U.S. School Staff Torture Teenager With Electric Shocks - Video

These evil, mentally diseased scum need to be prosecuted to the fullest extent, convicted, and then hooked up to their own torture machine; more madness from Obama's corporate controlled America; Fox News performs first act of honest journalism in it's history; Americans turn up sound on American Idol to drown out screams

PRESS TV
04/13/2012

A shocking new video has surfaced showing the staff at a mental institution in the US state of Massachusetts use repeated electrical shocks on a disabled boy while laughing.

Photo of Andre McCollins, then a disabled 18-year-old

The footage shows 18-year-old Andre McCollins tied face down to a table and screaming with pain as staff at the Judge Rotenberg Center in Canton, Mass. applied 31 jolts of electricity over the course of seven hours.

McCollins was admitted to a nearby children's hospital later that day where doctors diagnosed him with acute stress response caused by the shocks. They also said that the shocks could have killed the boy.

The video, filmed in 2002, was played in a court just outside Boston on Tuesday despite the institution's attempts for years to suppress it.

It was released this week after a high court judge overturned a previous ruling keeping the footage from being broadcast to the public.

McCollins' mother, Cheryl McCollins, has sued the institution and three of its employees for the harsh treatment of her son ten years ago.

She told the court that she had “no idea that they tortured children in the school.” 

 

 
“I couldn't turn Andre's head to the left or to the right. He was just staring straight. I took my hands and went like this (waves hand in front of her face), he didn't blink,” she added.

Lawyers for the school said the shocks were administered as “aversive” therapy, describing McCollins as an aggressive student.

Judge Rosenberg Center -- a school for disabled children -- was established in 1971 to help 'fix' children who are disruptive and intent on self-harm.

The school has been widely criticized for using electro-shock therapy to treat its disabled pupils. Two years ago the UN said the technique used there amounted to 'torture', and urged Obama administration to stop to it.

MN/MA 

 Video:  You Tube


Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The 5^th Estate.

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This news site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc.  We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.

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American Bar Association Resolutions Anti-Terrorism and Preservation of Civil Liberties - Videos

American Bar Association backed American civil liberties, Constitutional rights

The 5th Estate
04/13/2012

American Bar Association Resolutions
Anti-Terrorism and Preservation of Civil Liberties
Selected Policy Statements
Last Updated: 3/09
Military Commissions, adopted 2/02

RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges that, with respect to the November 13, 2001, Military Order Regarding "Detention, Treatment, and Trial of Certain Non-Citizens in the War Against Terrorism," or any similar military order that is issued, the President and Congress should assure that the law and regulations governing any tribunal will:

Torture Town for wayward "terrorists" who have pissed off Bush, Cheney, Obama:  Illegal U.S. military prison at Guantanamo

1. Not be applicable to United States citizens, lawful resident aliens, and other persons lawfully present in the United States;

2. Not be applicable to persons apprehended or to be tried in the United States, except for persons subject to the settled and traditional law of war who engage in conduct alleged to be in violation of such law of war;
 
3. Not be applicable to cases in which violations of federal, state or territorial laws, as opposed to violations of such law of war, are alleged;
 
4. Not permit indefinite pretrial detention of persons subject to the order;
 
5. Require that its procedures for trials and appeals be governed by the Uniform Code of Military Justice except Article 32 and provide the rights afforded in courts-martial thereunder, including, but not limited to, provision for certiorari review by the Supreme Court of the United States (in addition to the right to petition for a writ of habeas corpus), the presumption of innocence, proof beyond a reasonable doubt, and unanimous verdicts in capital cases; and
 
6. Require compliance with Articles 14 and 15(1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, including, but not limited to, provisions regarding prompt notice of charges, representation by counsel of choice, adequate time and facilities to prepare the defense, confrontation and examination of witnesses, assistance of an interpreter, the privilege against self-incrimination, the prohibition of ex post facto application of law, and an independent and impartial tribunal, with the proceedings open to the public and press or, when proceedings may be validly closed to the public and press, trial observers, if available, who have appropriate security clearances.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges the Executive and Legislative branches, in establishing and implementing procedures and selecting venues for trial by military tribunals, to give full consideration to the impact of its choices as precedents in (a) the prosecution of U.S. citizens in other nations and (b) the use of international legal norms in shaping other nations' responses to future acts of terrorism.

