[watch “security aware page” on The Crooked Bough for more interesting security tips]

June 9th, 2011
How to Disable Facebook’s Facial Recognition Feature
Announcement by Eva Galperin EFF

Back in December of 2010, Facebook debuted its tag suggestion feature, which works by using facial recognition technology to examine photos in which you’ve already been tagged, and then creating what Facebook calls your “photo summary” or “photo comparison information,” or what we’ll call your “facial fingerprint.” Using this information, FB suggests your name to your friends when they upload a photo of you, and invites them to tag you in that photo. Over the last few months, Facebook has been slowly rolling this feature out to all of its users, which caught the attention of security firm Sophos, The New York Times, and the European Union, which has launched a probe to investigate the new feature.

Like most new Facebook features, this one is turned on by default. If you would prefer not to have Facebook store your facial fingerprint and use it to suggest photos in which your friends can tag you, you will need to opt out manually. The following video will show you three ways to delete your facial fingerprint data from Facebook, and show you a privacy setting that lets you ensure that you are the only person who can see tags identifying you in photographs.

…source

15 Child Prisoners of Guantánamo Thursday, June 09, 2011
Mohammed Ismail Agha

It turns out that more children were detained at Guantánamo than the U.S. government previously admitted.

Based on documents newly released by WikiLeaks, the Center for the Study of Human Rights in Americas at the University of California Davis found at least 15 prisoners who were children (17 years old or younger) at the time of their arrival in Cuba.

Prior to this disclosure, the State Department had acknowledged the presence of only 12 non-adults at Guantánamo. In an earlier report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, State Department officials admitted to only eight juvenile detainees.

Thirteen of the 15 were eventually released by U.S. authorities. Of the remaining two, one, Omar Khadr of Canada, became the first child in history convicted of war crimes. Khadr was 15 years old when, during a firefight in Afghanistan in 2002, he allegedly threw a grenade that killed U.S. soldier Christopher Speer.

The other child, Yasser Talal al Zahrani of Saudi Arabia, was 16 years old when he was captured in Afghanistan and accused of fighting for the Taliban. He reportedly hanged himself in his cell at the age of 21 in a case that is still considered controversial.

The youngest child held in the prison was Mohammed Ismail Agha of Afghanistan, who was 13 at time of his detainment. He was apparently trying to find construction work when a local militia tried to recruit him. He refused and the militiamen told U.S. soldiers that was a Taliban fighter. Agha spent 14 months in custody before being released from Guantánamo, at which time he shocked human rights advocates by claiming to have enjoyed his time in the camp and thanking American soldiers for having taught him some English and finding him books to read in his native Pashto. He was, however, critical of U.S. authorities for waiting ten months to tell his father (through the Red Cross) that he was alive. …more

Iranian blogger sentenced to 20 years in prison
09 Jun 2011

Sakhi Rigi was sentenced to 20 years in prison today for critiquing the 2009 Iranian presidential elections on his blog. He was arrested in 18 June 2009 and has received the longest sentence given to an Iranian blogger. Yesterday (8 June) Canadian-Iranian blogger Hossein Derakhshan lost his appeal against a 19-year prison sentence. Known as the “blogfather,” Derakhshan championed the internet as a means of social reform. He has been in prison since his arrest in 2008 for making disparaging remarks about important Shiite leaders. Both Derakhshan and Rigi were convicted of “aiding enemy states and propaganda against the Islamic system.” …more

Friday, Jun 10, 2011 12:44 ET
DC law firm defends Bahrain on human rights crackdown
A top law firm will be paid $550 per hour to help Bahrain respond to allegations it fired trade unionists
By Justin Elliott

The Bahraini government’s brutal crackdown on a Shiite protest movement has shifted from the public scenes of police attacking protesters in the streets to the detention and prosecution of opposition figures and doctors.

