges that Rhode Island’s health centers and their patients will face because of their new law. I won’t stop speaking out until we reverse Trump’s treacherous cuts, restore investment in Medicaid and Medicare, and ensure all Rhode Islanders have access to high-quality health care.”

    “East Bay Community Action Program provides services and resources to more than 30,000 Rhode Islanders each year,” said Jesse Shipley, Chief Operation Officer, East Bay Community Health Program. “Any health care funding reductions passed into law put our East Bay residents at risk, add continued pressure to hospitals and the health care workforce, and can contribute to reductions in health care access across our state.”

    Background

    On July 3, 2025, Congressman Amo voted no on the Big, Ugly Law after speaking out against the bill on the House Floor at 3:45 AM.

    On July 2, 2025, Amo took to the floor to urge adoption of an amendment to protect Medicaid and SNAP. Republicans stood in the way. 

    On July 1, 2025, Amo spoke out in the House Rules Committeeabout Republicans’ dastardly plan to steal from the poor to gift tax handouts to the rich. 

    Amotook to the House Floor at 3:30 AM to hit back at Republicans’ original passage of the Big, Ugly Bill in the House on May 22, 2025, before he voted no.

    On April 9, 2025, Amo slammed the Republican budget resolution on the House floor and shared the story of a Rhode Islander in the First Congressional District who would be hurt by Republican cuts. 

    On February 25, 2025, Amo took to the House Floor to slam the Republican budget resolution that threatens devastating cuts to critical programs.

    On February 24, 2025, Amo submitted two amendments to the House Committee on Rules to protect SNAP and affirm that Medicaid is a critical program for more than 306,000 Rhode Island residents. The Republican-controlled House Committee on Rules refused to consider Congressman Amo’s amendments.    

    During the House Budget Committee markup on February 13, 2025, Amo offered two amendments to support protecting and extending Medicare’s solvency as well as protecting SNAP, the Community Eligibility Provision, the School Breakfast Program, and the National School Lunch Program. Republicans voted no.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Life sentence for man who followed through on rap video murder threat

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A man has been sentenced to jail for murdering a father in front of his young child in a barbershop in Leyton.

    Josh McKay, 33, was stabbed in the neck by Renai Belle in a targeted attack and died from his injuries at the scene. During the Metropolitan Police investigation, officers discovered a rap video showing Belle threaten Josh before the attack.

    Belle, 30 (20.02.95), of Swaythling Close, Edmonton was sentenced to 28 years in prison on Wednesday, 30 July at the Old Bailey. He was previously convicted for Josh’s murder and possession of a knife on Wednesday, 4 June.

    A man and woman were also convicted and sentenced for separate offences.

    Josh’s mother, Bash Kehinde said: “Today’s sentencing changes nothing for me and my family. I will never see my beautiful son. And his two children will now face life without their hero.

    “To all of the mothers of murdered children, I understand your pain, the sadness and sense of loss that is unbearable. It is made worse because it was all so senseless.

    “Josh was a beautiful happy kind man and an active and loving father. The world is less kind, less bright and less funny without him here.”

    Detective Inspector Chris Griffith, from Specialist Crime North, who led the investigation, said: “This was a savage and pre-planned attack, committed in broad daylight and with scant regard for passers-by. What took place left the local community reeling, and two young children without their father.

    “My heart goes out to Josh’s family and friends. He was a loving parent, whose life was ended in the most horrendous way.

    “I hope that today’s result provides Josh’s family with some closure, and allows the community to feel safer knowing that Belle is no longer free to commit such heinous crimes.”

    The court heard that Josh was at a barbershop on Lea Bridge Road with his son on Saturday, 6 July. Around 15:00hrs, as shown on CCTV seized by the investigation team, Belle entered the shop wearing a balaclava where he stabbed Josh in the neck in a pre-meditated attack following a long-standing dispute. Belle was then chased away by Josh.

    Members of the public rushed to Josh’s aid and attempted to provide medical treatment until the arrival of officers and paramedics. Despite their best efforts, Josh died from his injuries.

    A determined investigation began immediately in which officers painstakingly combed through more than 100 hours of CCTV footage to track Belle’s movements and understand what took place.

    Officers discovered that Belle was the passenger in a car being driven by his partner, Tenika Parker. Having seen Josh enter the barbershop, the pair drove to the address of man called Daniel Cooper. In doorbell footage later seized, Cooper was seen providing Belle with the balaclava and knife that would be used minutes later to murder Josh. Belle was then driven back to the barbers nearby before stabbing Josh. He was helped to escape by Parker in the waiting car.

