ACCOLC – Access Overload Control

ACCOLC (Access Overload Control) is a British procedure for restricting mobile phone usage in the event of a major emergency. It is similar to the GTPS (Government Telephone Preference Scheme) used for landline phones.

This allows the mobile phone networks to restrict access to a specified area to pre-registered mobile phone numbers only. ACCOLC will usually be requested by the Police Incident Commander but the request can also come from the Cabinet Office.

The system is designed to restrict civilian access to the mobile network during an emergency when it is important that lines are kept free for priority emergency service personnel.

Mobile phones work on a cell by cell basis, these towers are spread all over the country and your phone will pick up the nearest available cell or mast and use that to make the call. Once the ACCOLC has been invoked the network will find the cells in the area of the emergency and begin to run the system on those masts.

Those phones that have been registered with the networks will be allowed access to those cells while people who haven’t will receive a fast beep (called a Fast Busy Signal), if the user receives a recorded message saying lines are busy or a normal engaged tone then this will indicate that ACCOLC is not being used.

While this can be a frustration or a nuisance to normal mobile phone users it is often a necessary and important process for regaining control during an emergency situation.

It’s worth noting that not all callers are barred from making calls in an area where ACCOLC is in operation, if the call is made to an emergency service number (112, 999) it will go through as normal.

The Access Overload Control was activated when officers of the City Of London Police spoke to managers at O2 plc, this was during the early stages of the 7 July bombings in London at Aldgate tube station. This limited the calls in the area to those police staff that had their sim card details registered for this priority access.

It is also reported that the BBC and other Broadcasters had reporters who had numbers registered with the service as part of their public-service remit in keeping the people of the UK informed about what was going on.

During the 7 July bombings the police decided not to shut down the entire network, however many people thought it was, as they were unable to make calls in the first hours of the terrorist attacks, as stated above those people would have heard a recorded message or a normal engaged tone.

The Terrorist Hunters: The Ultimate Inside Story Of Britain’s Fight Against Terror

By Andy Hayman with Margaret Gilmore

Assistant Commissioner Andy Hayman, CBE, QPM, was in overall command of the UK’s national counter-terrorism offensive, at the centre of every major terrorist investigation – overt and covert – of the past five years.

He handled the Metropolitan Police’s response to 7/7 and dealt with the politically explosive murder of the Russian dissident Alexander Litvinenko.

Based at New Scotland Yard, in charge of thousands of Special Branch and counter-terrorism officers in the UK and across the globe, deciding strategy, working directly with the Prime Minister with a budget of GBP500 million, Hayman is able to give unprecedented insight into key top-level crisis meetings he attended with intelligence chiefs and political leaders worldwide.

In an inspirational and at times heart-breaking account, he describes how he led a dedicated team of men and women, committed to protecting the UK from dangerous enemies. Hayman lived through the pain and soul-searching when terrorists did succeed – and the pride when intelligence officers prevented attacks.

Andy Hayman leaves no holds barred in his analysis of the way law enforcers tackle terrorism. He outlines his radical blueprint for the future to protect the public, in the run-up to the 2012 Olympic Games and beyond.

If you thought you knew the stories behind the news, you’ll realise you didn’t until you read this book.

Five days after The Terrorist Hunters was released it was banned by the High Court at the request of the Attorney General for England and Wales. All copies were withdrawn from sale. It is now republished and available in its full original text.

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JLS Christmas Lights Switch On Fiasco

Birmingham city centers Christmas lights switch-on has resulted in four people being taken to hospital and many more injured.

It was set to be a switch on to remember with X-Factor runners up JLS and hit girl band the Sugababes, Calvin Harris, Tinchy Stryder and Natalie Imbruglia and many others due to play a free concert to celebrate the start of the festivities.

However as JLS took to the stage a surge against the metal barriers, penning in the crowd, collapsed leaving around 60 people needing treatment. The concert and the switch-on was promptly cancelled to try and avoid further injuries, as West Midlands Ambulance service paramedics set up a special unit to treat the wounded.

The city center expected around 5,000 fans to attend the show, but reports say there were close to 21,000 on the night which over stretched the safety and security measures that had been put in place.

Reports from the ambulance service have said that one woman in her 30’s suffered serious crush injuries to her pelvis, shoulder and leg. Another woman is reported to have broken her ankle. A teenage boy fractured his wrist and a girl had suffered crush injuries to her back and legs.

An ambulance spokeswoman said “The remaining 56 patients suffered minor crush injuries and a range of minor medical complaints. They did not require further hospital treatment and were all discharged by ambulance crews at the scene.”

Birmingham City Council have defended the decision to abandon the event and have said they have started an investigation into the situation.

FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorists

The FBI publishes a list of suspected terrorists that are wanted in the United States of America. Evidence has been compiled and put to the Grand Jury which has led to them being charged in their absence.