Military Commissions – Access to Civilian Defense Counsel, adopted 8/03

RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association calls upon Congress and the Executive Branch to ensure that all defendants in any military commission trials that may take place have the opportunity to receive the zealous and effective assistance of Civilian Defense Counsel (CDC), and opposes any qualification requirements or rules that would restrict the full participation of CDC who have received appropriate security clearances, and

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association endorses the following principles for the conduct of any military commission trials that may take place:

1. The government should not monitor privileged conversations, or interfere with confidential communications, between any defense counsel and client;

2. The government should ensure that CDC who have received appropriate security clearances are permitted to be present at all stages of commission proceedings and are afforded full access to all information necessary to prepare a defense, including potential exculpatory evidence, whether or not used, or intended to be used, at a trial;

3. The government should ensure that CDC are able to consult with other attorneys, seek expert assistance, advice, or counsel outside the defense team, and conduct all professionally appropriate factual and legal research, subject to their duty not to reveal or disseminate classified or protected information or to such other conditions as the presiding officer of a military commission may determine are required by the circumstances in a particular case after notice and hearing;

4. The government should not limit the ability of CDC to speak publicly, consistent with their obligations under the Model Rules of Professional Conduct, and subject to their duty not to reveal or disseminate classified or protected information, or to such other conditions as the presiding officer of a military commission may determine are required by the circumstances in a particular case after notice and hearing;

5. The government should provide for travel, lodging, and required security clearance background investigations for CDC, and should consider the professional and ethical obligations of CDC in scheduling of proceedings.

6. The Government should permit non-U.S. citizen lawyers with appropriate qualifications to participate in the defense.

7. To the extent that the government seeks modification of any of the foregoing on the basis of national security concerns, it should be required to do so on a case-by-case basis in a proceeding before a neutral officer and with defense participation.

Not only did Obama break HIS PROMISE TO CLOSE GUANTANAMO, he "enhanced" and advanced Bush/Cheney torture policies

FURTHER RESOLVED, That Congress and the Executive Branch should develop rules and procedures to ensure that any military commission prosecution in which the death penalty may be sought complies fully with the provisions of the ABA Guidelines for the Appointment and Performance of Counsel in Death Penalty Cases.

Incommunicado Detention by the Immigration and Naturalization Service, adopted 8/02

RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association opposes the incommunicado detention of foreign nationals in undisclosed locations by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and urges protection of the constitutional and statutory rights of immigration detainees by:

1. Disclosing the names, detention facilities and charges against detainees and ensuring their immediate access to attorneys and family members;

2. Promptly charging detainees and releasing detainees when charges are not brought or removal orders are not effectuated within a constitutionally permissible time period;

3. Providing prompt custody hearings before immigration judges with meaningful administrative review and judicial oversight;

4. Holding public removal hearings except when required to protect the individual’s safety or welfare or when a judge finds that a portion of any such hearing must be closed because (a) information that would pose an imminent threat to national security is likely to be disclosed and (b) there is no other reasonably available alternative to closure that would adequately protect the government’s national security interest; and

5. Promulgating into regulation the four INS detention standards relating to access to counsel and legal information, and permitting independent organizations to visit the detention facilities and meet privately with detainees to monitor compliance.

Enemy Combatants, adopted 2/03

RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges that U.S. citizens and residents who are detained within the United States based on their designation as "enemy combatants" be afforded the opportunity for meaningful judicial review of their status, under a standard according such deference to the designation as the reviewing court determines to be appropriate to accommodate the needs of the detainees and the requirements of national security; and

"The United States Does not Torture" - Barack Obama

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges that U.S. citizens and residents who are detained within the United States based on their designation as "enemy combatants" not be denied access to counsel in connection with the opportunity for such review, subject to appropriate conditions as may be set by the court to accommodate the needs of the detainees and the requirements of national security; and

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges Congress, in coordination with the Executive Branch, to establish clear standards and procedures governing the designation and treatment of U.S. citizens, residents, or others who are detained within the United States as "enemy combatants;" and

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges that, in setting and executing national policy regarding detention “enemy combatants,” Congress and the Executive Branch should consider how the policy adopted by the United States may affect the response of other nations to future acts of terrorism.