    A manhunt led to the arrest of Belle at an address in Pincott Road, SW19 on Monday 8 July, 2024.

    As part of officers’ determination to further establish a watertight case against Belle, further enquiries led them to discover a rap video on YouTube showing Belle threaten Josh in advance of the attack, more proof that it was pre-planned.

    Parker was initially arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender on Sunday, 7 July in India Dock Road, Poplar. She was stopped by police while driving the car that had been identified as involved in the murder. During a search of Parker’s vehicle, officers found distinct black sliders Belle was seen wearing in CCTV footage, as well as traces of blood that officers sent for forensic testing. This provided a DNA match to Josh. Parker was rearrested on Wednesday, 2 October, and charged with perverting the course of justice after CCTV footage showed her attempting to clean her car after the attack to remove any evidence.

    Cooper was arrested after handing himself in to police on Thursday, 11 July. During a search at Cooper’s property, officers discovered two knives matching the branding of the weapon that was left at the scene of Josh’s murder. Forensic testing on the balaclava and knife discarded by Belle at the scene of Josh’s murder found DNA that matched with Cooper.

    On Wednesday, 4 June, Tenika Parker, 39 (21.02.86), of Canterbury Road, Leytonstone and Daniel Cooper, 22 (20.02.03) of Gosport Road, Leytonstone stood trial alongside Belle.

    Parker was convicted of possession of a knife and perverting the course of justice. On Wednesday, 30 July, she was sentenced at the Old Bailey to 2 years and 3 months years in prison.

    Cooper had previously pleaded guilty to possession of a knife but was acquitted of other offences. He was sentenced on Friday, 6 June for 7.5 months.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Rebels charged over criminal association

    Source: New South Wales – News

    Three alleged Rebels members were arrested for criminal association on Wednesday 30 July.

    It will be alleged that three men were present together at the Adelaide Airport about 11.30am on Wednesday 30 July.

    The Rebels, an Outlaw Motorcycle Gang, is a declared criminal organisation and it is an offence for participants of a declared criminal organisation to be in a public place with two or more other persons who are also participants in a declared criminal organisation.

    The three men, a 43-year-old man, 27-year-old man and a 34-year-old man all from Western Australia, were arrested and charged with criminal association.

    They were all refused bail and will appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court later today.

    Crime Gangs Task Force will continue to investigate reports of Outlaw Motorcycle Gang members gathering in public places in contravention of this law to ensure the safety of the public.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cotton to Greer: Investigate Jack Smith for Election Interference

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    Contact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353
    July 30, 2025

    Cotton to Greer: Investigate Jack Smith for Election Interference

    Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today sent a letter to Acting Special Counsel Jamieson Greer requesting an investigation into whether former Special Counsel Jack Smith violated federal law by using political actions to influence the 2024 election against then-candidate President Donald Trump.

    In part, Senator Cotton wrote:

    “These actions were not standard, necessary, or justified—unless Smith’s real purpose was to influence the election. In fact, throughout Special Counsel Smith’s tenure, he regularly used far-fetched and aggressive legal theories to prosecute the Republican nominee for president. I would add that President Biden also called during the election for President Trump to be ‘locked up.’”

    Full text of the letter may be found here and below.

    Mr. Jamieson Greer
    Acting Special Counsel
    United States Office of Special Counsel
    1730 M Street NW
    Washington, D.C. 20036-4504

    Dear Acting Special Counsel Greer:

    I write requesting the Office of Special Counsel to investigate whether Jack Smith, Special Counsel for Attorney General Merrick Garland, unlawfully took political actions to influence the 2024 election to harm then-candidate President Donald Trump. As the Office of the Special Counsel is tasked with ensuring federal employees aren’t conducting partisan political activity under the guise of their federal employment, you’re well situated to determine whether Smith broke the law.

    Many of Smith’s legal actions seem to have no rationale except for an attempt to affect the 2024 election results—actions that would violate federal law.

