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From Google News

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Psychiatric evaluation finds Norway killer insane

OSLO, Norway (AP) – Confessed mass killer Anders Behring Breivik was insane when he killed 77 people in a bomb and shooting rampage in Norway, and should be sent to a psychiatric ward instead of prison, prosecutors said Tuesday.

A psychiatric evaluation ordered by an Oslo court found that Breivik was "psychotic" during the July 22 attacks — the country's worst peacetime massacre — which means he's not mentally fit to be sentenced to prison, prosecutors told reporters.

The conclusions, which will be reviewed by a panel of forensic psychiatrists, contrasted with comments made by the head of that board after the attacks. Dr. Tarjei Rygnestad at the time told who told The Associated Press that it was unlikely that Breivik would be declared legally insane because the attacks were so carefully planned and executed.

"The conclusions of the forensic experts is that Anders Behring Breivik was insane," prosecutor Svein Holden said, adding Breivik was in a state of psychosis during the attacks.

In their report, the experts describe a man "who finds himself in his own delusional universe, where all his thoughts and acts are governed by these delusions," Holden said. "They conclude that Anders Behring Breivik during a long period of time has developed the mental disorder of paranoid schizophrenia, which has changed him and made him into the person he is today."

In Norway, an insanity defense requires that a defendant be in a state of psychosis while committing the crime with which he or she is charged. That means the defendant has lost contact with reality to the point that he's no longer in control of his own actions.

The 243-page report will be reviewed by a panel from the Norwegian Board of Forensic Medicine, which could ask for additional information and add its own opinions.

On Tuesday, Rygnestad, who heads that board told AP that his comments in July were based on "secondary information" and that a person's mental state can only be determined through in-depth analysis. He said he had not read the full report yet.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/story/2011-11-29/norway-killer-insane/51458494/1

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Cyber Monday shutdown: FBI seizes 150 sites selling counterfeit goods

The FBI shut down 150 websites authorities said they believed were selling counterfeit goods.

“The theft of intellectual property, to include the trafficking of counterfeit goods, creates significant financial losses,” FBI Cyber Division Section Chief Zack Miller said. “The FBI aggressively pursues intellectual property enforcement through traditional investigative methods, intelligence initiatives and coordinated efforts with private industry and domestic and foreign law enforcement partners.”

The federal government controls the 150 domains that were seized and a banner appears on the sites that they have been taken over due to copyright infringement.

The FBI said they made undercover purchases of counterfeit sports jerseys, golf equipment, handbags, DVDs and more. The FBI was joined in the operation by Immigration and Customs Border Control and the Department of Homeland Security.

Tom Taylor, president of brand protection for OpSec Security in Boston (which works to protect brands from counterfeiting) welcomed the move and its timing.

"The action taken today is a step in the right direction. As more people turn to the Internet for their holiday shopping, more counterfeiters move their operations online, finding ways to trick consumers into buying fake products," he said. "The sale of counterfeit goods leads to losses in business profits, jobs, and can impact consumer safety and well-being. The Immigration and Customs Border Control seizures for Cyber Monday have added more ammunition in combating this illicit activity and have helped to increase awareness about the issues surrounding counterfeiting and the ramifications of those sellers involved."

Taylor said consumers should still be aware that counterfeiting is going on and that it can be more difficult to tell with so many legitimate products on sale.

Some tips from OpSec:

• While the Internet has given counterfeiters a way to reach consumers, it has also provided the opportunity for buyers to share information on whether or not a reseller is providing authentic wares.
  
  
• Check the logo: A common indicator of counterfeit goods is a misspelling or distortion to a label or logo. When purchasing a product, know the logo of the desired brand and look for any sort of variation on the product in question.
  
  
• Research the product before purchasing: When purchasing luxury goods, such as a watch or jewelry, knowing the features and design on the product is advised. This is especially important when buying from a reseller. Having a picture of the genuine product on hand is helpful in identifying suspicious attributes that would indicate that the product is counterfeit.
  
  
• Research where the product is made: Some luxury products are made in Europe while other brands are manufactured in Asia. Researching where a brand's main manufacturing facilities are located can help determine the authenticity of a product. The Far East is a known hub for counterfeit products. If a brand's manufacturing facilities are located in Europe, but the product is toting a “Made in China” label, this should raise suspicion.
  
  
• Are there missing components and information? Oftentimes, counterfeit electronics are sold without necessary and important items ranging from USB cords, instructions, warranty information, and missing serial numbers on the product or packaging. Checking all contents of the product before purchasing will decrease the likelihood of buying a counterfeit product.
  
  
• Is it a legitimate model? Some consumer electronic brands have an extensive list of models. Counterfeiters may attempt to pass off a non-existing model number as an authentic product. Check whether the product model is sold by the official manufacturer. If it does not exist on the manufacturer's catalog or website, it is a sure sign it is a fake.

Manassas police step up policing as crime numbers creep up

After three people were killed in the often crime-plagued neighborhood of Georgetown South in Manassas in February, police promised to increase their presence and focus on relationships to prevent crime and respond to the community's needs.

The fruits of those tactics were unveiled last week, with statistics showing that violations and arrests rose across the board in the neighborhood. Police patrolled the area an extra 881 times and logged 259 charges, according to a presentation by Police Chief Douglas W. Keen to the City Council last week. The most frequent crimes were public drunkenness, possession of marijuana and assault and battery on a family member.

The most serious crimes, among them homicide and rape, increased 5 percent over last year's third quarter. There was a 19 percent increase in arrests, and assaults were up 9 percent over the same period, according to the figures.

Keen said the rising numbers don't necessarily mean an increase in crime but are a result of the increased police presence and a zero-tolerance approach. He said that the statistics should level out over time and cautioned City Council members that they should not read too deeply into statistics from one time period.

Meg Carroll, a former Manassas police officer who is the community manager of Georgetown South, said that what Manassas police are practicing is not community policing.

“Community policing is not numbers,” she said. “It's results-oriented. You don't bring a community together by writing 600 tickets.”

Police issued 655 traffic tickets from January to November, according to Keen's presentation.

Carroll said that police have been slow to respond to calls and develop relationships to prevent crime.

“We've been complaining and complaining, ‘We need you to do something about certain houses.' And they don't,” she said. “That's an opinion held by many in the community. Why would you not help these people as much as you can help them rather than as little as you can help them?”

She said police need to do better job of steering victims and criminals to nonprofit groups and agencies that can help them.

Capt. Trey Lawler said police are required by law to hand out cards to victims with referrals to agencies that can help. The department has authorized overtime pay for officers to spend more time in Georgetown South, resulting in more foot patrols and more officers spending time speaking with residents, he said.

Lawler said the effort has limitations, however. The department plans to add new officers to its patrols but is waiting on 10 to return from the police academy.

“It's not like it was back in the '90s when we had specific officers assigned to that neighborhood,” Lawler said.

Hannah Senft, president of the neighborhood's community association, said she has noticed more of an effort by authorities to address quality-of-life issues, such loitering and littering.

“The police do seem to make a bigger effort, at least periodically, on addressing those items,” she said. “It just takes a long time to build the trust that needs to be there.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/manassas-police-step-up-policing-as-crime-numbers-creep-up/2011/11/17/gIQA55OA5N_print.html

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From the FBI

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