And now the Bahraini regime has inked a contract with a high-priced Washington law firm to help fight a labor complaint filed by the AFL-CIO about an under-reported aspect of the crackdown: the firing of hundreds of workers and union leaders for participating in strikes and other pro-democracy actions. Sorini, Samet & Associates will be paid at a rate as high as $550 per hour, plus expenses, to help Bahrain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs lobby against the April complaint submitted by the AFL-CIO under the U.S.-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement. …more

Bahrain Shiite cleric says no dialogue with Gulf nation’s Sunni rulers under crackdown climate
By Associated Press, Updated: Friday, June 10, 9:16 AM

MANAMA, Bahrain — Bahrain’s most senior Shiite cleric said Friday there is no chance for talks with the Gulf nation’s Sunni rulers while security forces maintain their clampdown on protesters calling for equal rights and political freedoms.

The sermon by Sheik Isa Qassim underscored the deep discontent among Bahrain’s Shiite majority despite the lifting of martial law-style rules earlier this month and appeals for dialogue by the Sunni monarchy. It also marked another blow to the ruling establishment after organizers of Bahrain’s prestigious Formula One race called off efforts to reschedule the 2011 event, which was canceled in March amid the unrest..

“We cannot negotiate in such conditions,” Sheik Qassim told worshippers in a mostly Shiite area outside the capital, Manama.

Sheik Qassim, who was joined by other Shiite clerics in a display of solidarity, denounced what he called “daily security harassment” in the form of checkpoints, arrest sweeps and other measures imposed to quell the protests that broke out in February.

He said the pressures were “building hatred among the people.”

Shiites represent about 70 percent of the population in the strategic island kingdom, which is home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet. But Shiites have long complained of discrimination at the hands of the ruling Sunni dynasty.

The internal battles also have become a showcase of Arab fears over widening influence by Shiite power Iran.

Sunni Gulf leaders, especially in nearby Saudi Arabia, have strongly rallied behind Bahrain’s monarchy, which has accused Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon and other Shiite groups of aiding the protests. …more

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Meets with Defenders from the Arab World | 09/06/2011

On June 7, the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) met with Ms. Navanethem Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and members of her office.

The meeting brought together human rights defenders from across the Arab world, who expressed appreciation to the dedicated efforts and consistent response of Ms. Pillay and her office to the situation in their countries since the beginning of the year. The delegation also presented the human rights situation in their respective countries and discussed further steps and ways to move forward.

Countries covered in the meeting were Libya, Yemen, Bahrain, Egypt, Tunisia, Sudan, and Lebanon.

The delegation was composed of Ms. Sihem Bensedrine of the National Council for Liberties in Tunisia, Mr. Nadeem Mansour of the Egyptian Centre for Social and Economic Rights and the Front for Defense of Egyptian Protestors, Ms. Maryam Al-Khawaja of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, Ms. Elham Saudi of the Lawyers for Justice in Libya, Mr. Majid Mastoor of the African Center for Justice and Peace Studies in Sudan, Ms. Rola Bardan of the Palestinian Human Rights Organization in Lebanon, and Ms. Sohair Riad, CIHRS researcher on Yemen.

The Arab NGO delegation also met with Ms. June Ray, OHCHR Chief of Civil Society Unit; Mr. Frej Fenniche, OHCHR MENA Department Chief, and several desk officers for the countries represented. ..more

Israeli police fire stun grenades in Al-Aqsa Mosque
Published yesterday (updated) 10/06/2011 21:11

JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Israeli forces fired stun grenades at worshipers in Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque after prayers on Friday, police and Palestinian officials said.

The Al-Aqsa Foundation said forces raided the mosque, the third holiest site in Islam, from the Bab Al-Maghariba entrance and clashed with Palestinian worshipers.

Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said forces entered the holy site after Palestinians threw stones at officers near one of the gates, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported.

Rosenfeld said police used stun grenades to disperse the crowd.

A Jerusalem police spokeswoman said officers fired tear gas and one person was arrested.

A spokesman for the Islamic authorities that run the mosque said one or two youths had been throwing stones, but the incident ended quickly. …source

Lebanon fears being drawn into Iran-Saudi cold war
April 12, 2011

BEIRUT: A war of words between Lebanon’s pro-Western and Iranian-backed camps has sparked fears of a backlash in the Mediterranean state over a “cold war” between Shia Muslim Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia.

