Today's Brain Link

I've been rather busy, doing xtUML work and incidentally being the Simterror05 Australian Prime Monster (not a misprint).

But now it's time to give regular readers what they came here for, rather than a constant diet of Simterror05. I've been saving some goodies to write about (though don't have time to go into great detail), and here's one of them.

Primitive structures deep within the brain may have a far greater role in our high-level everyday thinking processes than previously believed, report researchers at the MIT Picower Center for Learning and Memory in the Feb. 24 issue of Nature.

From the MIT News Office.

The cortex--the "thinking" part of the brain--is highly developed in humans. This is especially true for the prefrontal cortex. Common wisdom suggests that when we learn new things, the prefrontal cortex figures things out first. Then, as our behaviors become familiar and habitual, the more primitive, subcortical basal ganglia take over so that the now-familiar routines can be run off automatically and occupy less of our thoughts.

"What we found was evidence for something very different," Pasupathy said. "We found that as monkeys learn new, simple rules--associations analogous to 'stop at red, go at green'--the striatum of the basal ganglia shows evidence of learning much sooner and faster than the prefrontal cortex. But, an interesting wrinkle is that the the monkeys' behavior improved at a slow rate, similar to that of the slower changes in prefrontal cortex."

This suggests that while the basal ganglia "learn" first, their output forces the prefrontal cortex to change, albeit at a slower rate.

The researchers speculate that perhaps the faster learning in the basal ganglia allows us (and our primitive ancestors who lacked a prefrontal cortex) to quickly pick up important information needed for survival. The prefrontal cortex then monitors what the basal ganglia have learned. Its slower, more deliberate learning mechanisms allow it to gather a more judicious "big picture" of what is going on by taking into account more history and thereby exert executive control over behavior, Miller said.

First stop the Tiger from eating you by running away. Only later plan on how you're going to find the den and kill the cubs. Or try to tame them. But it's the initial don't-get-eaten task you have to accomplish first, and there, presence of mind is good, but absence of body is better.

That appears to be the way we've evolved. Now we're stuck with that kind of thinking apparatus in a world of computers, bureaucracy, nation states, and international trade. It's a wonder that we do as well as we do.

What I want for Christmas

One of these. And only $65 US. Or maybe these at $95.

Whether you're an astronomer, a science fiction reader, or just like to know where you stand, this cube is essential equipment. If yours is a spacefaring civilization, you need one.

My thoughts exactly.

Three Kings of Nigeria

The following slithered into my e-mail box the other day :

Dear Sir,

NOT FOR THIRD PARTY (CONFIDENTIAL)
AND I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS
NOT A HOAX MAIL, IT IS REAL.

With a very desperate need for assistance, I have summed up courage to contact you.I am an army Sgt. from Fort Hood Tx. now serving with the third infantry contingent mission stationed in Iraq; I actually found your contact particulars in a business journal.

I am seeking your experience and assistance to evacuate the sum of $18.5Million United Sates Dollars to USA or any other safe country. This is no stolen funds, and there are no risks involved.

SOURCE OF FUNDS:
During the third month of the raid here in Iraq, Myself and a few other soldiers while conducting a routine search in a location near one of Saddam.s old palaces, uncovered large sums of money buried in barrels with piles of weapons and ammunitions which we believed must have been part of Saddam's hidden treasure. We agreed not to turn over the cash or declare it to our authorities that brought us here, so we shared it amongst ourselves, since there was noting we could do having considered that there is no amount or kind of compensation that can make up, be quantified,or justify the risks we have taken with our lives in this hell hole.

I was given the sum of $18.5 Million Dollars as my own share, and had nowhere to conceal such bulk monies here, so I had to employ the services of a contact to me by a German colleague. The said contact facilitated the movement of the funds to a safer location entirely outside Iraq, it was deposited in a security vault in a finance house outside iraq for safety purpose.

What he knows is that the funds belong to an Asian American who died in the war, and trusted me to turn in the money to his family. One passionate appeal I will make to you is not to discuss this matter with any third party, should you have reasons to reject this offer, please destroy this mail, as any leakage of this information will be too bad for us.
I do not know for how long we will remain here, and I have survived two suicide bomb attacks by the grace of God.

It may be difficult for us to communicate frequently for security reasons, so as soon as I am sure you are willing to help, I will link you up with the contact and close
confidant who will work with you to get the money into your care. On your immediate correspondence with the contact which I will introduce to you, he will need to release to you the document and secret code in which the funds was safeguarded with so you can proceed for claim and collection, but only when he has ascertained your seriousness and totality to commit your time in seeing to the success of this. We will also discuss your percentage when it is convenient to do so but the first thing is for you to get hold of the funds first.

In the meantime, please contact me through my private email address: (info-james@steam.to)

Respectfully,
Billy.

Someone in Lagos been watching too many movies.

As usual, they also need to brush up on their idiomatic English.