    Consider just the following examples, where Smith expedited trial proceedings and deliberately published information, with no legitimate purpose:

    • After filing the indictment against President Trump on August 10, 2023, Smith demanded the trial start January 2, 2024, with jury selection beginning as early as December 11, 2023. Defendants in these types of cases typically have more than two years to prepare for trial, but President Trump’s defense team had fewer than six months to review 13 million pages of evidence and thousands of hours of video footage provided by prosecutors. Notably, jury selection was to begin just two weeks before the Iowa caucuses.
    • On December 11, 2023, after President Trump filed his defense with the District of Columbia District Court, Smith pressed for a trial before the election by moving for an expedited review by the appeals court. On the same day, however, Smith further escalated this push and filed a petition with the Supreme Court to bypass the district court. Smith skirted the normal appellate process but failed to articulate a legitimate reason the court should grant this abnormal request.
    • Following the Supreme Court’s decision recognizing presidential immunity, Smith’s prosecution team filed an initial brief on September 5, 2024, although there was no defense motion pending. The judge granted Smith permission to file the brief on September 26, 2024, but pointed out this was “procedurally irregular.” This timeline is highly unusual considering complex litigation matters normally take place over several months, rather than a mere three weeks. This action also appears to violate the Justice Department’s 60-day rule, which prohibits timing any action, for the purpose of affecting any election or giving advantage or disadvantage to a candidate, within 60 days of the election.
    • Smith’s brief on Trump’s immunity from prosecution was 165 pages, which required special permission to exceed the normal maximum page limit by four times. In fact, Smith also incorporated grand jury testimony typically kept secret at this point in other proceedings. This action appears to be a deliberate and underhanded effort to disclose unsubstantiated and extensive allegations timed to maximize electoral impact.

    These actions were not standard, necessary, or justified—unless Smith’s real purpose was to influence the election. In fact, throughout Special Counsel Smith’s tenure, he regularly used far-fetched and aggressive legal theories to prosecute the Republican nominee for president. I would add that President Biden also called during the election for President Trump to be “locked up.”

    President Trump of course vanquished Joe Biden, Jack Smith, every Democrat who weaponized the law against him, but President Trump’s astounding victory doesn’t excuse Smith of responsibility for his unlawful election interference. I therefore ask the Office of Special Counsel to investigate whether Jack Smith or any members of his team unlawfully acted for political purposes.

    Sincerely,

    Tom Cotton

    United States Senator

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pacific IAMD Center hosts Korea Tabletop Academy with Japan Air Self Defense Force observing

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii — The Pacific Integrated Air and Missile Defense Center hosted the sixth U.S.–Republic of Korea Tabletop Academy from July 14-25, 2025, advancing combined and joint integrated air and missile defense efforts across the Indo-Pacific. This year’s event featured the first trilateral senior-level participation from the United States, Republic of Korea and Japan.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port sets Guam and CNMI ports to Heavy Weather Condition Yankee amid tsunami advisory

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    SANTA RITA, Guam — The U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port set Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands ports to Heavy Weather Condition Yankee on Wednesday, July 30, as of 11:30 a.m., affecting commercial vessels at or over 200 gross tons, in response to a tsunami advisory triggered by a major earthquake off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Band Members from Partner Nations Participating in Pacific Partnership 2025 Perform at the University of Technology in Lae, Papua New Guinea July 2025 [Image 4 of 8]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

    Issued by: on

    LAE, Papua New Guinea (July 30, 2025) Pacific Partnership 2025 (PP-25) multination musicians perform at the Papua New Guinea University of Technology during PP-25 in Lae, Papua New Guinea, July 30, 2025. Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communications Specialist Seaman Mario E. Reyes Villatoro)

    Date Taken: 07.30.2025
    Date Posted: 07.30.2025 20:36
    Photo ID: 9228707
    VIRIN: 250730-N-OJ012-1695
    Resolution: 4568×3045
    Size: 1.72 MB
    Location: LAE, PG
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  • MIL-OSI Security: Pacific Partnership 2025 Multinational Servicemembers Discuss Animal Welfare during an engagement at the Rainforest Habitat. [Image 1 of 5]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

    Issued by: on

    LAE, Papua New Guinea (July 30, 2025) Pacific Partnership 2025 (PP-25) multinational servicemembers perform a medical checkup on a snake during PP-25 in Lae, Papua New Guinea, July 30, 2025. Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific.