Torture, adopted 8/04

RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association condemns any use of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment upon persons within the custody or under the physical control of the United States government (including its contractors) and any endorsement or authorization of such measures by government lawyers, officials and agents;

"The United States Does Not Torture"

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges the United States government to comply fully with the Constitution and laws of the United States and treaties to which the United States is a party, including the Geneva Conventions of August 12, 1949, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and related customary international law, including Article 75 of the 1977 Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions, to take all measures necessary to ensure that no person within the custody or under the physical control of the United States government is subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment;

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges the United States government to: (a) comply fully with the four Geneva Conventions of August 12, 1949, including timely compliance with all provisions that require access to protected persons by the International Committee of the Red Cross; (b) observe the minimum protections of their common Article 3 and related customary international law; and (c) enforce such compliance through all applicable laws, including the War Crimes Act and the Uniform Code of Military Justice;

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges the United States government to take all measures necessary to ensure that all foreign persons captured, detained, interned or otherwise held within the custody or under the physical control of the United States are treated in accordance with standards that the United States would consider lawful if employed with respect to an American captured by a foreign power;

"The United States Does Not Torture"

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges the United States government to take all measures necessary to ensure that no person within the custody or under the physical control of the United States is turned over to another government when the United States has substantial grounds to believe that such person will be in danger of being subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment;

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges that 18 U.S.C. §§2340(1) and 2340A be amended to encompass torture wherever committed, and regardless of the underlying motive or purpose;

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges the United States government to pursue vigorously (1) the investigation of violations of law, including the War Crimes Act and the Uniform Code of Military Justice, with respect to the mistreatment or rendition of persons within the custody or under the physical control of the United States government, and (2) appropriate proceedings against persons who may have committed, assisted, authorized, condoned, had command responsibility for, or otherwise participated in such violations;

"The United States Does Not Torture"

  
FURTHER RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges the President and Congress, in addition to pending congressional investigations, to establish an independent, bipartisan commission with subpoena power to prepare a full account of detention and interrogation practices carried out by the United States, to make public findings, and to provide recommendations designed to ensure that such practices adhere faithfully to the Constitution and laws of the United States and treaties to which the United States is a party, including the Geneva Conventions, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and related customary international law, including Article 75 of the 1977 Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions;

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges the United States government to comply fully and in a timely manner with its reporting obligations as a State Party to the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment;

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges that, in establishing and executing national policy regarding the treatment of persons within the custody or under the physical control of the United States government, Congress and the Executive Branch should consider how United States practices may affect (a) the treatment of United States persons who may be captured and detained by other nations and (b) the credibility of objections by the United States to the use of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment against United States persons.

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, adopted 2/06

RESOLVED, that the American Bar Association calls upon the President to abide by the limitations which the Constitution imposes on a president under our system of checks and balances and respect the essential roles of the Congress and the judicial branch in ensuring that our national security is protected in a manner consistent with constitutional guarantees;

"The United States Does Not Torture"

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the American Bar Association opposes any future electronic surveillance inside the United States by any U.S. government agency for foreign intelligence purposes that does not comply with the provisions of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, 50 U.S.C. §§ 1801 et seq. (FISA), and urges the President, if he believes that FISA is inadequate to safeguard national security, to seek appropriate amendments or new legislation rather than acting without explicit statutory authorization;

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the American Bar Association urges the Congress to affirm that the Authorization for Use of Military Force of September 18, 2001, Pub.L. No. 107 40, 115 Stat. 224 § 2(a) (2001) (AUMF), did not provide a statutory exception to the FISA requirements, and that any such exception can be authorized only through affirmative and explicit congressional action;

"The United States Does Not Torture"

  
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the American Bar Association urges the Congress to conduct a thorough, comprehensive investigation to determine: (a) the nature and extent of electronic surveillance of U.S. persons conducted by any U.S. government agency for foreign intelligence purposes that does not comply with FISA; (b) what basis or bases were advanced (at the time it was initiated and subsequently) for the legality of such surveillance; (c) whether the Congress was properly informed of and consulted as to the surveillance; (d) the nature of the information obtained as a result of the surveillance and whether it was retained or shared with other agencies; and (e) whether this information was used in legal proceedings against any U.S. citizen.