But I won't bet that someone, somewhere won't fall for it. It costs them almost nothing to make a mesage like this, and even if the odds are 1 in a million of success, if they send it 10 million times....

If they weren't making money with this type of scam, it wouldn't be so common.

ST05 : Statement by the Prime Minister

My Fellow Australians,

It is an essential part of the War we are fighting - a very different war from the ones in the past, yet a war nonetheless - to keep the Australian electorate informed of what the Government is doing, and why it is doing it.

When the first news of the bombings in Sydney reached me, it was unclear as to what the scale of the attack was. The fact that multiple bombs went off within a short period indicated a planned and co-ordinated attack, and we now know that this in fact was the case. We didn't know the scale of casualties, nor the size of the bombs. We didn't have the luxury of waiting to find out before instituting countermeasures, if we were to deter or defeat any follow-up and catch those responsible.

I therefore authorised the implementation of our standard contingency plan against a bombing campaign. Swift action was essential, and swift but suboptimal action was prefferable to the best plan hopelessly delayed in execution.

The object of this standard contingency plan was, as I have stated before,

Firstly, to minimise the damage already done.
Secondly, to stop recurrence.
Thirdly, to apprehend those who did the terrible deeds.

A neccessary consequence of this plan was the temporary disruption of transport within the Sydney Metropolitan area, and a list of minor but aggravating inconveniences which we're all aware of and have suffered from.

It is far easier to destroy than to build. It is far easier to stop the normal flow of commerce and business than to restart it again. However, the trains are back, the busses are back, and the number of scheduled air services continues to grow day by day.

So, was the gain worth the cost?

Well, the NSW police have already caught the bomber, and have a suspect in custody in connection with other offences. It's difficult to see how those responsible could have been caught sooner.

The initial bombings appear to have been designed to cause a costly reaction out of all proportion to the damage. In this, they suceeded. How could they not, if we were to prevent further bombings? A simple code word to one individual, and the campaign commenced. The bombings were but the first part of a many-faceted attack over many days.

However, our Enemy had not thought the matter through. The extent of our cooly and calmy planned reaction, far in excess of anything they thought they could provoke, has caused the initial wave to be caught in their own web.

I say "initial wave", because we are still determining the extent of the Enemy's attack. They may have shot their bolt; or they may be lying low, unable to attack due to our prompt countermeasures, and praying that they not be found. They may yet have an arrow or two in their quiver. We are doing our best not to give them the chance to fire it.

In closing, I must ask the Australian population for their help. Ordinary, decent Australians, who happen to be Muslim Australians, are being singled out by a minority of who are both misguided and terminally stupid. I say to you now, that the Muslim Australians who are the victims of assaults are far more Australian than the thugs and bullies who assault them. There is no denying that the single Enemy Combatant who planted the bombs claimed to be Muslim, as he recently proclaimed to the world in Court that he was a Holy Warrior bent on Jihad. That a suspect - a suspect who must be assumed innocent until a cort finds otherwise - who also claims to be Muslim has recently been arrested for Arson is also undeniable.

But the vast majority of Australia's Islamic population are some of the most decent, moral people here. To tar them with the same brush as any False Muslim who bombs the innocent is not just stupid, it's actually evil.

Muslims are not the Enemy. They are an innocent group who the enemy hides in, so naturally they are subject to more scrutiny than others. We should respect that, and show them more consideration for the grave inconvenience they are suffering, inconvenience and trouble well in excess of that suffered by other Australians. They in turn are doing their best to purge the Enemy that hides amongst them, and I personally thank them for doing their duty by their Religion, and their Nation. So should we all.

Q : You mention the case of Omar Masri, the Mad Bomber, who you say has been labelled an "Enemy Combatant". Can you tell us when he'll come to trial?
PM : He admits that he's an enemy soldier executing military attacks in wartime, so is not subject to a civilian court's jurisdiction. He's been put in a Prisoner Of War camp pending a military tribunal which will determine if he is an Illegal Combatant, and thus outside all law, civilian or military.

Q : Prime Minister, (inaudible) you elaborate on that?
Q : What is an "Illegal Combatant"?
Q : (inaudible) sent to Guantanamo Bay?
Q : Can (inaudible) outside (inaudible)?
PM : One at a time please. We're at war, he claims to be a soldier executing a military attack, so he's being treated as such. Should he be judged incontestibly guilty of committing a grievous atrocity by deliberately bombing innocents while operating covertly, he won't be entitled to the protected status of a Prisoner of War under the Geneva Conventions.

Q : What did you mean by "outside all law"? Will he be released?
PM : His disposition will depend on what the military tribunal finds. If there's any doubt about him committing an atrocity, he'll retain Enemy Prisoner of War status.

Q : With respect, Prime Minister, you didn't answer the question. If he is found guilty, what then?
PM : He won't be entitled to Prisoner of War status. In such a case, what we'll do with him will be decided by the reviewing tribunal in due course. It will be something appropriate, and won't stain our national character.

