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E-11A BACN
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In late June 2009, the USAF awarded Northrop Grumman Defense Mission Systems Inc., of San Diego, CA an urgent requirement contract for its Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) System. Under current plans, Northrop Grumman will help the USAF deploy BACN in up to 4 “E-11″ Bombardier BD-700 Global Express (see also BACN-modified photo) ultra-long-range business jets, and in up to 4 EQ-4B Global Hawk Block 20 UAVs, for sustained deployment through 2015.

BACN is an airborne communications relay that extends communications ranges, bridges between radio frequencies, and “translates” among incompatible communications systems. That may sound trivial, but on a tactical level, it definitely isn’t.

The BACN System Global Express
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BACN was developed under a Department of Defense Microelectronic Activity contract (#H94003-04-D-0005), as part of the Interim Gateway Program. It provides a high-speed, Internet protocol (IP)-based airborne network infrastructure that that extends communications ranges, bridges between radio frequencies, and “translates” among incompatible communications systems – including both tactical and civil cellular systems. Using BACN, a Special Forces soldier on the ground could use a civil cell phone to speak to a fighter pilot in the cockpit.

BACN supports seamless movement of imagery, video, voice and digital messages, with support for waveforms that include SINCGARS (single-channel ground and airborne radio system), DAMA (demand assigned multiple access), EPLRS (enhanced position location reporting system), SADL (situation awareness data link), Link 16, and IP-based networking connectivity using TTN (tactical targeting network), TCDL (tactical common data link) technology, CLIP (Common Link Integration Processing), and 802.11b. Northrop Grumman’s joint translator/forwarder (JXF), originally developed for US Joint Forces Command, is to accomplish digital-message transformation.

That kind of system can be especially useful in rugged terrain that block line-of-sight communications, in combined civil/military situations, or when different services or even different countries are operating side by side in the field. Afghanistan meets all of those criteria, an so do some aspects of operations in Iraq.

F-22A: Got BACN?
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There are even reports that BACN may be installed in the F-22 Raptor as a communications gateway that would solve some of that platform’s issues; releases concerning the JEFX 08 exercises were vague on this subject, mentioning only BACN’s ability to receive unique F-22 waveforms.

As of 2006, the Northrop Grumman BACN team included:

• Northrop Grumman’s Defense Mission Systems, Space Technology, Integrated Systems and Information Technology sectors
  
• NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX
  
• Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids, IA
  
• Raytheon Solipsys in Laurel, MD
  
• L3 Communications in Salt Lake City, UT
  
• Qualcomm Inc. in San Diego, CA
  
• ViaSat Inc. in Carlsbad, CA

BACN served

Northrop Grumman and teammate Orion Air Group provide 24/7 operations and support services for BACN on the front lines.

At present, BACN is flying on 3 modified E-11A Global Express long-range business jets (1 leased, 2 USAF-owned), and 3 (soon 4) EQ-4B Global Hawk Block 20 UAV variants. Another E-11 plane has been contracted for integration.

Contracts and Key Events

Unless otherwise specified, contracts are issued and managed by the staffs at Hanscom Air Force Base, MA, and performed by Northrop Grumman. Contracts began with the firm’s Defense Mission Systems, Inc. unit in San Diego, CA, then shifted to Northrop Grumman Systems Corp’s Defense Systems Division in Herndon, VA after 2010, following the firm’s move to Washington, DC. Since then, the contractor’s side had shifted back and forth between Herndon VA and what is now Northrop Grumman Space & Mission Systems Corp. in San Diego, CA.

FY 2014 – 2015

EQ-4B Operations

June 6/15: On Monday the Air Force awarded a $145.4 million contract modification for services in support of the Battlefield Airborne Communication Node Joint Urgent Operational Need (BACN JUON). Contractor Northrop Grumman also benefited from a $35.7 million modification to the KC-10 tanker Contractor Logistics Support program.

Aug 6/14: Northrop Grumman Corporation announces an $89.7 million contract option to continue operating and supporting BACN (4 E-11A jets, 3 EQ-4B UAVs, all payloads) in support of overseas contingency missions through June 2015. Sources: NGC, “Northrop Grumman Awarded Contract to Continue BACN Mission Support Contract”.

Jan 15/14: Northrop Grumman Information Systems in Herndon, VA receives a $52.3 million firm-fixed-price cost-reimbursement modification, exercising CLIN options to continue supporting and operating E-11A BACN aircraft.

$31.8 million in FY 2014 O&M funds are committed immediately. Work will be performed at Kandahar AB, Afghanistan, as well as Wichita, KS, and is expected to be complete by Jan 23/15 (FA8726-13-C-0001, PO 0013).

