FBI Chief Wants to Bring War on Terror to the Internet

FBI Director Robert Mueller warned US lawmakers this week that the U.S. needed to be prepared for violent extremists that may attempt cyber-attacks against the nation.

“To date, terrorists have not used the Internet to launch a full-scale cyber attack, but we cannot underestimate their intent,” Mueller told a House appropriations subcommittee.

“They may seek to train their own recruits or hire outsiders, with an eye toward pursuing cyber attacks.

“As our nation’s national security and criminal adversaries constantly adapt and evolve, so must the FBI be able to respond with new or revised strategies and operations to counter these threats,” Mueller said, presenting theFBI’s 2013 budget.

Mueller pointed to Al-Qaeda’s use of online chat rooms and websites to “recruit and radicalize followers to commit acts of terrorism.” He also said that militants have shown interest in computer hacking, making “the FBI’s counterterrorism mission that much more difficult and challenging.”

Mueller said that the terror group’s Yemen-based branch publishes an English-language online magazine, “Inspire,” while Shebab militants linked to Al-Qaeda in Somalia use Twitter to “taunt its enemies, in English, and encourage terrorist activity.”

The FBI claims that there has been an 84 percent increase in the number of computer intrusion investigations opened.

The bureau has cyber squads in each of its 56 field offices, as well as over 1,000 specially trained staff running undercover operations and examining digital evidence.

Last Tuesday, US officials charged five alleged computer hackers in Britain, Ireland and the United States in high-profile cyberattacks after a leader of the group became an FBI informant.

Coca-Cola and Pepsi Change Recipe to Avoid Putting Cancer Warning on Labels

Coca-Cola and Pepsi are changing their recipes in the U.S. to avoid putting cancer warning labels on their cans, but not in the UK.

The change comes amid growing concerns that one of the food-coloring ingredients may cause tumors in mice, although there was no evidence of such a risk to humans.

European regulators do not believe that the ingredient poses any health risks.

Officials say that an individual would have to consume 1,000 cans of Coke a day to get the same dose of the chemical, 4-methylimidazole, that was linked to causing tumors in mice.

4-methylimidazole gives the drink its caramel brown color.

The state of California added the chemical to its official list of ingredients that may cause cancer earlier this year.

Under the state’s law, Coca-Cola and Pepsi would have had to put cancer warning labels on all it’s bottles and cans.

Over the next few weeks they will roll out the new versions across the rest of America.

A Coca-Cola spokesman said that rather than “changing its recipe” it was simply changing the production process of one of its ingredients.

“The caramel colour in all of our products has been, is and always will be safe, and The Coca-Cola Company is not changing the world-famous formula for our Coca-Cola beverages,’ she said.

“Over the years, we have updated our manufacturing processes from time to time, but never altered our Secret Formula. We have asked our caramel manufacturers to modify their production process to reduce the amount of 4-MEI in the caramel. But that will have no effect on the formula or on the great-tasting, high-quality products that consumers expect from us.”

 

 

 

US Soldier Murders Afghan Civilians in Kandahar

A U.S. soldier left his military base early Sunday morning and opened fire in at least two homes killing and injuring at least 16 civilians including women and children.

Nato said it was investigating the “deeply regrettable incident”.

Local Afghans have reportedly gathered near the base in Panjwai district to protest the killings, and the US embassy is advising against travel to the area.

Lt Gen Adrian Bradshaw, deputy commander of Nato-led forces, said he was unable to “explain the motivation behind such callous acts”, adding that “our thoughts and prayers are with those caught in this tragedy”.

The soldier’s name has not been released yet, but he is thought to be a staff sergeant.

“Eleven members of my family are dead. They are all dead,” Haji Samad, an elder from Najeeban village, told the AFP news agency.

Haji Sayed Jan, from Alkozai village, was quoted by the AFP as saying: “My home was attacked and I lost four family members”.

The soldier, who had reportedly suffered a breakdown before the attacks, is said to have turned himself in to US military authorities after carrying out the killings.

Last year a US soldier was convicted on three counts of premeditated murder of Afghan civilians after leading a rogue “kill team” in Afghanistan.