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the American Bar Association urges the Congress to ensure that such proceedings are open to the public and conducted in a fashion that will provide a clear and credible account to the people of the United States, except to the extent the Congress determines that any portions of such proceedings must be closed to prevent the disclosure of classified or other protected information; and

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the American Bar Association urges the Congress to thoroughly review and make recommendations concerning the intelligence oversight process, and urges the President to ensure that the House and Senate are fully and currently informed of all intelligence operations as required by the National Security Act of 1947.

Torture Prohibition for Civilian Agencies, adopted 8/07

RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges Congress to enact legislation that would:

(a) Supersede the Executive Order of July 20, 2007, which authorizes the Central Intelligence Agency to operate a program of detention and interrogation that is inconsistent with U.S. obligations under Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions of August 12, 1949 (Common Article 3); and

"The United States Does Not Torture"

(b) Ensure that whenever foreign persons are captured, detained, interned or otherwise held within the custody or under the physical control of the United States, or interrogated in any location by agents of the United States (including private contractors), they are treated in accordance with the minimum protections afforded by Common Article 3 and in a manner fully consistent with the standards of treatment and interrogation techniques contained in FM 2-22.3, the U.S. Army Field Manual on Intelligence Interrogation of September 2006.

State Secrets Privilege, adopted 8/07

RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association supports procedures and standards designed to ensure that whenever possible, federal civil cases are not dismissed based solely on the state secrets privilege; and

Bush's AG Gonzales said it is O.K. to torture

FURTHER RESOLVED, That in furtherance of this objective the American Bar Association urges congress to enact legislation governing federal civil cases implicating the state secrets privilege (including cases in which the government is an original party or an intervenor) that:

a.  Permits the government to plead the privilege in its answer to particular allegations in the complaint without admitting or denying those allegations, and without having adverse inferences drawn against the government for doing so;


b.  Requires the government to provide a full and complete explanation of its privilege claims and to make available for in camera review the evidence the government claims is subject to the privilege;

c.  Requires a judicial assessment of the legitimacy of the government’s privilege claims and deems evidence privileged only if the court finds, based on specific facts, that the government has reasonably determined that disclosure of the evidence would be significantly detrimental or injurious to the national defense or to cause substantial injury to the diplomatic relations of the United States;
 
d.  Permits the discovery of non-privileged evidence that may tend to prove the plaintiff’s claim or the defendant’s defense, provided that such evidence can be effectively segregated from privileged evidence, and where appropriate, provides for protective orders, in camera hearings, special masters to assist (including when the claim of privilege involves voluminous records), or other measures where necessary to protect the government’s legitimate national security interests;

e.  Requires the government to produce a non-privileged substitute for privileged evidence, consisting of a summary of the privileged evidence, a version of the evidence with privileged information redacted, or a statement admitting relevant facts that the privileged evidence would tend to prove, provided that:

(i) The court finds that the evidence is essential to prove a claim or defense in the case;

(ii) The court finds that it is possible, without revealing privileged evidence, for the government to produce a substitute that provides a substantially equivalent opportunity to litigate the claim or defense as would the privileged evidence; and

(iii) In cases in which the government is a party asserting a claim or defense that implicates the privilege, the government is given the opportunity to elect between producing the non-privileged substitute and conceding the claim or defense to which the privileged evidence pertains;

INCREDIBLE:  This retarded coward managed to subvert the Constitution; Bush and his English poodle Tony Blair were convicted in absentia in Malaysia for War Crimes

f.  Provides that a ruling on a motion to dismiss, or for summary judgment, based on the state secrets privilege be deferred until the parties complete discovery of facts relevant to the motion and the court resolves any privilege claims asserted as to those facts under the procedures described above, except when the court finds that there is no credible basis for disputing that the state secrets claim inevitably will require dismissal;

g.  Provides that, after the court takes these steps and reviews evidence proffered by both parties, judgment for the defendant based on the state secrets privilege is denied if the court finds that the plaintiff is able to prove a prima facie case with non-privileged evidence (including non-privileged evidence from sources outside the U.S. government), unless the court also finds, following in camera review, that the defendant’s ability to defend against the plaintiff’s case would be substantially impaired because the defendant is unable to present specific privileged evidence; and

h.  Entitles the government to take an expedited interlocutory appeal from a district court decision authorizing the disclosure of evidence subject to a claim under the state secrets privilege, imposing sanctions for nondisclosure of such evidence, or refusing a protective order to prevent disclosure of such evidence.