Q : Isn't this just a charade to re-introduce the Death Penalty by Stealth?
PM : No, not at all. It's to introduce a coherent code of behaviour when dealing with a captured enemy in the War against Terror, or indeed, any other war. A code entirely consistent with the provisions of the Geneva Conventions, in both letter and spirit. That's all I'm prepared to say at this point. Thank you.

ST05 : News Summary

International Telecommunications Corp announced a record profit for the quarter, derived mostly from greatly increased revenue in the Australia-Indonesia sector.

A man appeared in a NSW court today, charged with Arson. The hearing was adjourned, and no plea was entered.

Foreign Minister Upper flew to Timor Leste in an impromptu visit for consultations with local officials.

The Prime Minister faced a tough question time in Parliament, over claims that he has over-reacted to the Sydney Bombings.

Baggage Handlers walked off the job at Sydney today over complaints about lost luggage.

A large drugs bust was announced in Launceston, Tasmania, with ecstasy tablets with a street value of $1 million being seized.

Australia is 411 for 7 against the All Blacks at the WACA. Rain stopped play, and the match may be washed out.

What the Papers Say
The Canberra Times editorial complains of increased traffic outside their premisses on Newcastle Street, Fyshwick.
...

ST05 : PM Announces Closure of Public Buildings

The NSW Police are being overstretched in reacting to an organised series of bomb hoaxes, the Prime Minister said today. In order to relieve the pressure, Australia is following New Zealand's lead and ordering that certain public buildings be temporarily closed.

Churches will only be open on Sunday, Synagogues on Saturday, and Mosques on Friday.

The Prime Minister foreshadowed a series of "rolling closures" of public buildings on a pre-published schedule, starting next week if the campaign continued.

"Having your local Post Office open only 2 to 3 days a week will cause some vexation, and even hardship" he said "but if it means there's less disruption to essential services and transport, inconvenience to the general public will be minimised".

He also added that "Every time a hoax call is made, we learn just a little bit more about the people making them.". He called upon the general public to give their full co-operation in tracking down those guilty of causing "what appears to be a deliberate and well-planned strategic campaign of disruption."

Asked whether he had considered giving in to the Al Qaeda demands, he stated "He who pays Danegeld is never free of the Dane. Should we make any concession this time, there's nothing to stop White Supremacists from using the same methods to pressure us into instituting Apartheid, Radical Fringe Fundamentalist Christians from insisting we ban all non-Christian places of worship, or deranged Moonbats from campaigning to make skull trepanning compulsory. Alter Australia's policy by one iota? A complete nonsense. If it wasn't for the fact that the Iraqis themselves are doing so well they don't need more of our help, the immediate emotional reaction of most Australians would be to send more troops as the result of this, not fewer. They obviously have no idea the kind of people they're dealing with.

That's the long answer. The short one is No."

ST05 : DFAT Issues Travel Warning for Indonesia

The Australian Department of Foreign Affair and Trade has issued a travel warning for Australians visiting Indonesia.
This warning extends to the Islands of Java, Sumatra, and Sulaweisi.

Civil disturbances may occur at short notice, targetting Australian Interests.

Australians are advised to return as soon as possible, and avoid leaving their hotels until just before departure. They should contact the Australian Embassy in the next 24 hours.

ST05 : On the Waterfront

State Water Police in Tasmania started conducting a major counter-drugs exercise today, stopping and searching pleasure boats and coastal vessels newly arrived from the mainland.

"The exercise will continue for about a week" the Tasmanian Police Commissioner stated. "We're also conducting exercises at many of the smaller airports, so private aviation is now being diverted to Launceston and Hobart to avoid delays."

As with the rest of the country, Passengers travelling to and arriving from the mainland via commercial airlines have also been inconvenienced by the extensive checks on baggage instituted recently as the result of the bombings in Sydney.

The Police Comissioner denied any connection between the exercise and the Sydney Bombings, though he added that such an exercise would also be useful for counter-terror purposes, so the long-planned exercise had been moved up.

Tasmania is one of the few places in the world where Opium poppies are grown legally in commercial quantities, and consequently the State Government there has one of the strictest and most heavily resourced drug-enforcement programmes in the country.

"Tasmania has a population of approximately 300,000, and so strangers or strange vehicles really stand out." the Police Commissioner said.

Hobart, the capital, has a population of 50,000.

ST05 : Government Document Leaked

The following document is reportedly draft advice from the Australian Attorney-General to the office of the Prime Minister. Government officials have refused to confirm its authenticity.


Draft : Regarding the treatment of terrorist suspects, whether apprehended in Australia or Overseas, and whether Australian citizens or not.

The dividing line between military and civil jurisdiction is a question fraught with some difficulty, but the following appears to be the current (though not universally accepted) legal situation, and broadly consistent with accepted practice.