FY 2011 – 2013 SmartNode on Firebird
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May 7/13: Northrop Grumman Space and Missile Systems Corp. in San Diego, CA receives a $89.4 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification, extending the FY 2009 BACN payload contract that covers deployment support and operation of the fielded systems.

Work will be performed at San Diego, CA, and abroad at locations where currently deployed until June 22/14. $7.5 million in FY 2013 Operations and Maintenance funds are committed immediately by the USAF Life Cycle Management Center/HNAK at Hanscom AFB, MA (FA8726-09-C-0010, PO 0076).

Nov 1/12: E-11A. A $48.2 million firm-fixed-price contract for E-11A BACN platform maintenance at Kandahar Air Base, Afghanistan. The contract will run until February 2018. Whether the Afghan regime will run that long is another question (FA8726-13-C-0001).

Sept 27/12: 4th E-11A. A $33 million contract modification for BACN Node payload integration and supplemental type certificates on E-11A aircraft S/N 9506. That serial number indicates a new contractor-owned aircraft. This will bring the number of E-11As to 4: 2 leased, and 2 government-owned.

Work will be performed in San Diego, CA, and is expected to be completed by Oct 31/13. The AFLCMC/HNAK at Hanscom AFB, MA manages the contract (FA8726-09-C-0010, PO 0059).

New E-11
A

Sept 7/12: EQ-4B #4. Northrop Grumman delivers the USAF’s 4th EQ-4B Global Hawk 4 months ahead of schedule, in a flight from the Palmdale, CA facility to Grand Forks AFB, ND. It’s the 2nd scheduled delivery from the Dec 28/11 entry.

Briefings with appropriate personnel reveal that it may be the 4th EQ-4B delivered, but it’s only the 3rd one flying for the USAF. The Aug 20/11 crash (added below) explains the discrepancy. NGC release, Oct 23/12.

June 2012: EQ-4B #3. Northrop Grumman delivers the USAF’s 3rd EQ-4B Global Hawk ahead of schedule. It’s the 1st scheduled delivery from the Dec 28/11 entry. Source.

June 21/12: All. A $106.4 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification, to extend the deployment and operation of BACN payloads installed in 3 EA-11A jets and 3 E-Q4B Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles.

Work will run to June 22/13, and will be performed both within the United States, and outside the USA where currently deployed (FA8726-09-C-0010, PO 0043).

June 21/12: E-11A. A $50.6 million firm-fixed-price contract modification for 8 more months of E-11A Platform Maintenance support for the 3 aircraft: tail numbers 9355, 9358, and 9001. Work will be performed at Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan until Feb 24/13 (FA8726-09-C-0010, PO 0053).

May 17/12: SmartNode – BACN Lite. Northrop Grumman completes a series of test flights for its SmartNode Pod, which is based on BACN technology but can be carried by smaller aircraft and UAVs. SmartNode can connect to BACN platforms, ground operational centers or other pods to create encrypted, high-bandwidth digital data and voice connectivity. The project is funded by the firm and by a US military customer, and Northrop Grumman used its own Firebird “optionally manned” plane because the designated platform wasn’t immediately available for testing.

The SmartNode Pod is designed to be a part of the Pentagon’s Joint Aerial Layer Network (JALN), which would link ground, space and airborne communications nodes to offer military forces the bandwidth they require. That had been the goal of the $20-25 billion TSAT satellite program, before it was cancelled; JALN represents a much more diverse and incremental approach to the same problem. Discussions with Northrop Grumman indicate that BACN would sit at the top tier of JALN, while SmartNode is a mid-tier solution that won’t do satellite communications, has fewer message translation options, won’t support as many networks, and won’t support many of the classified American networks. On the other hand, it’s a 250 pound payload that can fly on MALE(Medium Altitude Long Endurance) UAVs like the US Army’s MQ-1C Gray Eagle, IAI’s Heron, etc., providing high-bandwidth relay and a useful subset of technical translations at less cost, in more places. NGC | USAF re: JALN.

March 30/12: E-11A. A $26.8 million cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price, time-and-material contract modification exercises options for a 7.5 month extension of E-11A serial number 11-9001 services, in support of Overseas Contingency Operations from April 1/12 through Nov 16/12. Should be painted in a nice military grey by now (vid. Nov 18/11), but the USAF hasn’t bought the jet, yet.

Work will be performed in San Diego, CA (44%) and Yorktown, VA (56%) – (FA8726-09-C-0010, Modification PO 0050).

