Paraguay – A German couple who had been farming in Paraguay for 30 years have been found shot dead at their ranch in the north of the country it was reported on the 30 Jan 15. Roberto Natto and Erika Reiser, both in their 60s, had been kidnapped and shot several miles from their ranch. Government officials say they were killed by a left-wing guerrilla group, the Paraguayan People's Army. A government investigator said police had found the bodies after a shoot-out with fighters they allege belonged to the guerrilla group. The investigators said the guerrillas had been demanding money and food from local ranchers to be given to the poor as compensation for alleged deforestation. The Paraguayan People's Army (EPP) is estimated to number between 50 and 150 people and has been blamed for a series of killings in the last few years. In May 13 it was accused of killing Luis Lindstron, a former city mayor and owner of a logging operation. In 2010, Fernando Lugo, who was president at the time, declared a state of emergency and sent 200 crack troops to find the rebels. In 2011 the government tried again, this time sending about 3,000 troops and police. The EPP appears to be changing its strategy, focussing less on kidnappings and more on attacking ranches and trying to extract payments from landowners. Although little is known about them, the EPP appears to oppose industrialized agriculture, feeding off resentment in rural areas over the growth of large soybean farms, many of which are Brazilian-owned. They also draw on, and sometimes coerce, support from poor farmers in areas where the public services are minimal. 361 COMMENT: The killings will be an attempt at intimidation and a bid to raise funds for their own branch of terrorism. Although they claim to be venturing to assist those because of the deforestation this will be a cover to raise money. The question has to be why are they raising more money? To be able to conduct more terrorist operations in an attempt to bring down the current government. COMMENT ENDS.
United States – Police have searched two airliners at Atlanta's airport after "credible" bomb threats it was reported on the 24 Jan 15 by US officials. An airport spokesman said the threats were received against Delta and Southwest flights coming from Portland and Milwaukee respectively. Both planes were landed safely and were evacuated. Two US fighter jets escorted the planes into the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The airport later said no bombs were found. The bomb threats were made online - reportedly on Twitter. This was not the first airport bomb scare in the US during the reporting period. On the 19 Jan 15 New York's JFK was at the centre of another threat, involving at least one aircraft. No bomb was found. 361 COMMENT: This is an easy way to disrupt airlines. All such threats have to be taken seriously and rightly so. Those who are making the threats are fully aware of this and are attempting to stop flights. With the threats being conducted through the internal air travel the chances are that these calls are from a home grown group who do not have any ability to down an aircraft; on the other hand not that long ago al-Qaeda’s Inspire magazine encouraged its followers to attempt to down an aircraft using an internal human bomb. This may well be in response by followers of that group. COMMENT ENDS
United States – Police have searched two airliners at Atlanta's airport after "credible" bomb threats it was reported on the 24 Jan 15 by US officials. An airport spokesman said the threats were received against Delta and Southwest flights coming from Portland and Milwaukee respectively. Both planes were landed safely and were evacuated. Two US fighter jets escorted the planes into the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The airport later said no bombs were found. The bomb threats were made online - reportedly on Twitter. This was not the first airport bomb scare in the US during the reporting period. On the 19 Jan 15 New York's JFK was at the centre of another threat, involving at least one aircraft. No bomb was found. 361 COMMENT: This is an easy way to disrupt airlines. All such threats have to be taken seriously and rightly so. Those who are making the threats are fully aware of this and are attempting to stop flights. With the threats being conducted through the internal air travel the chances are that these calls are from a home grown group who do not have any ability to down an aircraft; on the other hand not that long ago al-Qaeda’s Inspire magazine encouraged its followers to attempt to down an aircraft using an internal human bomb. This may well be in response by followers of that group. COMMENT ENDS
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