GCIS INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING: Japan asks Russia to boost gas, coal supplies

ISSUED BY: GCIS Communications Command Center

SOURCE: Ria Novosti

12March2011 11:23amEST

GCIS INTELLIGENCE UPDATE: Earthquake-stricken Japan asked Russia on Saturday to increase energy supplies and Moscow is ready to deliver up to 150,000 tons of liquefied natural gas and increase gas supplies, Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin said.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said earlier in the day liquefied natural gas supplies to Japan should be stepped up if requested. (read full report)

"GCIS INTELLIGENCE UPDATE" is an intelligence briefing presented by Griffith Colson Intelligence Service, and provided to the public for informative purposes only. All subject matter is credited to it's source of origin, and is not intended to represent original content authored by GCIS, it's partners or affiliates. All opinions presented are those of the author, and not necessarily those of GCIS or it's partners.

GCIS SPACE SECURITY BRIEFING: European freighter docks with space station

ISSUED BY: GCIS Communications Command Center

SOURCE: PHYSORG

24February2011 10:00pmEST

GCIS SPACE SECURITY UPDATE: A robot freighter laden with seven tonnes of supplies docked flawlessly on Thursday with the International Space Station (ISS), its European controllers said.

The Johannes Kepler teamed up with the ISS at 1708 GMT after an eight-day orbital flight covering some 2.5 million miles, live coverage of the operation showed.

After the control room burst into applause, engineers began running through a checklist to ensure that the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) had moored securely.

The operation was scheduled to be followed at 2150 GMT by the launch of Discovery, NASA's oldest and most journeyed space shuttle, whose trip to the ISS will be its final mission.

After liftoff aboard an Ariane 5 super-rocket on February 16, the supply ship used advanced navigation and onboard thrusters to automatically find its way to the ISS, orbiting at about 218 miles.

The 20-tonne vehicle is designed to supply the ISS with air, food and spare parts and lift the sprawling station -- which, tugged by Earth's atmosphere, has lost altitude -- by some 31 miles. (read full report)

"GCIS SPACE SECURITY UPDATE" is an intelligence briefing presented by Griffith Colson Intelligence Service, and provided to the public for informative purposes only. All subject matter is credited to it's source of origin, and is not intended to represent original content authored by GCIS, it's partners or affiliates. All opinions presented are those of the author, and not necessarily those of GCIS or it's partners.

GCIS INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING: What Cargo May Be Aboard Iranian Warships Transiting the Suez Canal?

ISSUED BY: GCIS Communications Command Center

SOURCE: Counterterrorism Blog

23February2011 2:05amEST

GCIS INTELLIGENCE UPDATE: Iran’s leaders are closely watching the progress of two of their navy warships, the 1500 ton frigate Alvand and the 33,000 ton refueling and supply ship Kharg, through the Suez Canal. They reportedly will arrive at a Syrian port in a few days. The passage of Iranian warships into the Mediterranean is rightfully viewed, in itself, as a provocative act by Israel and by NATO naval forces. Iranian warships haven't been seen in the Mediterranean since the 1970s. But, perhaps, there should also be great concern with the cargoes these warships may be carrying. What a better way could Iran have to circumvent UN and like-minded country sanctions.

UN Security Council Resolution 1749 ( March 2007) prohibits Iran from “supply(ing), sell(ing), or transfer(ing) directly or indirectly ... any arms or related material." All countries are obligated to prohibit the procurement of such items from Iran by their nationals, or to use their flag vessels or aircraft to transport such items. And, these prohibitions are further re-enforced by paragraph 8 of UN Security Council Resolution 1929 (June 2010).

In November 2009, Israeli naval units interdicted the German-owned freighter Francorp in international waters near Cyprus. The ship had called in Iran prior to its transit to the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal. The Israeli navy seized 500 tons of Katyusha rockets, mortars, bullets, and grenades concealed aboard the ship in containers belonging to the Iranian shipping line. The ship’s manifest had indicated a much more benign cargo destined for Syria. This is believed to be only one of many occurences involving illicit shipments of Iranian origin arms in violation of UN sanctions. (read full report)

"GCIS INTELLIGENCE UPDATE" is an intelligence briefing presented by Griffith Colson Intelligence Service, and provided to the public for informative purposes only. All subject matter is credited to it's source of origin, and is not intended to represent original content authored by GCIS, it's partners or affiliates. All opinions presented are those of the author, and not necessarily those of GCIS or it's partners.