Feb 23/12: E-11A. A $34.2 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification adds a 4-month extension for the continued operations support and maintenance of the USAF’s 2 BACN E-11A jets, and operational support and maintenance of the BACN payloads. Work will take place in San Diego, CA, and the extension runs until June 22/12 (FA8726-09-C-0010 PO 0042).

Dec 28/11: EQ-4B. Northrop Grumman Defense Mission Systems Inc. in San Diego, CA receives a $47.2 million firm-fixed-price contract to buy and integrate BACN payloads on 2 more RQ-4B Global Hawk Block 20 aircraft: AF-11 and AF-13. These 2 HALE UAVs will be provided to Northrop Grumman as government furnished property. Then Northrop Grumman will integrate the BACN payload and turn them into EQ-4Bs, bringing the delivered fleet to 4 and the serving fleet to 3.

Work will be performed in Palmdale, CA, and is expected to be complete by Aug 22/12 for AF-11, and Dec 15/12 for AF-13. USAF Material Command’s Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom AFB, MA (FA8726-09-C-0010, PO 0041).

2 more EQ-4B UAVs

Nov 18/11: E-11A. A $29.5 million firm-fixed-price contract modification. The modification is for a Continuous Airworthiness Maintenance Plan (CAMP) Level 8C inspection of Air Force aircraft E-11A, serial number 11-9001, followed by a 5-month extension of the operation and support of the aircraft. It also provides an option to repaint the aircraft to USAF specifications, and for correction of any faults found during CAMP inspection.

This is the same sort of sequence followed for the other 2 leased jets, just before the USAF bought them. One firm was solicited and one firm submitted a proposal to USAF Materiel Command’s Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom AFB, MA (FA8726-09-C-0010, PO 0038).

Nov 3/11: The USAF’s BACN platforms get official designations. The Bombardier BD-700s are E-11As, and the modified Global Hawk Block 20 UAVs are EQ-4Bs. Northrop Grumman.

Designations

Sept 30/11: E-11A. Orion Air Group, LLC in Newport News, VA receives a $50 million firm fixed price contract to buy 2 of the leased “E-11A” Global Express BD-700-1A10 jets, serial # 9355 & 9358, including their engines. The aircraft and engines were provided to the Pentagon by Northrop Grumman, under a sub-lease for operations (FA8726-09-C-0010). Now we know why the Sept 21/11 contract had that re-painting option.

US Air Force Materiel Command, Electronic Systems Center, Airborne Networks Division at Hanscom Air Force Base, MA manages this contract (FA8307-11-C-0014).

Bizjet buyout: 2 E-11As

Sept 21/11: E-11A. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp.’s Defense Systems Division in Herndon, VA receives a 5-month, $43 million extension to a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to operate and maintain the other 2 E-11A Global Express BACN jets, serial numbers 11-9355 and 11-9358. This contract also provides for the operation and maintenance of the BACN payload by Northrop Grumman, and offers an option to re-paint the 2 BD-700 aircraft to USAF specifications (FA8726-09-C-0010, PO 0035).

Aug 20/11: EQ-4B lost. One of the USAF’s EQ-4B’s (tail number 04-2017) crashes about 105 nautical miles NW of Kandahar, during a communications relay mission over Afghanistan. The accident investigation believes that a connector failed, which led to the loss of electricity for the payload, and for the aileron and spoiler flight control systems. That made the UAV uncontrollable, and it arrowed into the ground within 4 minutes. There isn’t much left, as one might imagine given the UAV’s starting altitude. The investigation isn’t 100% definitive, because the avionics were not recovered at the crash site.

The EQ4B is home-based at Beale AFB, CA with the 9th Reconnaissance Wing, but it was forward-deployed to Afghanistan for its missions. Crash investigation [PDF].

EQ-4B crash

July 8/11: E-11A. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp.’s Defense Systems Division in Herndon, VA receives a 4-month, $20.7 million extension to a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for operate and maintain E-11A Global Express BACN jet, serial number 1-900. This contract also provides for the operations and maintenance of the BACN payload (FA8726-09-C-0010, PO 0032).

June 25/11: The BACN system completes its 2,000th USAF mission flown in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Since the system was deployed to support Afghan theater operations in October 2008, BACN has accumulated more than 20,000 operational flight hours in those 2,000 missions, with a mission availability rate of 98%.

The interval from Oct 1/08 – June 25/11 inclusive is 998 days, which means an average sortie rate of about 2 missions per day, 24/7.

Mission #2,000

Dec 21/10: The Department of Defense (DoD) and the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) have selected the BACN Joint Urgent Operational Need (JUON) program to receive one of the Top 5 DoD Program Awards given annually for excellence in systems engineering.