We’ve compiled the information so that you can see who they are currently looking for, if you have any information about these men you can contact the FBI or local authorities who will be able to assist you.

Usama Bin Laden	Adam Yahiya Gadahn	Daniel Andreas San Diego
Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah	Ayman Al-Zawahiri	Ali Atwa
Anas Al-Liby	Fazul Abdullah Mohammed	Hasan Izz-Al-Din
Ahmed Mohammed Hamed Ali	Jaber A. Elbaneh	Sheikh Ahmed Salim Swedan
Abdul Rahman Yasin	Fahid Mohammed Ally Msalam	Ahmad Ibrahim Al-Mughassil
Ali Saed Bin Ali El-Hoorie	Saif Al-Adel	Ibrahim Salih Mohammed Al-Yacoub
Ramadan Abdullah Mohammad Shallah	Abd Al Aziz Awda	Isnilon Totoni Hapilon
Mohammed Ali Hamadei	Jamel Ahmed Mohammed Ali Al-Badawi	Abdelkarim Hussein Mohamed Al-Nasser

The Defence of the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5 – Reviews

By Christopher Andrew

To mark the centenary of its foundation, the British Security Service, MI5, has opened its archives to an independent historian, the first time any of the world’s leading intelligence or security services has taken such a step.

The Defence of the Realm, the book which results, is an unprecedented publication. It reveals the precise role of the Service in twentieth-century British history, from its foundation by Captain Kell of the British Army in October 1909 to root out ‘the spies of the Kaiser’ up to its present role in countering Islamic terrorism.

It describes the distinctive ethos of MI5, how the organization has been managed, its relationship with the government, where it has triumphed and where it has failed. In all of this, no restriction has been placed on the judgements made by the author.

The book also casts new light on many events and periods in British history, showing for example that through well-placed sources MI5 was probably the pre-war department with the best understanding of Hitler’s objectives, and had a remarkable willingness to speak truth to power; how it was so astonishingly successful in turning German agents during the Second World War; and that it had much greater roles than has hitherto been realized during the end of the Empire and in responding to the recurrent fears of successive governments (both Conservative and Labour) and or Cold War Communist subversion.

It has new information about the Profumo affair and its aftermath, about the ‘Magnificent Five’ and about a range of formerly unconfirmed Soviet contacts. It reveals that though MI5 had a file on Harold Wilson it did not plot against him, and it describes what really happened during the failed IRA attack in Gibraltar in March 1988. When Rab Butler was appointed Home Secretary with responsibility for the Security Service in 1957 he didn’t even know where its headquarters were.

The Defence of the Realm now describes this previously extremely secretive organization more fully than any previous book – and identifies all its main buildings on the end papers.

Read reviews on The Defence Of The Realm: The Authorized History Of MI5

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Fort Hood Shooter Made Wire Transfer To Pakistan

The top republican on the House Homeland Security Committee’s intelligence subcommittee, US Congressman Michael McCaul,  has claimed that he has uncovered  information from independent sources that Major Nidal Malik Hasan, who has been charged with the killing of 13 people and wounding 29 others at the Fort Hood Military Base in Texas, had recently transferred money to Pakistan.

“I have confirmed through independent sources that there were communications and wire transfers made to Pakistan,” a US newspaper had quoted Mr McCaul as saying.

“This Pakistan connection just raises more red flags about this case and demonstrates why it’s important for Congress to exercise its oversight authority,” a spokesman for McCaul, Mike Rosen said.

Mike Rosen said that McCaul has been actively seeking information from as many credible sources as possible, but he didn’t want his sources to be named at this time.

A noted terrorism expert Evan Kohlmann was asked to comment on McCaul’s claims; he said that Hasan is a US citizen of Palestinian decent, with no known family ties to Pakistan.

The former employee of the FBI and Defense Department said there are only two reasons for him to have made a wire transfer to Islamabad, “to support charity or to support jihad.”

“It raises huge alarm bells.” Kohlmann added.

Reports are also coming from Lawyer John Galligan saying that Hasan has no feeling in his legs and it is believed that this will be a permanent paralysis which will leave the arrested shooter unable to walk again.

Terrorism Exercise In Yeovil, Somerset

Around 60 businesses in the Somerset town of Yeovil in the United Kingdom have been involved in counter terrorism drills as part of a training exercise being run by the emergency services and Somerset district council.

The event was named Project Argus and looks at local businesses being in the midst of a simulated terrorist attack, an interactive table top exercise run by counter terrorism security advisers.

The Project was developed by experts from the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) and is based on the experience of individuals and organisations who have been caught up in real-life terrorist incidents.

Businesses in the Yeovil area attended two events run in conjunction with South Somerset District Council and Yeovil Town Centre Partnership, including expert advice from Avon and Somerset Police and Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue services. The events looked at several aspects of dealing with major terrorist attacks and allowed businesses to get an understanding of the roles played by various agencies as an incident unfolded.