“This war of words is further evidence that the Lebanon’s internal crisis is intrinsically linked to a regional showdown,” said Fadia Kiwan, head of the political science department at Saint Joseph University in Beirut.

She said that as Lebanon enters its fourth month without a government, the country “will only become increasingly mired in crises.” Riyadh, which backs the pro-Western camp led by caretaker premier Saad Hariri, has accused Iran of rousing anti-monarchy protests in Bahrain, a majority Shiite country ruled by a Sunni dynasty.

And Tehran, which along with Syria is a major supporter of Lebanon’s Shia militant group Hezbollah, has slammed back with accusations that Saudi sent its troops into the tiny kingdom to contain a legitimate popular uprising.

Experts say that with regional tensions on the rise, a protracted political crisis in Lebanon could take yet a turn for the worse as Hariri and Hezbollah trade increasingly harsh accusations.

“We have not yet reached the height of the crisis,” said Imad Salameh, political science professor at the Lebanese-American University. “We are only at the tip of the iceberg.” Saudi-backed Hariri, a US ally, has accused Iran of meddling in Lebanon’s affairs and taking Arab societies “hostage,” sparking a harsh rebuke from Hezbollah.

“Lebanon and a number of Arab countries… are suffering politically, economically and in terms of security from blatant Iranian interference in the Arab world,” Hariri said on Thursday.

Hezbollah, blacklisted as a terrorist group by Washington, was quick to respond and in a rare move, Iran also reacted to Hariri’s accusations, calling them “unfounded” and saying they served “US-Zionist” interests.

“Hariri’s position… is an open attempt to mask US interference in the region and the confiscation of the will of the people, who seek freedom and the end of American hegemony,” a Hezbollah statement said. …more

A US Embassy cable from Bahrain released by Wikileaks.
Volume 02, Issue 49 – Monday, 21 February 2011 23:25
Crown Prince Shaikh Salma Bin Hamad al Khalifa calls Iran a threat bigger than Israel. Here is verbatim of the us cable.

SUMMARY: During USAFCENT Commander Mike Hostage and CDA’s October 12 meeting with Crown Prince Shaikh Salman bin Hamad al Khalifa, the CP assured them that Bahrain would keep the pressure on Iran to live up to the commitments it made in Geneva (reftel). Lt Gen Hostage explained that the threat posed by Iran was leading the U S to pursue a Regional Integrated Air and Missile Defense (RIAMD) strategy with GCC countries. Shaikh Salman welcomed this and stressed that Bahrain wanted to be part of the solution to the GCC’s defense integration challenges. Lt. Gen Hostage and the Charge thanked him for Bahrain’s commitment to contribute a small contingent for the effort in Afghanistan. …more

West must find moral compass over Bahrain
10/06/2011 – 3:15 p | Hits: 25

After a week of condemnation in which even Bernie Ecclestone cowed, the Bahrain Grand Prix again looks doomed.

FIA chiefs met in Barcelona last week with a human rights report on the kingdom that might have been written by the Bahraini Government, for all the light it shone on the fractured society. The event has been restored to the calendar in murky circumstances but the teams are refusing to race. Belatedly, the sport has rediscovered its moral compass. Western governments are having trouble locating theirs.
The Bahraini Crown Prince arrived in Washington this week as part of a charm offensive that has included an ill-advised handshake on the steps of No 10 with David Cameron, right Sheikh Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa has been chided for his Government’s crackdown on protesters but Bahrain’s Western allies still appear unwilling to demand concrete action.
Bahrain remains a key strategic ally in the Gulf and the family provide a bulwark against Iranian expansionism. Britain also has a cosy relationship with the regime. In April a new generation of Bahrainis graduated from Sandhurst military academy, including Sheikh Salman’s son.
The trials at Bahrain’s military court however, are an affront to the Prince’s fine words on universal rights.
London and Washington must demand that the court be disbanded. Without this talk of reconciliation is futile. Sheikh Salman must also demand it. Among opposition groups he is seen as the country’s only hope.
Instead of reassuring the White House and No 10 of his commitment to human rights he must prove it to his people. …more

Shi’ite cleric warns Bahrain nearing “abyss”
June 10, 2011 1:30 PM EDT

A top Bahraini Shi’ite cleric said trials of dozens of people and the breaking up of Shi’ite religious marches were dragging the country towards destruction, not reconciliation, ahead of a planned national dialogue.