BACN also has been honored in 2010 with the Weapon Systems Award from the Order of Daedalians, a national fraternity of military pilots, and the 2010 Network Centric Warfare Award for Outstanding Achievement from a Defense Industry Partner, from the Institute for Defense and Government Advancement. Northrop Grumman.

Recognition

Dec 13/10: E-11A. A $74.6 million option for continued maintenance and support of the payload installed in 2 of 3 modified BD-700 Global Express aircraft leased from March 2011 through October 2011. Money will be committed as needs arise (FA8726-09-C-0010; P00021).

Nov 30/10: All. A $34.1 million contract modification to extend BACN payload maintenance and support in current theaters of war. At this time, $10 million has been committed (FA8726-09-C-0010; P00020).

FY 2006 – 2010 RQ-4B Block 20
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Sept 22/10: EQ-4B. Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems Sector in San Diego, CA received a $20 million contract modification which will provide replenishment spares relative to the RQ-4B Global Hawk Block 20 BACN joint urgent operational need effort. WR-ALC/GRCKA at Robins Air Force Base, GA manages this contract (FA8528-09-D-0001; PO 0016).

BACN was originally deployed on board a high altitude NASA WB-57 aircraft. Deployment on board the Global Hawk UAV is the next step beyond its current platform, a modified Bombardier Global Express business jet.

March 11/10: Sub-contractors. ViaSat in Carlsbad, CA receives $21.5 million firm-fixed-price contract and delivery order for MIDS-LVT Link 16 terminals, combining purchases for the USA (68%) and Germany (11%); and for Australia (18%) and South Korea (3%) under the Foreign Military Sales program.

Contract funds in the amount of $1.6 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Work will be performed in Carlsbad, CA (30%) and in various other sites worldwide (70%), and is expected to be complete by Feb 28/12. This contract was competitively procured via the Space and Naval Warfare Systems E-commerce Web site, with 2 offers received, based on a synopsis released via the Federal Business Opportunities Web site (N00039-10-D-0032).

ViaSat’s subsequent release says that this new award includes LVT (1) terminal variants for F/A-18, P-3, and E-2D aircraft; and MH-60R/S helicopters, along with terminals for the BACN program and other U.S. Navy applications. The MIDS-LVT Lot 11 order also includes LVT (2) “ground” terminal variants for various U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force and Joint Forces applications, as well as terminals for Germany, Australia, and Korea.

Feb 22/10: All. Northrop Grumman Defense Mission Systems, Inc. in San Diego, CA, was awarded a $77.9 million contract to maintain and support the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node system “in support of overseas contingency operations” through fiscal year 2010. The award is corrected on Feb 25/10 to add an order number, and say that only $58.4 million has been committed (FA8726-09-C-0010, P00008).

Jan 26/10: Recognition. At the Institute for Defense and Government Advancement’s Network Enabled Operations conference in Arlington, VA, BACN receives the 2010 Network Centric Warfare Award for Outstanding Achievement from a Defense Industry Partner. NGC release.

Sept 14/09: All. A $35.5 million contract to provide the rapid fielding and support of the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node System. At this time no money has been obligated; it will be allocated as needs arise (FA8726-09-C-0010, P00003).

June 24/09: Contract. A $276.3 million cost-plus-fixed-fee urgent requirement contract for its Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) System. At this time, $97.8 million has been obligated by the 653rd Electronic Systems Group at Hanscom Air Force Base, MA (FA8726-09-C-0010).

The contract will fund fielding in 3 long-range Bombardier BD-700 Global Express jets, and 2 Global Hawk RQ-4B Block 20 UAVs. It will also fund the company’s support for continuing operations of the existing BACN-equipped BD-700, which the Air Force deployed to the front lines in December 2008. See also Northrop Grumman release.

BACN ordered

Oct 18/06: Development. Northrop Grumman will continue to enhance and expand the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) under 2 recently awarded Defense Microelectronics Activity contracts, issued under its Advanced Technology Support Program.

The 16-month, $25 million BACN Spiral Technical Phase II will continue base development, building on the initial $25.7 million BACN contract in April 2005. The 24-month, $8.5 million Intraflight Datalink Gateway System will add a secure data link allowing the F-22 Raptor to communicate with other platforms without compromising its stealth. Northrop Grumman.

BACN Development Phase II

Additional Readings

• Northrop Grumman – Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN).