Should a person suspected of being an enemy Combatant conducting military operations (henceforth "prisoner") be apprehended by whatever means, they may be brought before either a Military Tribunal consituted within the guidelines of the Geneva Convention, or a civilian court of sufficient standing, whereupon the question of jurisdiction shall be decided.

Should a prisoner be deemed to be an enemy Combatant, then the military shall have jurisdiction, otherwise the civilian authorities. Should the prisoner claim to be an enemy Combatant, then that claim (absent any evidence to the contrary, such as the results of a psychiatric examination) shall be honoured. This will provide adequate protection for Bona Fide enemy Combatants conducting legitimate military operations, and therefore entitled to the protection of the Geneva Conventions. Should the prisoner claim not to be an enemy Combatant, if a prima face case for this claim exists, the question should be decided by a civilian court, otherwise dealt with summarily.

Under battlefield conditions, an ad-hoc tribunal may consist of any representative of the Australian Defence Force making an expedient determination, subject to later formal review of the prisoner's status. In most cases in conventional warfare, an enemy soldier under arms, whether in uniform or not, would be recognisable as such. The temporary treatment of protected persons such as Chaplains, Medical Personnel, or Civilians in Uniform assisting the enemy as ordinary Prisoners of war pending formal judgement of their status is permissible under the Geneva Convention.

Should a civil court decide that the prisoner is an enemy Combatant, they must decline jurisdiction, and surrender the prisoner to military authorities. This process must not by unduly delayed. Similarly, should a duly constituted military tribunal decide that the prisoner is not an enemy Combatant (legal or otherwise), then they must surrender that person on demand to civil authorities (usually by writ of Habeas Corpus) for prosecution in the normal way, with the normal rules of evidence.

This report deals henceforth purely with Enemy Combatants.

Parenthetically, a superficially similar situation to that outlined below exists for Friendly Combatants guilty of War Crimes. However, members of the Australian Defence Force found guilty of all but the most grave offences committed in the execution of their duties remain within the jurisdiction of military law, rather than becoming Illegal Combatants. This privilege should be extended to all other parties, signatories to the Geneva Conventions or not, who generally abide by the articles therein.

Enemy Combatants will then face a second examination by military tribunal, which will determine if there is a prima face case that they may not be an illegal Combatant, guilty of enormity or gross violation of the laws of war. If such a prima face case exists, then they are entitled to Protected Status as Prisoners of War, pending trial by a War Crimes Tribunal. If feasible, this should be an International Tribunal, with foreign representatives, and be conducted after hostilities have ceased, again in accordance with the Geneva Convention. In most cases of enemy Combatants captured on the battlefield, such a trial will not be neccessary as there will be no prima face case of them having committed war crimes.

Where a prima face case of the contrapositive exists - that is, there is a case that the enemy Combatant may have (but not certainly has) committed enormities - then the normal rights of a Prisoner of War may not be fully accorded pending trial, due to operational security concerns. It is recommended that the International Red Cross as reviewing agency be informed of any such restrictions, and the reasons for them.

For minor crimes committed before or after capture, the enemy Combatant may instead be granted an expedient Court Martial by the recognised military organisation of which they are a member. Typically, such a Court Martial is used when an Enemy Prisoner of War commits a crime such as theft while in a Prisoner of War camp and does not contest the charge. Alternatively an administrative trial and concomitant punishment set by the detaining power may be inflicted, again within the limits prescribed by the Geneva Conventions. Typically such punishments involve short periods of solitary confinement, stoppage of pay and loss of privileges.

For enemy Combatants whose guilt of enormities is obvious and incontravertible, as soon as they are lawfully determined to be such they are not just outside the jurisdiction of civilian law (as are all Combatants while conducting military operations), but neither are they entitled to any protection under military law. They are in the same situation as an enemy combatant under arms who has intransigently refused to surrender.

Put simply, Illegal Combatants are Outlaws, and have no rights whatsoever. They are Enemies of Humanity, hostes humani generis. The law is silent on them, though considerations of Public health regarding infectious diseases, disposal of corpses and similar concerns should still apply. This may require minor amendments to existing legislation.

The legal bounds on how Illegal Combatants may be treated are set purely by the legal bounds of behaviour by their captors. Illegal Combatants may be treated in any manner whatsover consistent with military expediency, and within the bounds of ordinary human decency and ethics.

The Military Tribunal that makes the determination of Illegal Combatant status may (but is not required to, except for members of her Majesty's Armed Forces) make a recommendation as to treatment of the Illegal Combatant in accordance with military custom and common usage which will purge the Illegal Combatant's outlaw status. By convention, spies merely guilty of espionage have been given indefinite prison sentences, or have faced a firing squad in time of War, but the bodies were then buried with appropriate military honours. Those guilty of more dishonourable conduct have been hanged, and given pauper's graves.

