Notice that General Stanley McChrystal does not support private use of assault weapons. And Stan is the authority on counter terrorism. I was on active duty for seven years, was Unit Property Book officer for 5 years in three different units during which time I held all of my units’ weapons locked up safe and secure in my unit arms rooms. So perhaps our Constitution does permit Congress to require that all civilians who would chose to own military style weapons to secure them in a “well regulated” militia’s arms room! Five weapon safes cost less than $300. If that’s good for the active duty geese, it ought to be good for the ganders, too.

PHOENIX - Gov. Janet Napolitano says Arizona is now safer from terrorism than it was on Sept. 11.

Just because it’s been over two weeks since the death of Osama bin Laden at the hands of U.S. forces doesn’t mean Americans should let down their guard against terrorism. Federal, state and local law enforcement agencies want Valley residents to stay vigilant and maintain a heightened awareness of suspicious activities, reporting any odd behavior they witness. A video outlining eight possible signs of terrorism is available on the Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center (ACTIC) website, www.azactic.gov. ACTIC, a joint effort between the Arizona Department of Public Safety, Arizona Department of Homeland Security, the FBI and local police and fire departments, is requesting that anyone who witnesses suspicious activity call (877) 272-8329 or email actic@azdps.gov.

U.S. officials are urging increased vigilance around the country following the deadly attacks on London's transit systems. However, they said there is no intelligence indicating similar attacks are planned in America.

For nearly the past year, someone has left nine bomb threats at the Mesa Library’s main branch. Detective Jerry Gissel of the Mesa Police Department’s Counter-Terrorism Unit said investigators have leads, but have made no arrests.

A Mesa police commander was placed on paid suspension last week as the department began an internal affairs investigation into his conduct.

June 22, 2204

WASHINGTON – Arizona police agencies were among those singled out in a two-year Senate probe that reported “widespread deficiencies” in a Homeland Security Department program that officials touted for years as a centerpiece in U.S. counterterrorism efforts.

High technology and good luck fused Saturday as Mesa police investigating a minor disturbance nabbed a 30-year-old man wanted for first-degree murder.

If you’re a commuter who endured one of the four recent massive traffic back-ups on Valley freeways thanks to serious accidents involving big rig trucks, no doubt you spoke words you’d never say in front of your kids.

Terrorism liaison officers have been getting a lot of attention in the national press lately. But the bottom line of what they do is basically old-fashioned police work, according to the state police coordinating the effort in Arizona.

President Bush insists that now is not the time for finger-pointing and blame, but it certainly is — and most of the finger-pointing and blame for the slow-motion federal response to Hurricane Katrina is being directed at Michael Brown, the hapless head of FEMA whose only apparent qualification for the job was a wise choice of college roommate.

WASHINGTON - The FBI and local law enforcement say they have found no indication that the recent shootings at a suburban Denver movie theater were anything but the acts of a lone wolf without any apparent political or terrorist ties.

Relatives of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed have released the first photographs of the self-proclaimed 9/11 mastermind at Guantanamo Bay, and experts say the images are being used by terrorist groups to inspire attacks against the United States.

It’s disappointing to see the immediate cynicism from news reporters and some civil rights groups about last week’s terrorism indictments of seven men from the Miami area.

October 20, 2004

Need to report a suspected terrorist? Call the hotline at the new Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center at (800) 272-8329.

WASHINGTON - Amid a heated election-year debate on intelligence reform, President Bush signed executive orders Friday strengthening the powers of the CIA director and establishing a new national counterterrorism center.

PARIS - French authorities are searching for a passenger who failed to show up for an Air France flight that was canceled because of security concerns on Christmas Eve, France's justice minister said Wednesday.

WASHINGTON - The 27 pages deleted from a congressional report on Sept. 11, 2001, depict a Saudi government that not only provided significant money and aid to the suicide hijackers, but also allowed potentially hundreds of millions of dollars to flow to al-Qaida and other terrorist groups through suspect charities and other fronts, according to sources familiar with the document.

More bad news about the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

"Folks, I don't know about you, but when I see a photo of a dirty, exhausted, cigarette-smoking, profane language-using, sweaty, smelly, tattooed young Marine or GI on the TV, to me, he is closer to God than any clean-cut, well-dressed, well-spoken young man in a church, a ward, a temple, or a synagogue. ‘The Lord is a man of war and the Lord is his name' - Exodus 15:3."