The police Beat Manager for Yeovil town centre, PC Amanda Cross, said “There is no specific threat of a terrorist attack in Yeovil, but it is important we remain vigilant and review the actions we would take in the event of a major incident.

“These events give people a chance to think about whether they are prepared for a major incident and will hopefully allow us all to improve the plans we have put in place, “I would like to thank everyone who took part as it was a productive day.”

Major Hasan, Fort Hood Shooter Charged With 13 Murders

The army psychiatrist, Major Nidal Hasan, suspected of carrying out the attack at Fort Hood, Texas has officially been charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder.

The trial of Hasan is likely to take place in a military court and if convicted he could face the death penalty.

Hasan, who is still in hospital, has refused to talk to investigators and his motives for the attack are still a unknown.

Chris Gray a spokesman for the army’s criminal investigation department said “We are doing everything possible and we are looking at every reason for this shooting.”

It has also been reported that military legal authorities are deciding whether to add a 14^th murder charge; this is because one of the murdered female troops was pregnant.

For more details see;

Attack On Us Military Base In Texas – UPDATE
Major Hasan Linked To Radical Muslim Cleric

More details to follow as they become available.

British Intelligence Uncovers US Terror Plot

Arrests by British intelligence officers in Manchester and Liverpool early in 2009 led to the uncovering of what would have been the most serious terrorist plot in the US since 9/11.

The arrests in the UK of an alleged al-Qaeda cell accused of planning an Easter terrorism campaign led officers to Najibullah Zazi in New York.

Zazi is said to be part of a group planning to attack the US subway system using truck bombs or suicide bombers with the same explosives used on 21^st July in London.

His group has carried out reconnaissance filming on targets including the famous Grand Central station. The information came from security sources stating that Zazi and those arrested in Manchester were all part of a network of terrorists directed from Pakistan.

The network was uncovered due to the arrest of a US national, Bryant Neal Vinas, in Pakistan last November. The 26 year old Vinas aka Bashir al-Ameriki, claims he met Rashid Rauf, a British al-Quaeda commander behind the trans-Atlantic bomb plot.

Vinas was arrested and admitted to receiving training from al-Qaeda and had decided to become a suicide bomber, his mission was to blow up a train on the Long Island Rail Road inside Pennsylvania Station.

Following the arrest further arrests followed in Belgium and then in April 09, Greater Manchester and Liverpool.

Those 12 Pakistani students arrested in Manchester and Liverpool were arrested after GCHQ intercepted emails about girls and cars that were alleged code for a planned attack. All men were released without charge after no bomb making equipment was found.

The government says they were involved in “terrorist operational activity in the UK, most likely attack planning.”

Sources within MI5 have said that the network was co-ordinated by a 23 year old student who can only be identified as XC, he is accused of sending and receiving emails from overseas al-Qaeda representatives.

Major Hasan Linked To Radical Muslim Cleric

Officials are said to be looking into possible ties between Major Nidal Malik Hasan and a radical Muslim cleric.

It is believed that over the last year US intelligence agencies had intercepted communications between the Major and Anwar al-Aulaqi, the preacher is said to have had links to two of the 9/11 hijackers as well as contact between a suspected procurement agent working for Osama Bin Laden.

The preacher, a Yemeni-American Muslim worked for a time at a Virginia mosque Hasan had attended.

Investigators have said that they are working on the assumption that the man accused of killing 13 people and wounding 29 others at Fort Hood was working alone without encouragement from Islamist extremists. However the possible links to radical clerics as well as some postings Hasan made on an Islamic forum likening suicide bombers to Japanese Kamikaze pilots in war time, this seems to show that he did have some extremist views.

Anwar al-Aulaqi has since praised Hasan as a hero for his attack on the US base, stating that any Muslim who denounces his actions commits treason against Islam. He is reported to have said that Muslims could only justify serving in the US military if they intend to “follow in the footsteps of men like Nidal.”

The FBI and Army intelligence will be looking to see if these investigations missed anything that could have led to the stopping of this attack on US military personal and civilians in the Texas base.

Meanwhile it’s been reported by hospital staff that Hasan has now regained consciousness and is able to speak. He is currently at San Antonio Texas based Brooke Army Medical Centre, listed as critical but stable over the weekend, he has now had his ventilator removed and is said to be speaking to staff members at the hospital.

It is not yet known if the authorities have started to interview the former Major, but it will only be a matter of time before they question him in an attempt to understand what happened and find out any motives for the attack.

Military law experts have been telling the media that they expect Hasan will be charged with 13 separate counts of first-degree murder.

Also See;

Attack On Us Military Base In Texas – UPDATE

More details will be made available as they reveal themselves.