Review and Disposition of Guantanamo Detainees, adopted 2/09

RESOLVED, that consistent with the Supreme Court’s directive in Boumediene v. Bush and President Obama’s January 22, 2009 Executive Order on “Review and Disposition Of Individuals Detained At The Guantanamo Bay Naval Base And Closure of Detention Facilities,” the American Bar Association urges the U.S. Government to ensure that:

War Criminal Cheney still torturing, now in the business of stealing transplant hearts from poor children

(a) All individuals who have been or are expected to be charged with violations of criminal law should be prosecuted in Article III federal courts, unless the Attorney General certifies, in cases involving recognized war crimes, that prosecution cannot take place before such courts and can be held in other regularly constituted courts in a manner that comports with fundamental notions of due process, traditional principles of the laws of war, the Geneva Conventions and the Uniform Code of Military Justice;

(b) All individuals currently detained at Guantanamo who, upon review, are determined to have been improperly classified as or no longer considered to be “enemy combatants” should be promptly released or resettled; and

(c) All remaining individuals currently detained as enemy combatants at Guantanamo are granted a prompt habeas corpus hearing with full due process rights and provided access to counsel and the right to review and confront the evidence against them, including potential exculpatory evidence within the government’s possession, whether or not used, or intended to be used at trial, subject to appropriate conditions as may be set by the court to accommodate the needs of the detainee and the requirements of national security; and

(d) No individual should be detained as an “enemy combatant” except pursuant to an act of Congress defining this term.

Videos:  You Tube


Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The 5^th Estate.

Images:  Google royalty free unless otherwise attributed.

This news site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc.  We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.

Read more »

BREAKING : NORTH KOREA LAUNCHES MISSILE; U.S. Says Launch Failed

U.S. saying launch "failed" - Successive U.S. administrations since Korean "war" have artificially kept North Korea alive and well in order to have perpetual enemy "bogeyman;" Obama criminal regime ignores North Korean nukes while at same time threatening Iran on nuke development

Australian Herald Sun
By Kate Rose
04/13/2012:  9:51 AM

NORTH Korea has successfully launched a long-distance missile this morning, the United States has confirmed

News of the controversial launch was first broadcast on North Korean television and in South Korean media outlet Yonhap.

Pyongyang claims the missile launch is to lift a satellite into orbit, but the United States, Britain and Japan have all expressed concerns about the action.

Japan has even placed its own missiles at the ready should its air space be violated.

"North Korea launched a long-range rocket and we're tracking its trajectory," a South Korean government source told Yonhap.

A US official later confirmed the launch..

North Korea has previously said the rocket launch was for peaceful research purposes, but Western critics see the launch as a thinly veiled ballistic missile test, banned by United Nations resolutions.

The Group of Eight powers last week warned North Korea a launch would lead to action at the UN Security Council.

Video:  You Tube


Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The 5^th Estate.

Images:  Google royalty free unless otherwise attributed.

This news site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc.  We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.

Read more »

UPDATE : Gigantic 8.9 Earthquake Strikes Off Banda Aceh; Quake Ripples Across ASEAN

UPDATE:  5 reported dead so far on Sumatra; quake sparks panic in Thailand, Malaysia - The 5th Estate will be continually updating this breaking story

The 5th Estate
By Robert S. Finnegan and Imas-Kurniawati-Finnegan
04/13/2012

UPDATE

The recent 8.9 earthquake off Banda Aceh sent shock-waves throughout the ASEAN region, sparking panic in Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

In Penang Malasia the Quake rocked skyscrapers, sending terrified workers flooding into the streets.