    Date Taken: 07.29.2025
    Date Posted: 07.30.2025 20:46
    Photo ID: 9228718
    VIRIN: 250730-N-DM179-1558
    Resolution: 5568×3712
    Size: 1.25 MB
    Location: LAE, PG
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  • MIL-OSI Security: Band Members from Partner Nations Participating in Pacific Partnership 2025 Perform at the University of Technology in Lae, Papua New Guinea July 2025 [Image 4 of 8]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

    Issued by: on

    LAE, Papua New Guinea (July 30, 2025) Pacific Partnership 2025 (PP-25) multination musicians perform at the Papua New Guinea University of Technology during PP-25 in Lae, Papua New Guinea, July 30, 2025. Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communications Specialist Seaman Mario E. Reyes Villatoro)

    Date Taken: 07.30.2025
    Date Posted: 07.30.2025 20:36
    Photo ID: 9228707
    VIRIN: 250730-N-OJ012-1695
    Resolution: 4568×3045
    Size: 1.72 MB
    Location: LAE, PG
    Web Views: 1
    Downloads: 0

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    This work, Band Members from Partner Nations Participating in Pacific Partnership 2025 Perform at the University of Technology in Lae, Papua New Guinea July 2025 [Image 8 of 8], by SA Mario Reyes Villatoro, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Pacific Partnership 2025 Multinational Servicemembers Discuss Animal Welfare during an engagement at the Rainforest Habitat. [Image 2 of 5]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

    Issued by: on

    LAE, Papua New Guinea (July 30, 2025) Rainforest Habitat manager Elijah Maso Simon gives a brief of duties during Pacific Partnership 2025 in Lae, Papua New Guinea, July 30, 2025. Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific.

    Date Taken: 01.20.2016
    Date Posted: 07.30.2025 20:46
    Photo ID: 9228719
    VIRIN: 250730-N-DM179-1095
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  • MIL-OSI Security: Pacific Partnership 2025 Multinational Servicemembers Discuss Animal Welfare during an engagement at the Rainforest Habitat. [Image 1 of 5]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

    Issued by: on

    LAE, Papua New Guinea (July 30, 2025) Pacific Partnership 2025 (PP-25) multinational servicemembers perform a medical checkup on a snake during PP-25 in Lae, Papua New Guinea, July 30, 2025. Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific.

    Date Taken: 07.29.2025
    Date Posted: 07.30.2025 20:46
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  • MIL-OSI Security: Pacific Partnership 2025 Multinational Servicemembers Discuss Animal Welfare during an engagement at the Rainforest Habitat. [Image 2 of 5]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

    Issued by: on

    LAE, Papua New Guinea (July 30, 2025) Rainforest Habitat manager Elijah Maso Simon gives a brief of duties during Pacific Partnership 2025 in Lae, Papua New Guinea, July 30, 2025. Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific.

    Date Taken: 01.20.2016
    Date Posted: 07.30.2025 20:46
    Photo ID: 9228719
    VIRIN: 250730-N-DM179-1095
    Resolution: 3901×3121
    Size: 1.94 MB
    Location: LAE, PG
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    This work, Pacific Partnership 2025 Multinational Servicemembers Discuss Animal Welfare during an engagement at the Rainforest Habitat. [Image 5 of 5], by SN Isabel Mendoza, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: OZZY fans say final farewell as thousands line streets to witness cortege

    Source: City of Birmingham

    Birmingham City welcomed thousands of Ozzy Osbourne fans who flocked to watch an emotional cortege wind through the city in honour of the rock legend who died last Tuesday (July 22).

    Ozzy Osbourne’s family including wife Sharon followed a hearse and brass band along the route in memory of the Aston-born star.

    The public show of respect in his hometown has been arranged and funded by the Osbourne family and has been supported by partners, including Birmingham City Council.

    Ozzy and fellow Black Sabbath band members received Freedom of the City for their significant contribution to the musical and cultural identify of Birmingham, during a civic ceremony held at Council House on Saturday, June 28. He was therefore one of the city’s most recent Freeman.

    It was just weeks before Ozzy’s last charity gig on July 5 at Villa Park, a stone’s throw away from where Black Sabbath was originally formed.

    Today, thousands of fans lined the streets to watch as the musician’s hearse passed slowly through the city, along Broad Street, Black Sabbath Bridge, and the Black Sabbath bench, to the beat of a brass band.

    The Osbourne family were able to witness the flowers and tributes along the route laid by fans from all over the world ever since the news was announced last week.

    A book of condolence has been opened for people to sign at Birmingham City Museum and Art Gallery’s (BMAG) Round Room and which now contains thousands of signatures. The book will close on Sunday, August 3. Fans can also freely visit the exhibition ‘Ozzy Osbourne (1948 – 2025) Working Class Hero’.

