Financial Times Islamist killing prompts French crackdown on militants Macron government to ban radical groups after beheading of history teacher by Victor MalletPresident Emmanuel Macron’s government has launched a crackdown on Islamists in France after the decapitation of a history teacher by a Chechen Muslim refugee, questioning dozens of militants suspected of promoting violence and announcing plans to ban radical organisations. “Islamists should not be able to sleep easy in our country,” Mr Macron said after an emergency inner cabinet meeting at the Elysée Palace on Sunday with Jean Castex, the prime minister, and Jean-François Ricard, the anti-terrorism prosecutor. “Fear is going to change sides.” Gérald Darmanin, interior minister, said on Monday he had ordered the closure of the Pantin mosque in Seine-Saint-Denis north of Paris after it re-broadcast a video condemning the teacher Samuel Paty.He also said he would propose a ban on several organisations deemed “separatist” for seeking...

U.S. News & World Report A Trial in Europe Examines Iran’s Terror Ties The trial of an Iranian diplomat may expose Tehran’s diplomatic networks as agents of terror. By Tom Ridge, Contributor Nov. 3 will be an important date for the American people, since they will elect their next president. Another day in November that will be important in the context of the next presidency's battle against terrorism will be Nov. 27.A trial is currently scheduled to begin in Belgium on that day for a senior sitting Iranian diplomat who was arrested as the mastermind behind what would have been one of the largest-ever terrorist attacks on European soil. Assadollah Assadi was stationed at the Iranian Embassy in Vienna in June 2018 when two Iranian-Belgian operatives allegedly attempted to carry 500 grams of TAPT high-explosives to a large international gathering of Iranian dissidents near Paris. It was later reported that...

  ABC News Grisly beheading of teacher in terror attack rattles France For the second time in three weeks, terror struck France, this time with the gruesome beheading of a teacher in a street in a Paris suburb By ELAINE GANLEY Associated Press PARIS -- For the second time in three weeks, terror struck France, this time with the gruesome beheading of a history teacher in a street in a Paris suburb. The suspected attacker was shot and killed by police.French President Emmanuel Macron denounced what he called an “Islamist terrorist attack” and urged the nation to stand united against extremism. The teacher had discussed caricatures of Islam's Prophet Muhammad with his class, authorities said.The French anti-terrorism prosecutor opened an investigation for murder with a suspected terrorist motive. Four people, one a minor, were detained hours later, the office of anti-terror prosecutor Jean-Francois Ricard said without elaborating. Police typically fan...

Air Force Times by Justin Conrad  Al-Qaida’s attack against the U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Cole ­­­occurred 20 years ago, but the powerful lessons of the tragedy reverberate today. The attack was unprecedented: a major U.S. warship targeted in peacetime by an extremist organization. Seventeen sailors dead and 39 injured.For those of us who have served in the U.S. Navy since that time, the attack is frequently invoked to warn young sailors about the dangers of complacency. The incident and its aftermath led to many important changes in how the Navy conducts business, and how it protects its forces. It also predicted America’s larger struggles with terrorism, extremism and indeed, its own place in the world. In many ways, the USS Cole foreshadowed the future more accurately than the attacks of Sept. 11 the following year.  In the short period of time between the two attacks, the country learned a...

Clarion Project Mapping Jihadi Ecosystems Across Social Media Platforms Caution against taking our eye off these extremists while focusing on domestic terrorists and COVID by Shireen Qudosi Even though the Department of Homeland Security just identified white supremacism as the most persistent and lethal threat facing the United States today, former al-Qaeda propagandist Jesse Morton cautions that we still need to be weary of jihadi ecosystems. Discussing why it’s important to keep a focus on jihadism as the counter terror focus shifts to domestic violent extremism, Morton sat down with Dr. Michael Krona to discuss jihadi propaganda across social media networks.Krona is an assistant professor at Malmo University and focuses on Islamic State propaganda. He is also the co-editor and author of The Media World of ISIS.Morton was an active extremist with al-Qaeda from 2003 through 2011 who now runs Light Upon Light and Parallel Networks, where he builds alternate...

