October 14, 2008 by Tim McDowell.

Anti-terrorist officers used force to remove a group of 10 lawmakers who were protesting at the National Election Commission building in Kiev on 14 October 2008. Reports indicate that more than 40 anti-terrorist force officers and 60 regular police officers were involved, although many were simply on reserve. Four lawmakers were reportedly injured. The parliamentarians — all supporters of Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko — had been at the building since the previous day and were preventing preparations for a snap election on 7 December. President Victor Yushchenko called the elections on 8 October, but a Kiev city court later suspended the decree due to a lawsuit filed by Tymoshenko, who opposes the polls. Yushchenko has since abolished the court, but the issue remains open.

ASI Comment: While this specific incident had little widespread effect, it is significant in that it is the first use of force in this latest political crisis and violates Ukraine’s constitution, which prohibits law enforcement officers from arresting or even touching the country’s lawmakers. Further fueling concern, earlier reports had indicated that both Yushchenko’s and Tymoshenko’s security forces were stationed at the appeals court that will hear the case, although there have thus far been no reports of conflict.

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October 14, 2008 by Tim McDowell.

 (Business Week, 10/2/08)

Referring to the seizure of more than 400 fake routers so far, Melissa E. Hathaway, head of cyber security in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, says: “Counterfeit products have been linked to the crash of mission-critical networks, and may also contain hidden ‘back doors’ enabling network security to be bypassed and sensitive data accessed [by hackers, thieves, and spies].” She declines to elaborate. In a 50-page presentation for industry audiences, the FBI concurs that the routers could allow Chinese operatives to “gain access to otherwise secure systems.”

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_41/b4103034193886.htm?chan=magazine+channel_top+stories&chan=technology_technology+index+page_top+stories

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October 14, 2008 by Tim McDowell.

(AP, 10/2/08)

Chiu’s husband, Tai Mak, was sentenced to 24 1/2 years in prison earlier this year after a federal jury found he illegally exported U.S. defense technologies to China. Prosecutors alleged that Mak was stealing information on submarine propulsion systems from his defense contractor employer, Anaheim-based Power Paragon, and passing it to China with the help of his extended family. ###

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