• Northrop Grumman (March 18/10) – Daniel “Fig” Leaf Addresses Irregular Warfare (IW) Conference. Mentions BACN. Lt. Gen. Dan “Fig” Leaf, U.S. Air Force (ret.) is Northrop Grumman Information Systems’ Vice President, Full Spectrum Initiatives.

• Northrop Grumman (May 13/08) – Northrop Grumman’s Battlefield Airborne Communications Node Enables Unprecedented Real-Time Distribution of F-22 Data to Legacy Aircraft.

• Northrop Grumman (Aug 8/06) – BACN Sizzles at JEFX; Northrop Grumman Completes Test of Joint Airborne Network System.

• Northrop Grumman (July 19/06) – Northrop Grumman Brings BACN to California Disaster-Recovery Exercise.

La ville de Dewsbury dans le nord de l'Angleterre est sous le choc. Les médias annoncent depuis lundi la mort d'un jeune de leur communauté parti combattre aux côtés du groupe Etat islamique et qui serait le plus jeune kamikaze britannique. Il serait mort ce week-end dans un attentat-suicide en Irak.

A report in the Sunday Times, alleging British operatives were put at risk from information obtained from Edward Snowden's cache of leaked documents, is being torn to pieces as the worst kind of journalism in the service of government fear-mongering.

The Canadian Department of National Defence has selected Hewitt Equipment to replace the diesel-electric generator (DG) sets and the provision of in-service support for the Navy’s fleet of Halifax-class frigates.

General Dynamics (GD) National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (Nassco) has delivered the US Navy's third mobile landing platform (MLP) ship, the USNS Lewis B Puller, bringing the first MLP afloat forward staging base (AFSB) variant into navy's fleet.

The UK Royal Navy has successfully tested a remote-controlled aerial system, which could be used to monitor its fleet, at the Portsmouth Naval Base.

Curtiss-Wright has secured contracts worth more than $480m to deliver pumps, valves, generators, and propulsors for the US Navy's Block IV Virginia-class submarine programme.

Russian Su-35 Multi-Role Fighter

June 15, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese president Omer al-Bashir has been received by senior government officials and hundreds of supporters upon his return from South Africa on Monday evening where he participated in the 25th African Union summit.

Sudanese President Omer Hassan al-Bashir salutes his supporters as he disembarks from the plane, after attending an African Union conference in Johannesburg South Africa, at the airport in the capital Khartoum, Sudan June 15, 2015 (REUTERS)

Bashir left South Africa few hours before judges at the High Court handed down a decision ordering his arrest.

He arrived in Pertoria Saturday, defying two arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against him for war crimes and genocide in Darfur region in March 2009 and July 2010.

Technical problems prevented the Sudanese president from addressing the large crowd who held a casket in which they wrote “taking the International Criminal Court to its final resting place”.

Sudan's foreign minister, Ibrahim Ghandour, said in a press conference at the airport upon Bashir's arrival that Sudan's participation the summit could have taken place normally and without noise were it not for those whom he called “enemies of Africa and Sudan” who sought to turn it into a “drama” to prevent the president from attending the summit.

He said their insistence on Bashir's participation in the summit was due to benefits expected from it, noting they were aware of the uproar which accompanied the president's trip to South Africa.

“We knew it was nothing but media hype, an attempt to block the sunlight”, he said
“Bashir followed this [media hype] with astonishment while he followed the other things [court proceedings] with coolness”, Ghandour added

Ghandour pointed that Bashir's participation in the summit confirmed the fact that he is the “star of Africa's leaders”, saying the way he was received by the African presidents and ministers proves that Africa pays special recognition to him and to Sudan.

He emphasized that Bashir would continue to participate in African Union's summits.

The Sudanese top diplomat said that Sudan would take a firm stand against any country which issues a statement supporting the arrest of Bashir, noting that Sudan is a sovereign nation and Bashir is an elected president.

Ghandour stressed the summit decided to send a delegation comprised of six people to the UN Security Council (UNSC) in order to implement the African Union resolution to cancel the referral of the Sudan and Kenya cases to the ICC.

“The ICC's [powers] has been eliminated following refusal of all African countries to implement its rulings”, he stressed

He described the take off of Bashir's plane from Waterkloof military base in Peritoria as “normal”, saying all planes carrying the African leaders have been transferred to private airports after they landed in Johannesburg airport.

Ghandour praised the stance of the South African government and its president Jackob Zuma who refused to carry out the ICC arrest warrant against Bashir and said he is a dear guest and they are proud of his participation.

He said that South Africa's foreign minister told them they made sure of their legal position 12 days before the commence of the summit, saying they published in their official gazette that all African leaders participating in the summit are under the protection of the state of South Africa.

