OnTheNewsNow.com WASHINGTON, DC — The American homeland is facing “the most frequent and unpredictable” Islamic terrorist threat from Sunni “U.S.-based homegrown violent extremists (HVEs),” warns the most recent Worldwide Threat Assessment issued by the United States intelligence community (IC).The number of foreign fighters traveling to join ISIS in Iraq and Syria will probably continue to decline as potential recruits face increasing difficulties attempting to travel there,” states the assessment presented Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats during a hearing Thursday held by the Senate Intelligence Committee.In the past 12 months alone, the number of homegrown terrorism cases reached 36 in 18 U.S. states, revealed Kelly, noting, “Over the past few years, we’ve seen an unprecedented spike in homegrown terrorism.”In recent years, the Sunni Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) group has inspired many attacks inside and outside the United Sates, both successful and foiled.The Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) continues to...

Science Magazine Terrorism is a fact of life as are the collectives and networks to which counter-terrorism organizations and the media have given various labels and names. These networks are well versed in exploiting modern information technology through social media awareness, marketing and recruitment campaigns. However, there is the more insidious use by terrorists groups of online networks and exploits in the creation of so-called bots (computers that have been compromised through the implementation of malware and control over which has been assumed by a third party, or more likely a third party control a lot array of such bots in a botnet.Writing in the International Journal of Collaborative Intelligence, Emmanuel Ogu of the Department of Computer Science, at Babcock University, in Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria, and colleagues suggest that the problems caused by botnets in terms of interfering with infrastructure, healthcare services, transport, power supply and other critical parts...

BBC News A computer malware that has spread across 150 countries appears to be slowing down, with few reports of fresh attacks globally on Monday. A spokesperson for police agency Europol said the situation in Europe "seems stable". In Asia, where many offices closed before the WannaCry ransomware struck on Friday, the attack has been less severe than expected. The ransomware takes over users' files, demanding $300 (£230) to restore them. The White House said on Monday that under $70,000 (£54,000) had been paid in total in a bid to get any locked data released. Payments could go up as the ransomware warned the cost would double after three days, and threatened to delete files within seven days if no payment was made. Computer giant Microsoft said the attack, which has affected hundreds of thousands of computers, should serve as a wake-up call. Among the organisations targeted worldwide have been...

by Genevieve Alison, Herald Sun* Why kids should stay inside today* Slain Vic soldier ‘best son, brother and mate’* ‘It made us feel that his life was just cheap’* Anzac Day being betrayed by RSL itself BLACKHAWK helicopters have spent hours hovering over the city early this morning leaving sleepy Melburnians asking what were they doing there.Many inner city residents reported hearing army helicopters in the city from 1am until around 4am this morning but officials say it’s all part of routine training.The Australian Defence Force is carrying out counter terrorism training throughout Melbourne this month with defence force personnel and Blackhawk helicopters enlisted to simulate terrorism scenarios. Training will take place at a series of buildings in the CBD and surrounding area which may involve vehicles and soldiers carrying weapons and tactical equipment as well as the use of blank ammunition and pyrotechnics.Melburnians took to social media during the...

SOURCE : Times Now Mumbai: Police officials in Mumbai are on high alert following the disappearance of 26 Pakistani nationals in the city. The Pakistani citizens, reported to be missing from the past two to three weeks, are being tracked down by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS).  According to The Hindustan Times, following intelligence reports about threats coming from moles in Pakistan's ISI, police officials went on high alert after they were unable to trace them through their 'C-forms'. The C form provides details about the address of Pakistani nationals in India along with copies of passport, visa, and residential permit. Officials said none of the Pakistanis provided correct details on their C forms with respect to who they had come to meet or where they were staying. Maharashtra ATS has dispatched teams to all hotels and lodges in Mumbai to find them, a report said. Following reports of Indian Mujahideen conducting 'reconnaissance' in the...