It is important to make the distinction between this treatment and a lawful execution : such a killing cannot be unlawful, even if Capital Punishment has been removed from the civil statute books. It is not possible to punish an Outlaw. It is an interesting legal point as to whether a prisoner, after undergoing such treatment as a prison sentence or having been killed, is no longer an Outlaw, and legislation should be put in place to clarify this matter. In any case, in order to ameliorate mistakes of Identity, there should be some recognised process for restoring an Outlaw's recognition as a human being within the law. (Note : The previous draft of this document had "In-Law" here).

A reasonable set of tests for any treatment would be:

1. Is any treatment reasonably likely to cause psychological damage to the captors?

2. Would the treatment be reasonable and lawful to inflict upon an intransigent enemy on the battlefield, if there was no other expedient military alternative?

A third test, although irrelevant to considerations of legality, is required due to practical considerations:

3. Is any such treatment likely to cause damage to the Nations's reputation?


I remain your Obedient Servant, etc etc

Blogger Ate My Homework

So I'll have to post this instead. Hat Tip to Silent Running.

AEBrain is a Human-Sized Bee that spits Jets of Water, Stomps Around a Lot, is Undead, and can Phase in and out of Existence.
(Strength: 4 Agility: 9 Intelligence: 6)
Unleash your Giant Battle Monster.

ST05: Bombing Suspect Arrested

The Prime Minister made the following statement a few minutes ago.

"My fellow Australians, the NSW Police Commissioner has just informed me that someone has been arrested in connection with the recent bombings in Sydney. A person whose description matches the Identikit pictures that have been previously circulated. This person is currently assisting police with their enquiries.

As the matter is sub judice, I will be unable to comment overmuch on the identity of this individual, his national background, religious affiliation, political beliefs, or any details other than the ones in this statement. Given the recent, and I might say, most unfortunate publicity about this man in the media, the interests of justice demand that I so nothing that could prejudice a fair trial. Our system demands that any suspect be considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law or, in time of war, a legally constituted military tribunal.

I can confirm that a quantity of explosives and bomb-making equipment was seized in connection with the investigation, well before the arrest, along with computer records.

I can also confirm that the person concerned has been under surveillance for some time in an attempt to discover any accomplices, though I have not been informed of the exact surveillance period, and would be unwilling to divulge it if I knew.

I can also confirm that the national press was informed of all the relevant facts of the investigation at the appropriate juncture, but that the news was embargoed by a Defence Notice. I felt it neccessary for National Security that every attempt be made to discover any network of accomplices or outside contacts, or out of fairness to the suspect's ethnic group, to confirm that the individual under investigation was acting alone. Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for the bombings, but they are notorious liars.

I will not comment on how much the authorities found out before the irresponsible and wholly regrettable actions of Channel 8 aborted this process. The Australian press is, on the whole, a responsible entity. They rightly insist on being informed, but when the public interest obviously demands that dissemination of information should be delayed for a few days - and I can confirm that the D-notice only embargoed the news for a few more days - then they act responsibly, and don't endanger either National Security or the General Public.

Most regrettably, there are some exceptions. Exceptions that have made the job of those charged with Australia's Security measureably harder, and the length of inconvenience to the general public longer than would have otherwise been neccessary.

But for every journalist whose enthusiasm gets in the way of their judgement, there are many more ordinary, decent Australians who calmly and coolly do what they can to protect their homes, their families, and their neighbours. Our investigation would not have gotten as far as it did without the selfless co-operation of individual members of the public. I will make mention of the ordinary workers who even took samples of the effluent emanating from the suspect's home, in order to determine whether there was any biological threat or chemical residue from explosives manufacture. They didn't just go through the motions, they went through the motions.

Of such people can Australia be proud. Quiet Achievers.

The sad, the ignorant, and the terminally stupid who attempted to attack the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Marrickville recently, in the mistaken belief that it was an Al Qaeda headquarters are quite a different kettle of fish, though that's insulting the intellect of all things piscine.

No true Australian would do that; nor attack any Mosque, Synagogue, Church, or Temple. But there are enough idiots out there that we've felt it neccessary to put many such buildings under surveillance, to protect them and the worshippers within.

I urge those who quite naturally want to strike out against our Enemy in the war on Terror to do so effectively. Not by daubing crude threats on the walls of innocents - and boosting the recruitment figures for the Bad Guys - but by informing the police of any suspicious activity. The police, and if neccessary, the military, have the resources to handle the situation, providing they are given good, factual and concise data from the general public. Not just to superficially prune the Terrorists, but to extirpate them, root and branch. Sometimes that requires patience. This is a winning combination, as recent events have proved.

To Australia's Muslims, I extend my condolences at your situation, with Evildoers committing most unislamic barbarities in the name of Islam, even proudly claiming responsibility for barbaric acts committed by themselves and others. One does not have to search far in the history books to find the same behaviour from false Christians, false Buddhists, or false Hindus.

Australian Muslims, in their turn, should not allow considerations of Islamic Brotherhood to blind them to the fact that these evildoers are false Muslims, and so not worthy of protection or tacit support. Islam is relying on you to remove the corruption, and Australia is relying on you too to do the same."