Meanwhile, the governor of Khartoum, Abdel-Rahim Mohamed Hussein, said the African leaders have proven that the ICC doesn't mean anything to them, describing as a “fatal blow” to the court which he said was set up to “humiliate the Africans”.

“The Africans have proven that they don't accept any humiliation inflicted on any African president”, he said.

He said that Bashir's participation in the summit was meant to show that the ICC doesn't mean anything to Africa.

It should be recalled that Hussein is also wanted by the ICC on 13 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in Sudan's western region Darfur.

The former vice president, Ali Osman Mohamed Taha, said what happened to the president in South Africa shows the authenticity of the Sudanese leadership and the status of Sudan in African.

He added the incident has strengthened cohesion and feelings besides the humanitarian, intellectual and political links among Africans, saying the stance of Sudan and its president represents a symbol for defying attempts to curb Africa's movement towards the future.

(ST)

June 15, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The South African government issued a statement on Monday vowing to probe the manner by which Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir left the country despite a local court ruling ordering him to remain in the country until a decision is made on a case pertaining to him.

South Africa Flag

“Government notes the judgment of the North Gauteng High Court on the matter regarding Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir,” reads a brief statement attributed to South Africa's acting cabinet Spokesperson Phumla Williams.

“As indicated in court, government will enquire the circumstances under which President Al Bashir left the country. We will also comply with the court order relating to submission of an affidavit outlining these circumstances”.

As far as the judgment ruling related to Bashir's immunity, Williams said that they will await “written reasons of the judgment” which is expected to come out in a week.

This is the first official comment by Johannesburg since the Bashir row erupted over the weekend.

Earlier today, the High Court judges handed down a decision ordering Bashir's arrest despite government assertions on his immunity.

"The respondents are forthwith compelled to take all reasonable steps to arrest President Bashir ... and detain him pending a formal request for his surrender from the International Criminal Court," presiding Judge Dunstan Mlambo was quoted as saying by local South African media.

But when the decision was being read, Bashir had already left the country. This was communicated to Judge Mlambo by the government attorney right after he read the ruling adopted unanimously by the court.

The government attorney had been telling the court in the first part of the proceedings that he believes that Bashir is still in the country.

Judge Mlambo expressed concern that Bashir was allowed to leave despite the court order and ordered the government to file an affidavit explaining how that happened in what appears a step before determining who will be held in contempt of court.

"It is of concern to us, as a court that an order issued was ignored" he said.

Despite the government suggestion that Bashir 'sneaked out' of the country without their knowledge, it is understood that his outbound flight was facilitated by South African officials who saw him off at the airport and cleared his plane for takeoff at Waterkloof military airport.

Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC), which brought the case against Bashir, expressed satisfaction with the court ruling today despite Bashir being allowed to leave.

“I think we are delighted with the court decision,” Caroline James from SALC told Sudan Tribune by phone from Johannesburg.

James said that while they have yet to see the reasoning behind the court's decision, they believe the judges affirmed that the government had no right to grant immunity to Bashir and overrule constitutional and international obligations.

“This is really really good,” she said before adding that the decision will likely result in a political fallback specially when the government files the affidavit explaining how Bashir managed to leave.

Asked about the next steps, James said that once the affidavit is served, SALC will have its lawyers review it before deciding on whether to pursue contempt charges against government officials.

(ST)

(Own report) - New revelations in the inquiry on assassination attempts by the neo-Nazi "National Socialist Underground" (NSU) have incriminated an operative and an informer of two of Germany's intelligence services. According to recent reports, a long-time leading activist of the neo-Nazi scene in Cologne is strongly suspected of having planted a bomb in a local supermarket in December 2000. The bombing is considered one of a series of NSU crimes. The neo-Nazi activist was being managed as an "undercover agent" by North Rhine-Westphalia's Office for the Protection of the Constitution and had possibly still been in contact with the leading NSU trio in 2009. New suspicions have emerged pertaining to Andreas Temme, an operative of Hesse's Office for the Protection of the Constitution. Traces of gunpowder found on his gloves have been attributed to a rarely used type of ammunition, which had been used in the NSU murders. Temme had previously raised suspicion of having been involved in an NSU murder in Kassel. He had left the scene of the crime exactly at the time it was committed. However, he claims that he had not seen the victim, Halit Yozgat, neither alive nor dead, which seems impossible due to the circumstances of the crime. The Minster of Interior, at the time, currently Hesse's Prime Minister, Volker Bouffier , had systematically blocked investigations of Temme's possible involvement.