    An online book of Condolence is also available for fans to send messages and can be accessed and signed here Book of condolence and will close on Friday, August 1.

    Birmingham City Council and BMAG will work behind the scenes to ensure that all messages are collected for the family to read, including cards and messages laid with flowers and other memorabilia.

    Birmingham’s Lord Mayor, Councillor Zafar Iqbal, said: “Once again, Ozzy has put Birmingham firmly on the map. His sad passing has evoked a sense of pain and pride in the city and the world has watched as we have said our final farewell.

    “We have been supporting the family with behind-the-scenes operations, such as ensuring the city is safe and secure for the fans who have made their way here for this sad occasion.

    “It was only right to honour Ozzy as our latest Freeman to the city and my thanks go to the staff at Birmingham City Council who have made this event possible with our partners in such a very short space of time.”

    Deputy Leader, Councillor Sharon Thompson, added: “Never before have I witnessed such passion from the people of Birmingham for a musician. They have lost their ‘Prince of Darkness’.

    “We all know that Ozzy was an exceptional human being who was driven to entertain and ensure his city of Birmingham was never forgotten, along with his passion for charitable causes. ‘Birmingham Forever’ as he would say.”

    The Osbourne family plan to hold a private funeral for the star.

    Birmingham City Council would like to thank all of its partners for their hard work in bringing together a team to ensure the event ran smoothly.

    Thanks in particular to: Opus Events, Brindley Place business community, West Midlands Police, West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service, West Side Business Improvement District, West Midlands Combined Authority, the Ambulance Service.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Ministers welcome new FBI office in Wellington

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The FBI’s upgrade of its Wellington office demonstrates the strength of the Five Eyes partnership and enhances the safety and security of New Zealanders, the Minister Responsible for the GCSB and NZSIS Judith Collins and Police Minister Mark Mitchell say.

    The Ministers met with FBI Director Kash Patel, who officially opened the new Wellington office at the US Embassy earlier today and installed a permanent Legat position. 

    “We exchanged a range of insights on areas such as trans-national organised crime, counter-terrorism, cyber-security and espionage,” Ms Collins says.

    “NZSIS and GCSB relationships with overseas partners like the FBI, as well as their support to New Zealand Police, are an important part of how the intelligence agencies deliver on their mission to keep New Zealand safe and secure.”   

    Mr Mitchell says Director Patel’s visit should send a clear message to criminals whose offending causes harm in our communities, wherever they are, that they cannot hide behind an international border.

    “New Zealand Police are continually working with their overseas counterparts like the FBI to catch those engaged in illegal, harmful activities such as drug smuggling and online child exploitation, as well disrupting and preventing this offending from happening in the first place,” he says.

    “Police are part of a global effort on law enforcement. Director Patel’s visit was an excellent opportunity to share our common concerns while reinforcing the importance of New Zealand and the US working together to protect our citizens.”

    Director Patel is the most senior member of the US administration to visit New Zealand since the start of President Trump’s second term in office.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: UPDATE #2: Concern for welfare – Alice Springs Region

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force continues to hold serious concerns for the welfare of 26-year-old Gach, who has not been seen or heard from since 5:30pm on Monday 28 July 2025.

    Gach is described as a 6-foot-tall male of Sudanese appearance with a lean build, short curly hair, and was last seen wearing a red or orange puffer jacket, cream-coloured tracksuit pants, and dark-coloured runners.

    The NT Police Search and Rescue Section (SRS) is leading an intensive search operation, now into its third day, approximately 21 km west of Alice Springs. The operation is being supported by over 50 personnel, including members from local police units and partner agencies such as NT Emergency Services, NT Fire and Rescue Service, and Parks and Wildlife NT.

    The coordinated search effort includes foot teams, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), drones, and helicopter support, with more than 500 km² of challenging terrain already covered.

    Search Coordinator Acting Sergeant Chris Grotherr said, “Search efforts have been extensive, with significant contributions from local resources. These efforts will continue into day 3. However, forecasted sub-zero overnight temperatures over the coming days are increasing our concerns for Gach’s welfare.”

    Police are appealing to the public for any information that may assist search efforts.