Homeland Security Today Aviation Cybersecurity – Could the Strongest Link Become the Weakest? by Kylie BielbyThe Federal Aviation Administration is putting airlines, travelers and the United States at risk from cyber attacks, according to a rather damning report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO).GAO highlighted a number of weaknesses in the FAA’s cyber defense of avionics systems, including a failure to test vulnerable systems, a lack of cybersecurity training, and not prioritizing cyber risks.The FAA received $3 million in funding in fiscal year 2017 to develop and implement an integrated cyber testbed at the FAA Technical Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey, to address cybersecurity requirements for air traffic control and to identify and address cybersecurity risks in avionics systems. However, FAA officials told the recent GAO review that the cyber testbed does not test avionics systems for cyber vulnerabilities.Terrorism’s big prizeModern commercial airplanes use avionics systems and networks to...

  The Daily Caller News Foundation 'Mass-Casualty Event': Here's How Bad Far-Left Extremism Is Getting -- And Why Experts Are Worried by Peter Hasson A new academic paper studying the rise of violent, far-left extremist networks warns of the possibility of “attacks on vital infrastructure” and even a potential “mass-casualty event.”The Network Contagion Research Institute’s report warns that militant anarcho-socialist networks are instigating violence in ways that parallel Islamist terrorists and white supremacist groups.The NCRI’s alerts have proved prescient in the past: the institute released a report warning of spikes in anti-Semitic extremism shortly before the October 2018 Tree of Life Synagogue mass shooting that left 11 people dead.The new report, which was released on Sept. 14 has received little media attention but sounds alarms about an “online structure supporting anarcho-socialist extremism” that “appears to be rapidly growing” and supporting real-world violence. Full story https://dailycaller.com/2020/10/01/far-left-extremism-anarcho-socialist-violence-network-contagion-research-institute/...

France: More Terrorism, More Silence by Giulio Meotti  •  Gatestone Institute This brand of extremism has also managed to transform many European citizens into prisoners, people hiding in their own countries, sentenced to death and forced to live in houses unknown even to their friends and families. And we got used to it! "[T]his lack of courage to follow in Charlie's footsteps comes at a price, we are losing freedom of speech and an insidious form of self-censorship is gaining ground." — Flemming Rose, Le Point, September 2, 2020. "To put it simply, freedom of speech is in bad shape around the world. Including in Denmark, France and throughout the West. These are troubled times; people prefer order and security to freedom." — Flemming Rose, Le Point, August 15, 2020. On September 25, in Paris, two people were stabbed and seriously wounded outside the former offices of Charlie Hebdo, where...

Mail Tribute Burned California town shares lessons learned from fireby Vickie Aldous Fire resilienceBoth the Almeda fire and Woolsey fire were fast-moving infernos driven by hot, dry winds. At the time each started, Malibu and Jackson County were under red flag warnings due to wind and the extreme risk of fire.The city of Malibu thought it was reasonably prepared for a fire. It had tested its reverse 9-1-1 system that sends out emergency alerts and had satellite phones and other gear to deal with disruptions.“We’re disaster central. We frequently burn,” Feldman said.But the Woolsey fire was only one of three major fires that broke out that day in California, including the Camp fire that leveled Paradise, California, and killed more than 80 people. The Woolsey fire killed three and forced the evacuation of more than 295,000 people.As the fire advanced toward Malibu, firefighters tried to use a major highway as...

Brisbane Times Fake Suncorp Stadium, petrol station built at new counter-terrorism centreBy Lydia Lynch Fake Suncorp Stadium seating, a petrol station and shops have been built to help train police against a "probable" terror attack in Queensland.The new counter-terrorism training centre at Wacol includes a "scenario village" fitted out with train carriages, a bus, an office block and a shopping plaza. "We chose buildings where we have complex issues so they truly replicate where we have had issues in the past," Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said.At capacity, the centre will host more than 7500 police and 600 recruits each year. Australia's terrorism threat level remains at "probable" and was elevated in 2014 in the months before the G20 summit was held in Brisbane.Since September 2014, there have been 16 major disruption operations in relation to imminent attack planning and seven terrorist attacks targeting people in Australia. Full story https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/fake-suncorp-stadium-petrol-station-built-at-new-counter-terrorism-centre-20200928-p55zwm.html...