June 15, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – South Sudan's former vice president, Riek Machar, turned leader of the armed opposition faction of the ruling Sudan Peoples' Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO), has met the president of the United Republic of Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete, over the ongoing reunification process of three factions of the ruling party in the young country.

SPLM-IO leader Dr. Riek Machar meets Tanzanian president Jakaya Kikwete, June 15, 2015, Johannesburg, South Africa (ST photo)

The two leaders met on Monday on the sidelines of the African Union (AU) summit of heads of state and government in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Rebel leader's spokesman said the meeting centered on how best the Arusha intraparty dialogue on reunification could be complementing the Addis Ababa comprehensive peace process to end the civil war in South Sudan.

“The two leaders discussed how best to approach the Arusha SPLM intraparty dialogue as a complementary to the IGAD comprehensive peace process,” Machar's spokesman, James Gatdet Dak, told Sudan Tribune when contacted on Monday.

He said the SPLM-IO leadership was committed to the intraparty dialogue which was addressing the root causes of the current crisis in the country in the context of the ruling party.

“You know the current national crisis started as a political crisis within the SPLM party before it developed national. If the rival party leaders can address those causes and accept SPLM transformation, reforms and leadership succession, I think they can also accept similar reforms on governance at the IGAD process,” he said.

Dak stressed that the Arusha reunification process would address democracy within the disintegrated ruling party including structural, organizational and leadership issues which caused the crisis.

He however said the process was not a substitute to the IGAD peace process and should not be misinterpreted to mean “mere reinstatement” of SPLM leaders previously dismissed “unconstitutionally” by president Salva Kiir following the crisis.

The rebel leader's spokesman commended the Arusha roadmap agreement signed in January this year, describing it as a positive guiding document in resolving outstanding issues within the party.

“Our leadership believes that addressing the root causes of the conflict through the intraparty dialogue would positively reflect on the IGAD peace process,” he said.

But, he added, an intraparty agreement would not be an end in itself, ruling out what he said were misinterpretations by people who thought the rebel leadership would return to Juba if an agreement was struck by the SPLM factions.

Full implementation of a reunification agreement, he further stressed, was dependent on a final peace agreement in Addis Ababa that will resolve on all outstanding issues such as on governance and security arrangements and reforms outside the party's jurisdiction.

President Kikwete's ruling party of the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) has since last year been mediating between the SPLM in government (SPLM-IG) led by president Salva Kiir, SPLM-IO led by former vice president, Riek Machar and former detainees (FDs) led by former party's secretary general, Pagan Amum in trying to reunify their ranks and file.

Observers say the process is expected to be complementing to the IGAD peace process to end the 18-month long civil war in the country.

(ST)

June 15, 2015 (WASHINGTON/KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir left South Africa few hours before judges at the High Court handed down a decision ordering his arrest and rapping the government for what it described as a violation of the constitution.

"The respondents are forthwith compelled to take all reasonable steps to arrest President Bashir ... and detain him pending a formal request for his surrender from the International Criminal Court," presiding Judge Dunstan Mlambo was quoted as saying by local South African media.

Bashir has left around noon local time as the High Court was listening to arguments from the government attorney and the one representing Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC).

The government attorney asserted to court in the first part of the proceedings that he believes that Bashir is still in the country.

He went on to say that the list of passengers on the Sudanese presidential plane submitted to the control tower at the Waterkloof airbase did not include the name of Bashir.

The arguments were then focused on the issue of immunity for the Sudanese leader who was indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in 2009 & 2010 over alleged war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity during the Darfur conflict.

But the government underscored that despite South Africa being a state party to the ICC founding statute and having incorporated it into its constitution, Bashir is covered by the Diplomatic Immunity and Privileges Act .

He also said that Bashir as one of the delegations attending the African Union (AU) summit hosted by South Africa has been granted blanket immunity per this act and for the purposes of this regional summit. .

The judge then asked the government attorney whether Bashir would be liable for arrest should he be South Africa for a vacation.

"Yes" was the direct response by the government attorney.

Before the adjournment of the first session the government attorney affirmed his position that Bashir has not left the country.

After the court session resumed, the government attorney said that he received notification from the South African presidency and Department of International Relations and Cooperation that the Sudanese president flew out.

He explained that the government will initiate an inquiry into how Bashir was able to leave the country despite a previous order barring his departure from the country pending a decision into the case.

Mlambo expressed concern that Bashir was allowed to leave despite the court order and ordered the government to file an affidavit explaining how that happened in what appears a step before determining who will be held in contempt of court.

"It is of concern to us, as a court that an order issued was ignored" he said.