    Anyone who may have seen Gach in the vicinity of Larapinta Drive, Standley Chasm, or Simpsons Gap on the evening of Monday 28 July, or who has any knowledge of his current whereabouts, is urged to contact police on 131 444.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sens. Markey and Slotkin, Rep. Strickland Introduce Legislation to Boost Funding for Research on Gun Violence Prevention

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Bill Text (PDF)

    Washington (July 30, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Gun Violence Prevention Caucus, along with Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) and Representative Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), reintroduced the Gun Violence Prevention Research Act, legislation that would dedicate $50 million each year for the next five years for gun violence prevention research at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

    This legislation arrives at a critical time. After a decades-long prohibition on the CDC’s ability to conduct gun violence prevention research, Congress began to secure $25 million annually for this research in Fiscal Year 2020. However, the Trump administration has effectively dismantled gun violence prevention efforts, decimating the staff at the CDC responsible for this critical research and terminating $158 million—more than half—of federal funding for gun violence prevention programs at the Department of Justice. The Gun Violence Prevention Research Act would help ensure we have the tools to stem the scourge of gun violence in our communities.

    “Stopping the spread of our nation’s gun violence epidemic requires action on the reforms we know are essential and effective,” said Senator Markey. “We must invest more to study the root causes of violence and develop evidence-based solutions. This legislation would allow our nation’s top medical, scientific, and public health researchers to conduct studies that would save lives. It is critical that we chart a path out of this public health crisis.”

    “Gun violence is a uniquely American crisis that continues to impact communities across Michigan and our country,” said Senator Slotkin. “As the first Member of Congress to have two mass shootings in my former House district—Oxford High School and Michigan State University—I’ve seen first-hand the devasting toll gun violence has on our communities. As elected officials, our most basic responsibility is to protect our children from the things that are truly harming them. We must treat this epidemic like the national security threat that it is. And that means using every tool in the toolbox. Let’s get this bill across the finish line.”

    “Make no mistake: gun violence is preventable. Republicans actively choose to watch children, mothers, fathers, and Americans gunned down in deference to the gun lobby,” said Representative Strickland. “We must root out the gun violence crisis in our nation. This legislation will simply treat gun violence as the public health crisis it is, and allow us to research it so we can take steps toward saving lives.”

    Cosponsors of the Gun Violence Prevention Research Act include Senators Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Angus King (I-Maine), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), John Fetterman (D-Penn.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.).

    The Gun Violence Prevention Research Act is endorsed by Brady, Everytown, March For Our Lives, and Giffords.

    In June 2025, Senator Markey reintroduced five gun violence prevention bills, including the 3D Printed Gun Safety Act, Keeping Gun Dealers Honest Act, Gun Violence Prevention Through Financial Intelligence Act, Making America Safe and Secure (MASS) Act, and Protecting Kids from Gun Marketing Act. This package of bills would significantly decrease the pervasive threat of gun violence across the United States by putting an end to the three-dimensional (3D) printing and distribution of “ghost guns,” strengthen accountability measures for irresponsible gun dealers, help banks detect and report suspicious activity related to mass shootings, establish rules that prohibit the marketing of firearms to children, and strengthen state-by-state gun-licensing regulations through federal incentives.

    In April 2025, Senator Markey and Representative Dwight Evans (PA-03) introduced the Resources for Victims of Gun Violence Act, legislation that would help all victims of gun violence—from survivors to their loved ones, coworkers, and classmates—identify and access resources to help meet medical, legal, financial, and other needs.

    Senator Markey first introduced the Gun Violence Prevention Research Act in 2023.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • Gunman kills four, including police officer, in Manhattan skyscraper, then takes own life

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    A gunman opened fire on Monday inside a Midtown Manhattan skyscraper housing NFL headquarters and offices of several financial firms, including Blackstone, killing four people before fatally shooting himself, New York City officials said.

    One of the four victims slain in the gun violence was a 36-year-old New York Police Department officer who had been on the force for about 3 1/2 years. The three others killed by the suspect were civilians.

    New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the gunman, who resided in Las Vegas and drove cross-country to New York in recent days, fatally shot himself in the chest at the end of his shooting spree.

    Tisch said the gunman was believed to have acted alone, and investigators had yet to determine a possible motive for the shooting.

    A photo of the suspect that CNN said was shared by police showing a gunman walking into the building carrying a rifle was published by a number of major news media outlets. Preliminary checks of the suspect’s background did not show a significant criminal history, the report added, citing officials.

    The skyscraper at 345 Park Avenue houses offices of a number of financial institutions, including Blackstone and KPMG, along with the NFL headquarters.

    A large police presence converged on the area around the tower, according to Reuters journalists near the scene.