NBC 4 New York ISIS Supporters Targeted NYC Locations to ‘Send a Message,' Feds Say Federal investigators filed a complaint last week alleging two men intended to attack locations around the country, including the New York Stock Exchange and Trump Tower in Manhattan, on behalf of ISIS.The FBI identified Jaylyn Molina and Kristopher Matthews, from Texas and South Carolina respectively, face charges of conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. If convicted, they each face up to 20 years in prison and fines up to a quarter of a million dollars.Detailed in a 14-page criminal complaint filed in the US District Court for the Western District of Texas in San Antonio, the investigators allege Molina and Matthews engaged in encrypted communication for several months discussing anti-American sentiment and detailing specific plans to coordinate attacks in the U.S. Molina and Matthews used encrypted chat groups to "promote...

Asharq Al-Awsat Iraqi Security Forces Thwart ISIS Infiltration Attempt On Border Baghdad- Asharq Al-AwsatThe Iraqi National Security Forces thwarted an infiltration attempt of ISIS terrorists on the western border with Syria, in Nineveh. The Security Media Cell issued a statement Monday, announcing that units of the National Security Agency received intelligence information about possible infiltrations in various spots. The intelligence teams set several ambushes and were able to arrest three terrorists, including a Syrian national.During interrogation, they admitted to being members of the ISIS terrorist organization and that they participated in most of the battles against the Iraqi forces. Based on their confessions, the terrorists were planning to form new military detachments to carry out terrorist operations.In addition, the intelligence agency announced that it arrested 10 terrorists in Saladin governorate, north of Baghdad.The agency said in a statement that through continuous monitoring, its units arrested 10 wanted terrorists, in accordance...

Deutsche Welle Somali: Al-Shabab Attacks Intensify As Election Looms In the past week alone, Somalia has been the scene of over a dozen deadly terror attacks by al-Shabab. The Islamist militant group is seen to be bent on thwarting the forthcoming elections in the Horn of Africa country. More than a dozen attacks by the Islamist militant group al-Shabab were recorded in Somalia this week, with civilians and military officers among the casualties. The upsurge in violence comes despite ongoing airstrikes by the US military on the group. The attacks come as Somalis prepare to go to the polls for a staggered general election. The process is due to start with legislative elections on November 1 and culminate in a presidential election by the beginning of 2021.  The dates were announced on Thursday following the resolution of a drawn-out dispute over the electoral model between the federal government in Mogadishu...

Bahrain Says Foiled 'Terrorist Attack' Backed By Iran In Early 2020 DUBAI (Reuters) - Bahrain’s interior ministry said on Sunday it had foiled a “terrorist attack” early this year that was backed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.The statement confirmed earlier media reports about an alleged planned attack and added a timeframe.Earlier on Sunday Saudi state television Al-Ekhbariya and Bahraini newspaper Akhbar al-Khaleej reported that interior ministry investigations found that a new group called the “Qassem Soleimani Brigade” had planned to attack several public and security structures in Bahrain. The reports had not given a time frame.“We want to make clear that this case goes back to early 2020 and it is currently being looked into by the relevant court,” the ministry statement said.Iranian authorities were not immediately available for comment. In the past, Tehran has denied any involvement in Bahrain’s domestic affairs. Bahrain, host to the U.S. Navy’s Fifth...

  Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, September 21, 2020 Department Of Justice Identifies New York City, Portland And Seattle As Jurisdictions Permitting Violence And Destruction Of Property Identification is Response to Presidential Memorandum Reviewing Federal Funding to State and Local Governments that are Permitting Anarchy, Violence, and Destruction in American Cities The U.S. Department of Justice today identified the following three jurisdictions that have permitted violence and destruction of property to persist and have refused to undertake reasonable measures to counteract criminal activities: New York City; Portland, Oregon; and Seattle, Washington. The Department of Justice is continuing to work to identify jurisdictions that meet the criteria set out in the President’s Memorandum and will periodically update the list of selected jurisdictions as required therein. The list was published on DOJ’s website today in response to President Trump’s memorandum of September 2, 2020, entitled “Memorandum...