Q : Mr Brain, you mentioned biological hazards. Have any Nuclear of Biological Warfare materials been found?
PM : If they existed, we would have found them. Australians can feel reassured on this point.

Q : Prime Minister, did the authorities know this guy was a threat before the bombing? If so, why didn't you act to save the lives of four Australians?
PM : I said I wouldn't comment on how long the surveillance had been going on. But I will state that it'll be a sad day for Australia if people are arrested simply because of what they might possibly do. The bombings were all committed on a single day, with no prior warning I'm aware of.

Q : Mr Brain, will you now be lifting all the restrictions, and getting things back to normal?
PM : Restrictions are already being eased in a phased manner, in accordance with longstanding contingency plans . To change these "on the fly" might even delay the process of getting back to normal.

Q : You mentioned a military tribunal?
PM : He was arrested, rather than captured, by the NSW police.

Q : Were there any accomplices? Is there an Al Qaeda Connection?
PM : To answer your first question, Go ask Channel 8. But not if you want an answer that's reliable. Remember too, this man is a suspect, not a convicted bomber. For the second question, it's on the record that Al Qaeda have claimed there is one. But they're as reliable as Channel 8.

Q : Have you considered any sanctions against Channel 8, or the reporters.
PM : <inaudible> No, I'll leave that matter to the Australian Viewing Public. If you disapprove, just change channels.

Reporters noted the absence of Channel 8 cameras at the venue. The PM's press secretary stated "The e-mail notifying them of it must have gotten lost, along with their address. We're sure the journalists who they scooped will tell Channel 8 about future events."

ST05 : PM's Surprise Hospital Visit

Prime Minister Brain paid a surprise visit to victims of the bombings at Royal North Shore Hospital today. Shortly thereafter, the Prime Minister and his entourage travelled to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, where other victims are being treated.

ST05: First Scheduled Flights From Sydney Resume

The first scheduled flights from Sydney, most containing Business passengers and those returning home from holidays, have resumed.

Customs officials are working overtime, with obsolete equipment hurriedly pressed into service to scan the many items of personal luggage and freight that are flowing into, and out of, Kingsford Smith Airport.

"Freight handling may be delayed" said one Customs official, "But we're doing the best that we can with the available resources". He added that consignments of photographic and electronic equipment should be clearly marked as such, as many of the X-ray machines used to scan incoming and outgoing freight were obsolescent and not "film-safe". Modern electronic equipment such as digital cameras, laptop computers and mobile phones were particularly vulnerable, he said, stressing that any damage may not be immediately apparent.

"They may work at first" he said "But could fail at any time."

The Airlines are not happy, and have reportedly put intense political pressure to bear in order to resume normal operations. The short-term loss due to the 24-hour embargo on air travel flowing from Sydney has caused tens of millions of dollars of financial loss, with associated loss of tax revenue for the Government. Some airlines have managed to ameliorate their loss by re-scheduling maintenance in the "down time", but the bulk of the loss won't be covered.

Airport officials refuse to say when they hope that normal service will be resumed, but one official said "it's getting better all the time - it will take as long as it takes."

Meanwhile passengers have faced waits of up to 6 hours between check-in and departure. Priority is being given to those travelling with children, and the elderly or disabled.

All flights so far scheduled have been to the Pacific and USA, though some passengers have been given vouchers for connecting flights to Europe via Los Angeles, and Asia via Hawaii.

ST05 : PM Responds to JI's Demands

From the Australian Amalgamated Press:

In what has to be the shortest press conference on record, Prime Minister Brain gave Australia's official reply to the recently reported demands of Jemaya Islamiya and Al Qaeda.

Walking up to the podium, he paused for a few seconds, then extended his right index finger in an unmistakeable gesture.

His finger was stained purple.

He then left the podium.

A handout read as follows :

A message from the Prime Minister:

The Terrorists who hide behind a Human Shield of devout and pious Muslims have already attacked us many times before.

They attacked us on the 11th of September, when innocent Australians died with the collapse of the World Trade Centre.

They attacked us again, this time in Bali, where hundreds of innocent Australians and Balinese died.

Both of these attacks occurred before the Liberation of Iraq.

There is no evidence to show that changing Australia's foreign policy by kowtowing to terrorists would prevent future attacks.

Should Australia convert to Islam overnight, it would just make us a bigger target: for Al Qaeda and its minions have killed far more Muslims than all other religions combined.

8 Million Iraqis have given us an example of courage under fire from these evil people. We can do no less than they did, when they voted in their hundreds, thousands, and millions despite threats of the most dire sort.

Our future actions will speak louder than words ever could, so our reply will be brief, cogent, and unchangeable.

The answer to Al Qaeda, a bi-partisan answer which echoes from the complete spectrum of Australian Politics is, quite simply, No.

ST05 : Prime Ministerial Statement

My fellow Australians, I said that announcements of measures being taken to counter the bombing campaign would be made in due course, and here is the first.