    “I just saw a lot of commotion and cops and people screaming,” said Russ McGee, a 31-year-old sports bettor who was working out in a gym adjacent to the skyscraper, told Reuters in an interview near the scene.

    The FBI said agents from its New York field office were also responding to provide support at the scene.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Russia: At least two people were shot in an attack at an office building in New York.

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    NEW YORK, July 28 (Xinhua) — At least two people, including a police officer, were injured in an attack at an office building in New York’s Manhattan on Monday, local media reported.

    Police arrived at the scene and urged residents to stay away from the east side of 52nd Street between Park and Lexington Avenues.

    “The situation on the scene is now under control and the lone shooter has been neutralized,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said on social media. –0–

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: LEADER JEFFRIES STATEMENT ON MASS SHOOTING IN MIDTOWN MANHATTAN

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

    Know Your Immigration Rights

    If you or a loved one encounter immigration enforcement officials, it is essential that you know your rights and have prepared your household for all possible outcomes.

    Ask for a warrant: The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution protects you from unreasonable search and seizure. You do not have to open your door until you see a valid warrant to enter your home or search your belongings.

    Your right to remain silent: The Fifth Amendment protects your right to remain silent and not incriminate yourself. You are not required to share any personal information such as your place of birth, immigration status or criminal history.

    Always consult an attorney: You have a right to speak with an attorney. You do not have to sign anything or hand officials any documents without speaking to an attorney. Try to identify and consult one in advance.

    The New York City Office of Civil Justice and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) support a variety of free immigration legal services through local nonprofit legal organizations. To access these resources, dial 311 and say “Action NYC,” call the MOIA Immigration Legal Support Hotline at 800-354-0365 Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or visit MOIA’s website.

    Learn more here: KNOW YOUR IMMIGRATION RIGHTS  – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Delaware County Man Arrested for Sexual Exploitation of a Child

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Brent G. Trimbell had Been Released from State Pretrial Custody on Rape and Aggravated Sexual Abuse Charges Before Being Charged Federally

    SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Brent G. Trimbell, age 44, of Delaware County was arrested Sunday evening and had his initial appearance today on a charge of sexual exploitation of a child. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.

    The complaint alleges that Trimbell exchanged sexually explicit messages with a female child victim, including messages persuading her to create and send him videos of her engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The child created the content Trimbell requested and sent it to him over social media. The complaint also alleges that Trimbell had sexual contact with the victim on at least three occasions and sent the victim videos depicting him masturbating.

    Trimbell was first charged by state authorities with state sex offenses related to the foregoing conduct, but late last week he was released on bail.

    If convicted of sexual exploitation of a child, Trimbell faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years and a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years, a term of supervised release of at least five years and up to life, a fine of $250,000, forfeiture of property used to commit the offense, and restitution to the victim. Trimbell also would be required to register as a sex offender.

    Acting U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “Trimbell was charged with serious state sex offenses but was released on bail. Now, Trimbell is in federal custody—facing serious federal offenses—which if convicted, will result in a mandatory term of imprisonment of 15 years.  This is how we keep the children in our community safe.”

    FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli stated: “FBI Albany is incredibly thankful for the swift coordination from our partners at the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office and United States Attorney’s Office that has now resulted in serious federal charges against Mr. Trimbell. The FBI, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to coordinate with our state and local partners to share the information and resources needed to ensure anyone hurting our most vulnerable is investigated and brought to justice.”

    Following the initial appearance, Trimbell was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending further proceedings.

    The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Gadarian is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.

    Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Concern for welfare – Alice Springs Region

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force holds concerns for the welfare of 26-year-old Gach, who was last seen leaving his home in Alice Springs yesterday afternoon at 3:30pm.

    Gach last spoke to family later in the day at 5:30pm via phone, however he failed to attend work for a rostered shift that night.

    Gach was driving his red Mazda CX5 with NT registration CG05CH, which was located this morning by police 14.5km west of John Flynn’s Grave Historical Reserve on Larapinta Drive.

    He is described as being of Sudanese appearance, with dark skin and a slim build. He was last seen wearing cream tracksuit pants, a black t-shirt and black shoes.

    Police are urging anyone who may have been travelling along Larapinta Drive between 5:30pm Monday 28 July and 8:00am this morning that may have seen Gach or his vehicle, or has dash cam footage, to please contact police on 131 444 and quote reference number NTP2500075979.

    MIL OSI News –