by Ron Corben - VOA The United Nations says economic success in Southeast Asia has caused an increase in crime and terrorism.The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said economic success has led to major improvements in infrastructure and a lessening of border controls in the region.Aldo Lale Demoz is the deputy executive director of the UNODC.He said this success has also led to “growing security challenges -- including those posed by transnational crime and terrorist groups.”The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, reported the region’s merchandise trade was $1.06 trillion in the first six months of 2016. About a quarter of that was among ASEAN nations.Somchai Seanglai is an advisor to the Thai justice minister.He agreed that increased trade has led to the possibility of an increase in such crimes as human trafficking, drug trading and counterfeit goods -- along with the possibility of terrorists being able...

The sanctions are expected to also affect the Taliban and Islamic State who rely on related networks for recruitment and funding of suicide bombers and other violent insurgents.by Yashwant Raj The United States on Thursday announced sanctions against  three Pakistan-based individuals and an entity in an effort to disrupt their leadership and funding, including the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and its front for charitable activities, Jamaat-ud-Dawah, as a part of its counter terrorism measures.Other outfits expected to be impacted by these measures are the Taliban, al Qaeda and the Islamic State-Khorasan.“These sanctions seek to disrupt the financial support networks of terrorists based in Pakistan who have provided support to the Taliban, al-Qaeda, Islamic State and LeT for recruitment and funding of suicide bombers and other violent insurgent operations,” John E Smith of the treasury department said in a statement.  “The United States continues to aggressively target extremists in Pakistan and the surrounding region,...

By Brooke SingmanFox NewsICE sweep results in 1,378 arrestsThe Trump administration has concluded a six-week nationwide sweep of suspected gang members with 1,378 arrests — the largest such gang sweep conducted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) to date.The operation, which ran from March 26 through May 6, targeted gang members and associates involved in transnational criminal activity, including drug trafficking, weapons smuggling, human smuggling, sex trafficking, murder and racketeering.  “Gangs threaten the safety of our communities, not just in major metropolitan areas, but in our suburbs and rural areas, too,” ICE Acting Director Thomas Homan said Thursday. “Gang-related violence and criminal activity present an ongoing challenge for law enforcement everywhere.”According to ICE, of the 1,378 total arrested, 933 were U.S. citizens, and 1,095 were confirmed as gang members or affiliates. Also, 104 of those arrested were affiliated with the dreaded MS-13 gang, eight of...

by Aaron Stein - WarOnTheRocks.com Just after midnight on January 1st, a lone attacker, Abdulgadir Masharipov,  drove up in a taxi to Reina, a famous Istanbul nightclub on the Bosphorus.  After exiting the vehicle, the gunman retrieved a Kalashnikov from a bag inside the trunk and began to fire his weapon as he walked towards the club entrance. Less than 10 minutes later, the attacker had expended six magazines of ammunition, killing 39 people and injuring 69.The Islamic State has been carrying out attacks in Turkey since May 2015. The main group responsible for these — a Gaziantep-based cell headed by Turkish nationals who had spent considerable time in Syria in 2013 and 2014 — was in charge of getting supplies across the Syrian border to the Islamic State. A series of police raids have severely disrupted the cell. More recent Islamic State attacks point to a different Turkey-based network....

Authorities say suspect tried joining terror group in Syria By Charles Fain Lehman - Washington Free Beacon A federal grand jury on Thursday charged an Ohio man with one count of attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State terrorist organization.Laith Waleed Alebbini, 26, allegedly attempted to join ISIS and was arrested on April 26 at the Cincinnati/Kentucky International Airport, according to a Justice Department press release.The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force arrested the suspect for trying to join the terror group in Syria, authorities said, and has remained in custody since then.Alebbini had previously been arrested on Jan. 10 for unlawfully entering the Turkish Embassy in Washington, D.C., according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. The charges were later dropped.During a subsequent interview with the FBI on Jan. 23, Alebbini admitted to posting pro-ISIS videos on Facebook and supporting the group's ideological goals, describing himself as "the perfect recruit for...