As Sydneysiders will have noticed, the trains are running once more. Not quite to the normal timetable yet - though regular commuters may say that that is nothing new - but everyone can be assured that they will be able to get to work safely tomorrow. The NSW police now believe that it was unlikely the bomb was put aboard at the depot, and may have been taken aboard by a passenger.

All busses leaving depots have now been checked, and measures are in place to prevent any bomb from being planted there too.

The prohibition of luggage in passenger compartments - and that means anything larger than a purse, small briefcase, or laptop computer - will be strictly enforced. I have been informed by the NSW premier that State Rail Police on board trains and busses will be checking all smaller items that may be carried. I urge you to co-operate fully with them. As a temporary measure, pending construction or conversion of special-purpose rolling-stock, obsolete carriages are being attached to each train to carry essential items. Prospective passengers with such items are warned that their travel may be delayed, and boarding may be refused.

As was done many years go, with the Sydney Hilton bombing, rubbish bins near major public buildings will be sealed. In the longer term, new blast-diverting designs will be installed in their place. So please dispose of rubbish thoughtfully, and keep it to the mimimum for now.

But amidst the sea of minor inconvenience and niggling delay, there are some bright spots. The State Rail Police and station staff are going to be far too busy checking for bombs to worry about checking tickets, so for the foreseeable future, travel by Public transport in the Sydney Metropolitan area will be free of charge - though carrying luggage may not be. This arrangement is intended to become permanent, and I have assured the NSW premier that the state will not lose out financially as the result.

Sydneysiders will also have noticed that there are planes up in the sky again. Not many - and they're mainly carrying people travelling on compassionate grounds. So I urge you not to make travel plans by air for the next week, as there will be long delays. A compensation scheme is being set up to reimburse those who have suffered personal financial loss due to expiry of tickets or unplanned accomodation costs. Tourists currently in Australia can be assured that we're doing our very best to make sure you're inconvenienced as little as possible. There will be no difficulty for those who involuntarily overstay their visa due to the current emergency.

With the help flowing in from friendly governments - and I must mention the particularly helpful contribution of our neighbours across the Tasman here - normal airline schedules will be reintroduced as circumstances permit. I do ask everyone to restrict their planned travel over the coming weeks though, to ease the problems.

Interstate Rail and Interstate Busses have not been affected as yet, but passengers should expect some delay due to extra-ordinary security measures, and there may be some closure of smaller bus termini where an alternative exists. If you travel interstate by public transport, you can avoid much inconvenience if you travel with only one piece of luggage, checked-in at least six hours before your journey.

Forensic evidence has shown that at least one of the bombs was detonated remotely via an untraceable prepaid mobile phone. This is a technique that has already been used by Al Qaeda against Australian servicepeople in Iraq, but it's far too early to draw conclusions from this. Each of the bombs was of about 4 Kg weight. It is to prevent recurrence that the restrictions on luggage are in force.

As a result of this forensic information, the sale of prepaid mobile phones has been temporarily embargoed. For the time being, it will be a criminal offence to supply one. This restriction will be eased in due course, but retailers will henceforth be required to record personal data of any customers, including a passport-quality photograph and biometric data, as well as the usual 100 points of identification required for a passport or bank account.

All owners of prepaid mobile phones will soon receive automated phonecalls. If you don't answer, then you can expect repeated call attempts at random intervals.

Anyone who finds a mobile phone attached to a package is urged to contact authorities in the immediate area without delay, so a swift evacuation of the area can be arranged.

Any terrorist listening to this broadcast would be well advised to switch any mobile phones attached to bombs off, to leave them off, and to inform any other members of your organisation about this new danger. Should you give yourself up to authorities now, you may be treated as a Prisoner of War. If you don't, in accordance with International Law and the Geneva Conventions, you will forfeit that protected status, and will be subject to the traditional penalties of being an illegal combatant. Any misguided Australian citizens guilty of treachery, or giving material aid and comfort to the enemy, will in addition be subject to normal peacetime criminal prosecution under the Crimes Act. Anyone who aids the terrorist bombers will be deemed accessories after the fact to Murder, and subject to the most serious penalties.

To those involved in any way with this monstrous evil, I say to you that this is your first and only chance. We are now confident that you will be caught regardless, but there may be some of you who have acted out of unwisdom and foolishness rather than evil, and find yourselves out of your depth. It is to them that I extend this one opportunity to recoil from the abyss. To those who planned the barbaric deeds, I have nothing to say : our actions will speak louder than words.

To the rest of you, may I congratulate all Australians, and Sydneysiders in particular, for the comradeship and mateship I've seen everywhere I look. From giving mates a lift home, to cabbies giving people free rides, to those giving stranded tourists a helping hand, to the many people who have spontaneously raised funds to help the victims, you've acted just the way I thought you would. As Australians.
<Background (Studio staff or cheer squad?) - OZZIE OZZIE OZZIE! OI OI OI!>

ST05 : Press Conference

Transcript Follows:

PM : I'm ready to take questions.
Q : Prime Minister, are you prepared to categorically state that the explosions were a Terrorist Attack?
PM : To state the obvious, yes I am.

