Red alert!!

According to our ear-spies, the country’s various counter-terrorism agencies just met recently to assess the threat situation, or in particular, where the Jemaah Islamiyah may be poised to strike. Our ear-spy disclosed that the government expects the Islamic extremist group to launch a series of major terrorist attacks in Metro Manila right after the celebration of Ramadan, which is around Nov. 24. Now that a regional pattern seems to be forming, the public is being warned to be alert when parked or abandoned cars are sighted within the immediate vicinity. Car bombings will be a major tactic of the JI in launching this supposed attack, and it’s expected to be used against establishments frequented by Americans and the British, including private residences. So, carnappers, beware! You might end up napping the wrong car.

$10K Mafia

Our embassy spyring has received reports that seemingly "valid" US passports are bring sold to anyone interested for around $10,000. Apparently, the "Passport Mafia" is getting some alleged assistance from shady characters in the State Department who have access to computer records. Thus, applicants get a valid passport with a new name. In effect, they get a legal identity once they enter US borders. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) should mitigate or better yet investigate this fraud in view of the damage it may cause. The biometric passport used by the US Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) could be a good system to consider with regard to sustaining security in this area. Otherwise, any person ñ terrorists in particular - could just enter our porous borders. If this happens, the NAIA 2 takeover would seem like child’s play.

Bureaucratic Survivor Is A Dinosaur

According to our spyring, there is this doddering Undersecretary in a security organization who has been described as a dinosaur and a survivor. For one thing, according to our ear-spy, he is a dinosaur because he is impervious and resistant to any form of change or badly needed innovation that his organization requires. He is a survivor because he has overstayed his welcome. He has been with the department, which sadly needs young blood, for more than 20 years now. His technique in keeping his position? Brown nosing to every new Department Secretary. His latest trick, according to our spyring, is to hold back much needed human resources infusion by not signing the contracts of existing and incoming consultants. These consultants are supposedly badly needed by the organization to push through with reforms and engineering of the rebellion-wracked agency. Worse, he was said to have held back the employees" pay for the past couple of months. His reason: "We must give the Secretary the leeway in selecting his own team." With only seven months to go before a new administration starts, the agency should make do with existing consultants for stability and continuity. The President should have a good mind to look into this, lest this so-called dinosaur derail all the reforms GMA has recently implemented.

Spybiz Humor

A report just came in from our spyring that most of the tiangge owners in Greenhills, both Muslim and Christian, bonded themselves together and went to the streets to declare their support for Chief Justice Davide. It was a one-of-a-kind rally where the tiangge owners ran after customers shouting, "DVD! DVD! DVD!"

* * *

Join our ring of eye-spies by sending your comments and intelligence information at [email protected].

All info will be strictly confidential.