According to the United Kingdom's Border Agency, in 2008 some 5,000 foreign criminals were removed from Great Britain. This includes 50 killers and attempted killers, over 200 sex offenders and more than 1,500 drug offenders. The Agency had set a goal of expelling more than 4,200 foreign lawbreakers, which is how many were kicked out in 2007.

The British government has agreed to a plan from the Council of the European Union that will allow UK police and the domestic spy agency MI5, to cooperate with other EU-member nations in the use of warrantless remote searches of a citizen's computer, if that person is suspected of a serious crime like pedophilia, Internet fraud, identity theft or terrorism. The British press including The Sunday Times and BBC reported about this development on Sunday (1/4).

According to a report from Pakistan's Daily Times, five police officers and two journalists were killed when a suicide bomber blew himself up in Dera Ismail Khan Monday evening. The officers, as well as the journalists, were responding to a previous explosion. It appears this diversion was used to lure the police to the site where the suicide bomber was lying in wait.

Besides those killed, another 14 police and 7 civilians were wounded by the blast.

The U.S. and Canada share a trusted traveler program called NEXUS. It provides pre-screened and approved citizens and permanent residents from both countries faster processing at land, sea and air ports of entry. The Vancouver Sun ran an article on Sunday about the program, and why more than 6,500 travelers from both countries have had their NEXUS membership revoked since the program began in 2002.

Three gunmen stole arms and munitions from a military base in Demark on Sunday. The Copenhagen Post reports the assailants "stormed" a military base guardhouse in the town of Slagelse, which is located on the island of Zealand. They made off with automatic rifles, semi-automatic pistols and ammunition - some of which were destined for troops in Afghanistan. According to the report, this is the first time that a military facility has been robbed in Denmark.

We had a post on Saturday about India's plans to turn over evidence tying elements in Pakistan to the planning and execution of the Mumbai terrorist attack in November. Early Monday (1/5) India followed through with this promise, and the Pakistani government now has evidence that includes the confession of Ajmal Amir Kasab, the only Pakistani terrorist captured alive during the attacks, records of GPS and satellite phones used by the terrorists, and transcripts of conversations between the attackers and their handlers in Pakistan.

India authorities plan to deliver the same information to other nations, including the U.S., China and Great Britain.

At least two masked gunmen fired semi-automatic weapons at a group of riot police guarding the Culture Ministry in the Greek capital of Athens early this morning. One officer was critically wounded in the attack. Athens has been the scene of ongoing violent protests since early December when a police officer shot and killed a 15-year-old boy.

A new Massachusetts law has decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana and requires police officers to issue $100 citations for the possession of one ounce or less of the drug. However, many police in that state say that the law is so flawed and badly written that it cannot be enforced and they are not even going to try. Before "Question 2", as the ballot initiative was known, was passed, possession of small amounts of marijuana in Massachusetts was a criminal offense punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $500.