State officials have promised the talks, which King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa said would start on July 1, can discuss all types of democratic reforms in the country, rocked by anti-government protests that were quashed by security forces in March.

But Sheikh Issa Qasim, the most revered Shi’ite cleric in Bahrain, told a crowd of hundreds in his Friday sermon that current conditions did not match government rhetoric.

“This country is being brought closer to an abyss of terrifying destruction unless quick reforms are offered to satisfy the people,” he said.

Opposition groups say hundreds of people, most of them Shi’ite, have been put on trial on charges ranging from illegal gatherings and fabricated news to plotting a coup with foreign terrorist organisations. They say over 1,000 people remain in detention. The government says the numbers are much lower.

Bahrain’s Sunni rulers said the democracy protests earlier this year, led mostly by the country’s Shi’ite majority, had a sectarian agenda and help from Iran. The opposition denies this.

Emergency law was lifted last week, and since then small protests have broken out daily in Shi’ite neighbourhoods that are quickly broken up by riot police.

Sheikh Abdul-Aziz bin Mubarak al-Khalifa, Senior International Counselor from the Information Affairs Authority, has encouraged protesters to stop and instead focus on national dialogue. “We hope people will channel their energy in a more positive direction,” he said. …more

Time to disband the Bahrain-based U.S. Fifth Fleet

by News Source on June 10, 2011

Toby Jones writes:

After months of popular protests against the regime, Bahraini officials are desperate to convince anyone who will listen, and most importantly to their long time allies in Washington, that the Persian Gulf island nation is returning to normal. On Tuesday Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa visited the White House, where he offered assurances that the regime is serious about political reform and engaging in a “national dialogue” with the country’s beleaguered opposition. Although it has directed muted criticism toward the Bahraini government, the Obama administration has offered repeated reassurances that it intends to stand by the ruling family. The White House appears to believe, or is banking on hope, that the Crown Prince is both willing and able to shepherd the country through the current crisis. But it may be time for the U.S. to reconsider its largest commitment to the Bahraini monarchy — the massive U.S. Fifth Fleet docked on the island — and the complicated relationship of mutual dependency that got us here in the first place.

Whatever opening there was for real dialogue in Bahrain, it appears to have closed. While the Crown Prince is busy touring Europe and the U.S. promoting himself as a force for moderation, it’s the hardliners in the royal family who currently hold power. Rather than reconciliation, their priority continues to be to oppressing — and often punishing – the protesters calling for a more representative government. The regime has taken extreme, frequently violent measures to destroy the country’s political opposition and defeat the forces of democracy. …more

Bahrain: Targeting Cyber Activist to prevent the broadcasting of news and information
June 10th, 2011

Mr. Hussein Ali Makki – Cyber Activist, better known as “Hussain Bahrain” on Facebook.He was arrested on Thursday, June 9th 2011.

Security forces stormed his house and confiscated a computer.

Mr.Makki, Administrator of the Pages ( RASAD NEWS) on Facebook and Twitter.

“RASAD NEWS” is broadcast news and information about human rights violations in Bahrain, publish images and video of events and is considered an important source of information.

After the arrest of Mr.Makki, security forces have confiscated the pages password’s and broadcast news against the demonstrators and support Bahraini authorities actions against the protests.

On 9th April 2011, Mr. Zakariya Rashid Alashiri, 42 years who had died in police custody, was a cyber activist and was running the Aldair website. This website included forums that dealt with political discussion and developments.

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) expresses its concern about the arrest of Mr. Hussein Ali Makki and demanding that he be released immediately. …source