Iran's Offer of Nuclear Cooperation is a Sham by Con Coughlin  •  Gatestone Institute This effort [lifting the arms embargo on Iran] has prompted Iran to launch a diplomatic offensive to have the arms embargo lifted, a move that would allow Tehran to increase its ability to supply arms to terror groups such as Hizbollah and Hamas, as well as the Houthi rebels in Yemen fighting US-backed coalition forces "Iran is desperate to get the arms embargo lifted at the UN, and so has decided to cooperate with the IAEA to improve relations with the UN," a senior Western diplomat who is familiar with the negotiations told me. "Tehran believes that if it cooperates with the UN, there is a greater possibility that the arms embargo will not be renewed." As a senior Gulf official... told me earlier this week, lifting the ban would simply allow Iran to continue arming...

Fox News Defense Secretary Esper: Since Sept. 11 Attacks, Our Heroic Military Has Successfully Fought Terrorism We cannot forget that America’s safety over the past two decades has come at a great costBy Mark T. Esper Exactly 19 years ago, Al Qaeda launched a vicious attack on our homeland by using four hijacked airlines as tools to murder nearly 3,000 innocent men, women and children at New York City’s World Trade Center, at the Pentagon, and on a quiet field near Shanksville, Pa.No one could have fathomed on that bright and clear September morning just how much the world would change in the wake of the darkest and most vicious terrorist attack in our nation’s history. It was an evil assault on our citizens, our institutions, and on our fundamental ideals themselves — freedom, human rights and respect for the American way of life.In their attempt to break the spirit...

  2 Los Angeles County deputies are ‘fighting for their lives’ after being shot in Compton7News Miami (CNN) — The two Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies who were shot and critically injured Saturday night are out of surgery, according to a LACSD spokesperson.The deputies, one male and one female, were “ambushed” as they sat in their vehicle, police said.Sheriff Alex Villanueva said at a press conference Saturday night that the shooting in Compton was done “in a cowardly fashion” and that both deputies were being treated at St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood.Capt. Kent Wegener said the shooting happened at 7 p.m. Wegener said the suspect approached from behind the deputies’ vehicle and walked along the passenger side. He acted as if he was going to walk past the car, raised a pistol and shot multiple times hitting both deputies, Wegener said. Video of the incident, tweeted by the...

InHomelandSecurity.com  In Their Own Words – What 9/11 Means to the Servicemembers Who Lived It By Wes O’DonnellManaging Editor of In Military, InCyberDefense and In Space News. Veteran, U.S. Army & U.S. Air Force.It’s been said that September 11th, 2001 was our generation’s Pearl Harbor, our defining moment. But that bold and shameful attack against America in 2001 was different from Pearl Harbor in one key aspect: Most casualties on that day were civilians.It was like a dagger in the heart of the world’s most preeminent military power. If we can’t even protect our citizens, how can we be expected to honor our alliances? It was clear then, that the 20th century was over. Whether the United States would maintain its status as the world’s sole superpower going into a new century would be decided on what our next actions would be.What followed was one of the largest reorganizations in...

The Jerusalem Post Russia, US, Turkey and EU have military tensions that border Middle East Major powers are now seeking confrontation globally and the borders of the Middle East are one place that they are pushing up against one another, like tectonic plates. By SETH J. FRANTZMAN A convergence of incidents has seen both the US and Russia carry out jet interceptions with each other, while Turkey and its adversaries in the Mediterranean conduct military drills. The messages are clear: Major powers are now seeking confrontation globally and the borders of the Middle East are one place that they are pushing up against one another, like tectonic plates.Recently the US flew B-52 bombers over Ukraine and skirted Russian-controlled territory in Crimea and elsewhere. This came after Russia intercepted American B-52s over the Black and Baltic seas in late August. The interceptions of the B-52 Stratofortress bombers took place as the...