High-rise office buildings in Penang Malasia shook and swayed

At 3:18 PM on the 11^th Irene Luciana felt the shaking begin on the 5^th floor of a 20 story high-rise prompting her to rush for the nearest stairwell to escape.  She said the shaking lasted 30 or 40 seconds.  "We (herself and work colleagues) were terrified.  It took us what seemed like hours to get out, and it was only a couple of minutes in the stairwell.  The streets were full of panicking people." she said.  No casualties or damage has been reported from Penang yet.

In Phuket Thailand on vacation with his family, James Haggin watched as people began fleeing for high ground, and then joined them.  "It was like a replay of 2004, the same screams you heard on TV then were heard again, it was surreal." he said.

Office workers in Colombo Sri Lanka fled skyscrapers in droves.

Jakarta escaped the effects of the earthquake unscathed

In Singapore Ramon Rachman felt the shaking in his silk shop on Temple Street and immediately thought of a tsunami.  "Yes, my shop was shaken badly however there was little damage, we were very lucky.  I personally was more concerned with a tsunami, there was confusion and some people panicked." he said.  The street (Temple Street) was full of frightened people, it looked like high tourist season, except everybody was just looking around frightened."

04/12/2012

A massive magnitude 8.9 earthquake has struck Indonesia again off the Indonesian Island of Sumatra at Banda Aceh, panicking residents of this quake-ravaged area where a previous quake struck 160 kilometers (100 miles) off Aceh's coast on December 26, 2004 leaving over 350,000 people dead and scores missing.

Please click to enlarge maps

Reports are still coming in regarding casualties and damage, no deaths have been reported yet however reports coming from Aceh are still sketchy and have not been verified, the remoteness of the area hampering and delaying communications as was the case with the 2004 earthquake that devastated the region and other Southeast Asia countries.

People run for high ground after earthquake hit off Banda Aceh

 The worst-hit area is said to be the island of Simeulue off the southern coast of Aceh.  The island is said to be sparsely populated.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii has cancelled tsunami warnings for the Indian Ocean.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said that the warning system worked.  Monday's epicenter was about 60 miles (100 kilometers) south of the December 26  2004 quake that produced  devastating tsunami waves.  "I have ordered authorities from disaster management into the area.  Everything so far, is under control.  There was a bit of panic, but the people of Aceh are being moved to safety."

The quakes were centered approximately 300 miles (500 km) southwest of Banda Aceh on the northern tip of Sumatra, the U.S. Geological survey said. The first was at a depth of 20.5 miles (33 km).

Indonesia's disaster management agency has reported that power failed in Aceh province and people were gathering on high ground as sirens from local mosques warned of the danger.  Sutopo, a spokesman for the agency said "The electricity is down, there are traffic jams to access higher ground. Sirens and Koran recitals from mosques are everywhere."

Panic gripped many fleeing Indonesians as they fled to higher ground and many others gathered into the already crowded streets holding crying children, as the fear of a tsunami spread.  A hospital in the city of Medan evacuated patients, who were wheeled out on beds and in wheelchairs.

The quake and aftershocks were centered in the same area as the 2004 quake, which was at a depth of 18 miles (30 km) along a fault line running under the Indian Ocean, off western Indonesia and up into the Bay of Bengal.  They were also felt in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the Thai capital of Bangkok.

Were you there during the earthquake?  Send your photos, stories to editor.5th.estate@gmail.com or call us at +62 812-98-177936, +62 821-23-926857.

Videos:  You tube


Robert S. Finnegan is a retired investigative journalist and journalism professor who resides in Jakarta and Garut Indonesia with his spouse, photographer Imas Kurniawati-Finnegan.  

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WAYNE MADSEN REPORT : Nuclear Fracking Off Aceh?

Foreign oil companies destroying habitat, killing wildlife, polluting ocean environment in Indonesian waters

Wayne Madsen Report
By Wayne Madsen
04/13/2012

After revelations from a U.S. Geological Survey report that natural gas and oil fracking has been responsible for some of the quakes in the mid-western United States, comes the following report from off the coast of Aceh on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia:

 Halliburton has been engaged in oil exploration off the Sumatran coast using isotope markers that contain small nuclear devices. Although the nuclear explosive devices are small compared to larger military-grade bombs, they may have been involved in triggering the recent 8.9 quake off Sumatra. Conveniently, the USGS, which soft-pedalled the link between fracking in the United States to quakes, quickly downgraded the 8.9 quake to 8.6, not an insignificant downgrade considering the logarithmic earthquake scale used to measure earthquake strength.


