Yannis A. Stivachtis, "Searching for Jutice and Salvation: Islamic Fundamentalism as a Challenge to Western-Centric International Order: The Case of Al-Qaeda", RIEAS: Research Paper, No. 136, (October 2009).

RIEAS editorial pilfered, appears verbatim in Greek newspaper

On September 13, 2009, a weekly Greek newspaper carried a verbatim translation of one of our lead editorials that was published on August 23 under the title “Invisible 2”. The purported “author” of this “revelation” article was a person the newspaper identified as a former ambassador of Cyprus to Washington. 

We have no way of knowing whether the weekly newspaper knew that it was publishing our pilfered editorial. Since we are essentially old fashioned, we also dare say we hesitate to believe a former ambassador would stoop so low. We have already alerted the weekly Greek Newspaper senior editor. We hope he will act accordingly, find out exactly what happened, and publicly set the record straight.

We understand that it is increasingly difficult for any editorial staff to be able to catch cases as the above in the age of the Internet. Nowadays, depending exclusively on the honesty of authors is a weak defense. This present pitiful case of plagiarizing tells a lot about both the “writer” of the article, whoever he might be, and the cast-iron principles of our times.

We are glad to see our opinions re-published and re-distributed by others who find that our commentaries present thoughts worth wider dissemination. Our material is copyrighted, but open to re-publication provided a clear and prominent citation of the source is present. This is a basic courtesy that costs nothing.

Δρ. Μαρία Αλβανού
(Εγκληματολόγος- Ειδικός σε θέματα Τρομοκρατίας – Αναλύτρια στο RIEAS)

Copyright: www.rieas.gr

Τα τελευταία χρόνια και ειδικά μετά την 11η Σεπτεμβρίου, αλλά και τις αιματηρές επιθέσεις στο Λονδίνο και τη Μαδρίτη, η ασφάλεια των ευρωπαίων πολιτών από τρομοκρατικές ενέργειες θεωρείται και προβάλλεται από τις κυβερνήσεις ως υπ’ αριθμόν 1 προτεραιότητα για τη λήψη μέτρων. Το Ηνωμένο Βασίλειο είναι ένα από τα κράτη που έχει εισάγει «δρακόντεια» νομοθεσία με δικονομικές διαδικασίες εναντίον των υπόπτων για τρομοκρατικές ενέργειες που έχουν εγείρει την κριτική όσων υπερασπίζονται τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα. Στις 10 Ιουνίου η Βουλή των Λόρδων (Δικαστικό Τμήμα) αποδοκίμασε τέτοια μέτρα, βασιζόμενη στην απόφαση 3455/05 της 19 Φεβρουαρίου 2009 στην υπόθεση A. and Others v. the United Kingdom. Πρόκειται για μια απόφαση που δυστυχώς πέρασε απαρατήρητη και ασχολίαστη στη χώρα μας. Κι όμως έχει τεράστια σημασία, γιατί οριοθετεί μέχρι που επιτρέπεται να φτάνουν τα κράτη που έχουν επικυρώσει την Ευρωπαϊκή Σύμβαση για τα Ανθρώπινα Δικαιώματα με τα μέτρα καταπολέμησης της τρομοκρατίας, ώστε να μη θίγουν τελικά τα ίδια αυτό που διατείνονται ότι προστατεύουν: την ασφάλεια των ανθρώπων. Read more

RIEAS’s Director, John M. Nomikos (PhD) had a meeting with Dr. Konstantinos Giakoumis, Deputy Rector, Professor of Art History and Western Civilization at the University of New York based at Tirana, Albania.

Mrs. Aya Burweila, RIEAS Senior Analyst, is currently a student for the Certificate in Terrorism Studies from the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence (CSTPV) at the University of St. Andrews (UK).

For information on the Influenza H1N1 ("Swine Flu"), Read more

GORDON THOMAS SECRET WARS: ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF BRITISH INTELLIGENCE (St. Martin’s Press, 2009)

By Dr. Joseph Fitsanakis

Note: Dr. Joseph Fitsanakis (joe [at] intelNews.org) teaches politics, history and intelligence at King College, USA. He is Senior Editor at www.intelNews.org.

Gordon Thomas’ Secret Wars (St. Martin’s Press, 2009), whose publication coincides with the centennial year of Britain’s intelligence and security services, is a useful historical narrative of MI5 and MI6. The book’s strength rests on Thomas’ skilled storytelling, which, coupled with some interesting new information, will appeal to both popular enthusiasts and scholarly devotees of intelligence history. The latter, however, will have to overcome the surprising absence of any source notes in the book. Thomas attempts to make up for this by naming approximately half of his primary information sources. Noticeably, however, of the author’s 44 named primary sources, 12 are Israelis and only 11 are British.