Fox News U.S. Central Command announced Thursday that the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish and Arab force, recaptured the key Syrian city of Tabqah, the Tabqah Dam and a nearby airfield from the Islamic State, continuing to weaken ISIS’s control of territory and people.The successful recapture of Tabqah, located roughly 30 miles west of ISIS stronghold Raqqa, denies the terrorists “a key coordination hub” that had been used by the group since 2013 to plan attacks on the West. Tabqah served as a base for planning such attacks after ISIS lost other territories in northern Syria.According to the statement from U.S. Central Command, 70 ISIS terrorists surrendered to the U.S.-led international coalition Wednesday, and left heavy weapons behind them.Coalition spokesman Col. John Dorrian said the recapture of Tabqah is “yet another victory” for the Kurdish-led forces, the U.S.’s most effective partner on the ground fighting ISIS in Syria.“The...

The Daily Collegian By TOM HAYS Associated Press May NEW YORK (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday decided to spare a terrorist known as Bashir the American a long prison term after he switched sides and became a prized U.S. government cooperator, sentencing him to time served, about eight years.The admitted terrorist, Bryant Neal Vinas, grew up in obscurity on Long Island but became a militant Muslim convert, relocated to an outlaw region of Pakistan and schemed with senior al-Qaida members on how best to attack the Long Island Rail Road.Vinas, called Bashir al-Ameriki, was sentenced in federal court in Brooklyn on charges he tried to kill American soldiers and provide support to al-Qaida before Pakistani authorities captured him in 2008 and turned him over to the United States.In a letter to U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis, prosecutors wrote that once in custody, Vinas, 34, of Patchogue, eagerly became...

Times of India NEW DELHI: The government on Tuesday asserted in the Supreme Court that the decision to link Aadhaar with PAN was made to weed out fake PAN cards+ which were used for terror financing and circulation of black money. Terming the concerns over privacy as "bogus", the government reiterated that the idea behind bringing Aadhaar was to have a "secure and robust system" to ensure that the identity of a person cannot be faked. "Today, you have black money which is being used in drug financing and terror financing. So it was decided to bring in a more robust system by which identity of a person cannot be faked," attorney general Mukul Rohatgi told a bench comprising Justices AK Sikri and Ashok Bhushan. The top law officer, who was opposing the challenge to making Aadhaar mandatory for PAN card+ , said that out of 29 crore permanent account...

Move could finally end rivalry between Israel Police and IDF's elite commando units over who should lead hostage rescue and counterterrorism operations, particularly in Judea and Samaria Public security minister: Israeli unit is the best in the world.by Itsik Saban - IsraelHayom.comThe Israel Police Counterterrorism Unit may soon be recognized as the nation's go-to unit for hostage rescue and counterterrorism operations, as well as for other forms of raids that require taking over a civilian facility.Sources familiar with the issue told Israel Hayom on Tuesday that a final decision on designating the "national unit" for such contingencies is pending a review by the National Security Council.Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman has already said he is generally in favor of the move, telling his associates that the unit is a source of national pride.The police counterterrorism unit, known by the Hebrew acronym Yamam, was formed in 1974. Since its inception, it has...

by Daniel Horowitz - Conservative Review As the Trump administration looks for a new FBI director, the entire political world will be focused on the potential nominee’s relationship to the Russia scandal or Hillary’s email scandal. But there is more to life than Russia or even Hillary Clinton. The most consequential crisis facing this country is the growing homeland security problem, with some Islamic communities cultivating a climate of home-grown terror similar to what is happening in Europe. The FBI director serves as the lead government official in combatting terrorism here at home. We need a champion to counter Islamic terror on our shores, something we lacked in James Comey, despite his much-vaunted reputation.In many respects, James Comey was the John Roberts of law enforcement. He was a tortured soul who seemed to intuitively understand the truth, but in his calculating desire to be “above politics,” he wound up twisting...