Wayne MADSEN (USA)

Investigative journalist, author and syndicated columnist, Madsen has over twenty years experience in security issues. As a U.S. Naval Officer, he managed one of the first computer security programs for the U.S. Navy. 

Wayne Madsen

Madsen has been a frequent political and national security commentator on Fox News and has also appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera, and MS-NBC. He has been invited to testify as a witness before the US House of Representatives, the UN Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, and an terrorism investigation panel of the French government. A member of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) and the National Press Club, Madsen is based and reports from Washington, D.C. 

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UPDATE : Casualty, Damage Reports Coming In - 8.9 Earthquake Strikes Off Banda Aceh

If numbers really are this low it truly is a miracle, however the quake was centered in a remote area, where communications are sketchy at best:  Heart attacks, KFC and David Cameron - An odd killer quake from all points on the compass

Daily Mail
By Julian Gavaghan and Rick Dewsbury
04/13/2012

KFC Thailand has issued an apology after being criticised for a Facebook message that urged people to rush home during Wednesday's tsunami scare and order a bucket of KFC chicken.

Medan:  Office workers panic as they evacuate their building

As people were being urged to evacuate from beach areas, the company posted this message: 'Let's hurry home and follow the earthquake news. And don't forget to order your favorite KFC menu.'

It prompted hundreds of angry comments on a variety of Thai web forums that denounced the company as insensitive and selfish.

By Thursday the message was removed and replaced by one that asked for forgiveness.

Wednesday's earthquakes in Indonesia revived memories of the 2004 Asian tsunami that claimed 230,000 lives, including more than 8,000 people in Thailand.

It follows news that five people died after suffering heart attacks with several more injured in the aftermath of yesterday's Indonesian tsunami earthquakes that sparked mass panic.

Two powerful earthquakes in the region's westernmost province, Aceh, triggered hysteria for millions of people as they fled high ground when a tsunami warning was raised.

Aceh, close to the epicenter of yesterday's tremors, bore the brunt of the tidal wave eight years ago but millions were breathing a sigh of relief after the tsunami warnings were lifted.

Life quickly got back to normal today as residents assessed the damage left by the earthquake, consisting of cracks in the walls of houses and structural damage to a bridge.

Usman Basyah, 45, who lost one of his sons in the 2004 disaster that killed 170,000 people in Aceh alone, said: 'I really feel my prayers were answered. I'm so grateful.

'We've gone through enough trauma already.'

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono with English PM David Cameron

 Buildings shook for four minutes and there were reports of people jumping from windows in a desperate attempt to escape.

Patients also poured out of hospitals, some with drips still attached to their arms. In some places, electricity was briefly cut.

There were also scenes of panic in Bangalore, India and Columbo in Sri Lanka as terrified people fled their homes and offices.

Workers evacuate in Colombo, Sri Lanka

Then, two hours later, a massive aftershock - with a similarly huge magnitude of 8.2 - struck only 110 miles further out to sea, unleashing even more panic.

Tsunami waves, measuring 3ft in height, hit Sumatra, the island Aceh is on. But experts discovered that both quakes were the wrong type to issue a disaster and the warnings were lifted.

Roger Musson, seismologist at the British geological survey who has studied Sumatra's fault lines, said the earthquake was a strike-slip quake.


The tsunami triggering 9.1-magnitude earthquake of seven years go - which killed 230,000 people, three quarters of whom lived in Aceh - was a thrust quake, which causes the sea bed to flip up.

The earthquakes occurred as Prime Minister David Cameron visited Indonesia's capital, Jakarta, which is 1,600 miles south-east of Aceh and on a different island, Java. No tremors were felt there.

He told President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono: ‘Our thoughts should be with those who are affected.

‘Britain of course stands ready to help if help is required.

‘We will stand with you and your government and your people at this time of worry.

Mr Yudhoyono moved to calm nerves, saying that there appeared to be no serious casualties and local residents had been taken to safety.