BASHIR TO RECEIVE HERO WELCOME IN KHARTOUM

Bashir is expected to arrive at 6:30 PM in the evening and will be met by a crowd of supporters mobilized by the ruling National Congress Party (NCP).

The Sudanese Minister of State at the Ministry of Information Yasser Youssef confirmed on Monday that President Omar Hassan al-Bashir left Johannesburg.

Sudan News Agency (SUNA) said that the Sudanese Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour will hold a press conference on Monday at Khartoum airport immediately upon the return of President Bashir and his delegation.

Meanwhile, youth organizations and NCP-affiliated entities called for people to come to Khartoum airport on Monday afternoon to receive the president.

CRITICISM OF SOUTH AFRICA

Bashir's arrival and departure from South Africa unhindered has angered NGO's and human rights groups.

“This is a sad day for South Africa and a blow to the rule of law,” said Anton du Plessis, managing director of the Institute for Security Studies, an African think-tank.

“Until now, the country has been a champion of international justice and has done more than most in Africa to make sure victims get justice" he told the Globe and Mail newspaper.

Earlier on Monday, United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon said South Africa must arrest Bashir to fulfill its obligations to the international court.

"The International Criminal Court's warrant for the arrest of President al-Bashir on charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes is a matter I take extremely seriously," U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told reporters in Geneva.

"The authority of the ICC must be respected and its decision implemented," Ban added.

Elise Keppler, acting director of international justice at Human Rights Watch (HRW), said that "by allowing this shameful flight, the South African government has disregarded not only its international obligations, but its own courts".

“When Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir took off from South Africa today, he took with him the hopes of thousands of victims of grave crimes in Darfur who wish at last to see justice done,” she said.

“An opportunity was missed, but a clear message has been sent to Bashir that he is not safe from arrest.”

(ST)

June 15, 2015 (WAU) – A panel of experts from United Nations are in South Sudan's Western Bahr el Ghazal state to probe crimes committed during the conflict.

A woman carries water through a UN camp for internally displaced people in South Sudan's Upper Nile state (Photo: IOM)

The UN team of experts are headed by Vladimir Zhagora from Belarus.

Zhagora told reporters that his delegation has been touring the country to get information on the conflict, which started in 2013.

“We are trying to establish an open professional relationship with everybody in south Sudan whom we meet in states,” he said.

“We had been meeting government officials throughout the states and in Juba on issues of diplomacy,” added Zhagora.

The UN secretary general appointed the five-member panel in April in response to a request from the Security Council's resolution 2206 (2015), adopted on 3 March, 2015.

“The panel is inquiring information on who is obstructing the ongoing peace process on South Sudan in Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa,” said Zhagora.

“We are also inquiring information on who launches attacks on the civilian's population in South Sudan's areas of conflict during this conflict,” he added.

The UN team will also seek information on those said to be blocking movement of humanitarian workers in areas most-affected by the war.

“The security council did not impose any sanction by this resolution,” said Zhagora, adding that council would decide what kind of sanction could be applied to some individuals in South Sudan.

The UNSC is considering a way to impose sanctions against both sides of the South Sudan conflict, which has continued despite several commitments by it warring parties to honour ceasefire deals.

The conflict broke out following disagreements within the ruling party (SPLM), killing tens of thousands of people and displacing nearly two million others since December 2013.

South Sudan strongly opposes calls for sanctions, saying such a decision would generate adversarial relationship and further aggravate the country's ongoing conflict.

(ST)

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has strongly condemned a series of deadly bombings in the Chadian capital of N’Djamena which reportedly killed more than 25 people and injured dozens of others, according to a spokesperson for the United Nations.

A pályázat célja: hogy a mellrákból gyógyult vagy a daganatos betegséggel most küzdő hölgyek alkotásaikkal hozzák felszínre a betegségükkel kapcsolatos érzéseiket, ezzel megalkotva a saját belső indíttatásuk szerinti REMÉNY (rózsaszín) SZALAGJÁT, mintegy "... tetté érlelve a szándékot, alkotássá emelve a gondolatot."

Bikmakk kolléga küldte ezt az SMS-t:

A Belgrád-Budapest vonaton vagyok, most indultunk el. Tele van a vonat afgán, szír stb migránssal, 150-en legalább lehetnek, ha nem még többen. Mint a heringek, a földön ülnek szegények, meg a vagonok folyosóin.

Jegyük nincs, rendőri kísérettel utaznak. Állítólag Szabadkán le fognak szállni. Ezek szerint a szerb államvasutak és a szerb rendőrség szervezetten szállítja őket a magyar határ felé, amíg lehet.

Fotó: Bikmakk - Serbia Insajd

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