Evening Standard by Francesca Gillett The Government’s counter-terror policing unit is warning political parties to “remain vigilant” about the threat of a terror attack in the run up to the General Election.Would-be MPs have been warned by the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (Nactso), who said the threat level remains at severe, meaning an attack is highly likely.Terror groups such as Islamic State continue to plan attacks in the UK, with "symbols of state and crowded places" potential targets, Nactso said."As the General Election approaches, it is important that individuals and organisations consider their protective security provisions, they remain vigilant and report suspicious behaviour and items to police at the earliest opportunity," Nactso said in an update on its website. The UK threat level remains at severe, meaning an attack is highly likely. Terrorist groups and individuals continue to encourage individuals to plan and mount attacks in the UK, particularly...

DW by Matt Zuvela According to a report in the "Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung" newspaper published on Thursday, the number of people in Germany considered by authorities to be at risk of becoming Islamist terrorists is on the rise. Citing numbers from the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), the paper reported that there are currently 657 people believed to be capable of carrying out a terror attack. According to the BKA, this number has quadrupled since the start of the war in Syria. Many regarded as potential threats are being monitored by police, and around 100 are currently in jail. In addition, there are 388 "relevant persons" who could be considered at risk of lending assistance to perpetrators of terrorist acts. Part of the reason for the dramatic rise in the number of potential terrorist in Germany is a change in how such evaluations are made , the newspaper said. Following...

ABC News By Niniek Karmini and Ali Kotarumalos, associated pressJAKARTA, Indonesia The top Indonesian security minister said Monday the country's president has ordered the dissolution of a hard-line Islamic group that seeks a global caliphate for Muslim nations and was behind massive blasphemy protests in Jakarta. Wiranto, who goes by one name, announced the action against Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia at a brief news conference and said it was ordered by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo. Wiranto, who is the coordinating minister for politics, law and security, said the "activities of HTI are strongly indicated to be running against Pancasila (Indonesia's pluralistic state ideology) and the constitution." The move comes after Jokowi's government was shaken by massive protests in the past six months by conservative Muslim groups against the minority Christian governor of Jakarta, who is accused of blaspheming the Quran. Wiranto said HTI's activities "have clearly caused conflict in society" and...

1. Donald Trump's new counterterrorism strategy asks allies to shoulder more of the burden combating Islamist extremists. 2. The strategy wants to avoid "costly, large-scale U.S. military interventions".Reuters A draft of President Donald Trump's new counterterrorism strategy demands that U.S. allies shoulder more of the burden in combating Islamist militants, while acknowledging that the threat of terrorism will never be totally eliminated.The 11-page draft, seen on Friday by Reuters, said the United States should avoid costly, "open-ended" military commitments."We need to intensify operations against global jihadist groups while also reducing the costs of American 'blood and treasure' in pursuit of our counterterrorism goals," states the document, which is expected to be released in coming months."We will seek to avoid costly, large-scale U.S. military interventions to achieve counterterrorism objectives and will increasingly look to partners to share the responsibility for countering terrorist groups," it says.President Donald Trump (C) turns to House...

DW by Lewis Sanders IV The EU's law enforcement coordination agency has vowed to support nations in combating the rising threat of terrorism on European soil. But analysts have warned that unforeseen challenges remain. DW examines the issues. A bullet hole is pictured on a shopwindow of the Champs Elysees boulevard in Paris in the aftermath of a deadly shooting claimed by the Islamic State militant group"The threats Europe face do not stop at national borders. Fragmentation makes us all collectively more vulnerable," said Europol Director Rob Wainwright and EU Commissioner for Migration Dimitris Avramopoulos in a jointly-authored article published Friday.Over the past year, the EU's law enforcement coordination agency, Europol , has pushed for increased cooperation between the bloc's member states in a bid to curb the rising threat of terrorism on European soil.Last week, as a new regulation to modernize Europol's ability to tackle criminal and terrorist threats...