An elderly woman is helped by her family as they attempt to flee the city

He added that ‘as of this time there is no threat of tsunami’ - despite an international warning being issued.

He added: ‘The situation is under control so far. It is a very different situation from 2004 when Aceh was faced with a deadly tsunami.’

The tremor was felt in Singapore, Thailand, Bangladesh, Malaysia and India. A tsunami warning has been issued for cities all along the coast of Sumatra.

There were also reports of the water level dropping in the Thai resort of Phuket - a sign that the sea is drawing back in preparation to launch an enormous wave.

A tsunami watch means there is the potential for a tsunami, not that one is imminent. Since 2004 such warnings are issued after every earthquake in the Pacific.

Indonesia straddles a series of fault lines that makes the vast island nation prone to volcanic and seismic activity.

Last year's devastating tsunami in Japan was triggered by an earthquake with a similar hypocentre depth 20 miles below the surface.

[There are] Chilling parallels with Boxing Day disaster that devastated an entire region... and gave rise to [the] new tsunami warning system.

The earthquake that struck off the coast of Aceh today has chilling parallels with the disaster that obliterated the region on Boxing Day, 2004.

More than 230,000 thousand people were killed by the resulting tsunami that swept inland and washed away homes.

A further 250,000 people were injured by the catastrophe, which was the sixth deadliest ever recorded.

But so unpredictable is the whim of nature that today's earthquake - despite being almost as powerful - has not had the same fatal effects.

The tsunami that struck in the Indian Ocean in 2004, was caused by a 9.1 magnitude earthquake. Today's earthquake measures 8.7 on the Richter scale.

Although there is a slight difference in the strength, it would still be strong enough to cause significant damage.

The biggest tsunami ever recorded was triggered by an 8.3 magnitude earthquake in Lituya Bay, Alaska on July 9, 1958 - less powerful than the most recent quake in Indonesia.

And the Japan 2011 tsunami was brought on by 9.0 magnitude quake.

So why has today's quake not caused a killer tsunami?

The quake struck 20.5 miles below the sea bed whereas the one in 2004 was slightly closer to the sea at just 19 miles.

However, due to continual movement of the plates over the last eight years there position today will be different to when disaster struck before. The position of the plates when one of them breaks and causes seismic waves is a vital part of what causes the tsunami.

Although both earthquakes formed on the fault line where the India and Burma plates meet, today's earthquake did not cause disruption in the water.

Roger Musson, seismologist at the British geological survey who has studied the fault lines off Sumatra in northern Indonesia said that today's tremor was a strike-slip quake, not a thrust quake which causes the sea bed to flip up.

It is not impossible for strike-slip earthquakes to generate vertical uplift of water,

'When I first saw this was an 8.7 near Sumatra, I was fearing the worst,' Mr Musson said.

'But as soon as I discovered what type of earthquake it was, then I felt a lot better.'

Mega tsunamis strike when the plates create changes in the water pressure. The plates will have moved under each other differently today than how they did in 2004, creating less change in the water pressure.

Moreover, researchers studying the 2004 quake found small but significant jumps of between 5 and 10 millimeters at stations as far as 3000 kilometres from the epicentre. They also found the rupture was 1000km long and spread rapidly northwards from its origin.

This damage makes a significant difference because it is the 'snapping' motion of the earth's crust below the ocean that causes movement in the water above it. If the plates do not displace a large amount of water, the power of the underwater waves will be less.

In this case it appears that even though an underwater earthquake has been recorded, the disruption to the sea bed has not been strong enough to create momentum in the water.

The analyusts from Ecole Normale Supérieure (ENS) in Paris studied GPS data showing that the damage caused by the earthquake was at least 200km north of its epicentre.

The severity and location of the damage to seabed caused by today's earthquake is still unclear.

One aspect of tsunamis that is within man's control are the warnings that can be put in place. In 2004 there were no alerts telling people that a tidal wave was on its way.

Following the damage, The Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System was established following a United Nations conference in Kobe, Japan, in January 2005.

Seventeen seismic stations were placed in the ocean to detect plate movements and tremors. These sensors then pass the information to two recording stations which sound sirens and even make automated phone calls and send text messages and emails to residents.

Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The 5^th Estate.

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