Q : Were they suicide bombs?
PM : Two of the three weren't. The first bomb may have been, the NSW and Australian Federal Police are looking into that. I've instructed the AFP to put their entire Forensic resources at the disposal of the NSW police.

Q : Have you been guilty of Panic and Over-reaction?
PM : Have you been guilty of asking stupid questions? Next question, from a grown-up this time.

Q : Millions of Sydney Commuters are struggling to get home from work. It's a complete shambles. What do you have to say to them?
PM : I'll leave that one to the premier of NSW. He advised me that a state of emergency was required, and I took his advice. But let me say this, I take full responsibility for it, and even with hindsight, wouldn't have changed my decision. I've been informed that as soon as the trains in the depots have been checked, normal services will be resumed. I expect some special services will be running within a few hours, to relieve the congestion. Oh yes, the information I have for commuters using the rail system in Sydney is about 300,000, not "millions".

Q : Have you...
PM : Sorry to interrupt, one more thing. The carrying on CityRail trains or busses of any hand luggage larger than a briefcase will be prohibited for the time being. Please continue with the question.

Q : Have you contacted the President?
PM : You mean the Governor-General? <laughter> If you mean, "have we invoked article 5 of the ANZUS treaty", the answer is "not yet". We may request some technical assistance, but that's an operational matter being dealt with through the usual channels.
I have personally thanked President Simoni of the Indonesian Republic for his gracious offer of aid, and assistance from that quarter will again be dealt with through the usual channels.
Once this press conference is over, I will be talking with Prime Minister Dodge, and others. I'm not willing to discuss the agenda just yet. Last question, please.

Q : Can you confirm that the Pondglo Mosque has been raided by Federal Police? Haven't you over-reacted?
PM : That would be an operational matter, which I won't discuss here or at any other time. Look, we've had three explosions so far. I don't know how many others we may have prevented by "over-reaction" as you put it. I can't guarantee there won't be more, we don't have unlimited resources. I do, however, intend to "Over-React" these evil bastards into the ground, and as soon as possible, given the resources to hand, so we can get back to normal. That's my job, the one I was elected to do. So if you'll excuse me Ladies and Gentleman, I'll now go do it.

LEDE :
Rattled PM : More Attacks On Their way
A visibly rattled PM lashed out at the Press today, being forced to admit that he "can't guarantee" there won't be more explosions.
<more to follow>.......

ST05: Official Statement from Australian PM

It's still too early to tell the cause of the tragic events that are still unfolding in Sydney. In this time of War, and make no mistake, we're in a War against Terrorism, it would only be prudent to "over-react" to what may turn out to be an improbable and tragic coincidence.

We have to assume the worst : that this is the beginning of a co-ordinated attack on Australia, and Australians, and to act accordingly.

Our tasks are threefold:
To minimise the damage already done;
To prevent recurrence; and
To catch the perpetrators of these evil deeds.

Measures to achieve all three objectives are already underway, the details of which will be released in due course. Some of these measures will cause inconvenience in the short term, possibly great inconvenience, but they're neccessary.

In the meantime, I ask the commuters struggling to get home to do the right thing : offer a lift to anyone going your way and don't block the passage of emergency services vehicles. By all means let your loved ones know you're OK, but keep it short, others are trying to get through too.

Finally, let me express my condolences to those who have lost friends or family in what is very probably a series of terrorist attacks. Let me also wish those injured a full and speedy recovery.

ST05 : State of Emergency Declared in Sydney

A State of Emergency has been declared in Metropolitan Sydney.

Metropolitan State Rail has been shut down as a temporary measure, while police and emergency services attend the scene of two explosions that ocurred earlier today. HAZMAT teams have also attended the incidents, but there has been no report yet of any contamination.

As a temporary measure, additional bus services have been scheduled to enable commuters to get home.

Prime Minister Brain is reported to be in talks with the premier of NSW. It has been officially confirmed that the Commonwealth is assuming the explosions are due to terrorist actions, until proven otherwise.

Late News : All air movements from Sydney's Kingsford-Smith airport have been suspended until further notice. Troops from Holsworthy barracks, south of Sydney, have been called to duty to relieve the police already on duty around key infrastructure, especially the Harbour Bridge, Harbour Tunnel, Power, Sewerage and Water supplies.

Breaking: All Police and military leave has been cancelled, as other states are contemplating similar action to that taken by the government of NSW.

ST05 - StartUp Imminent

This is the official Australian Governmental Site for SimTerror 05. It's starting in the next few minutes. Stay tuned for more details.

There's nothing for removing Heads though

Here. Pity, there would be quite some demand in certain organisations. SMH. Greens. DNC.

Hat Tip : Random Acts of Reality