Homeland Security Network Blog

Tuesday, January 24, 2023 FBI Press release NEWARK, N.J. – A Sussex County, New Jersey, woman was sentenced today to 34 months in prison for concealing her attempts to provide material support to Syrian foreign terrorist organizations, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger, Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Security Division, FBI-Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, and FBI Assistant Director for Counterterrorism Timothy Langan announced. Maria Bell, aka “Maria Sue Bell,” 55, of Hopatcong, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez to an information charging her with one count of concealing attempts to provide material support to designated foreign terrorist organizations. Judge Vazquez imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court. According to documents previously filed in this case: Bell admitted that from February 2018 to November 2018 she knowingly concealed and disguised the nature, location, source,...

The regularity of mass shootings is razing Americans’ mental health—heightening stress and dulling compassion in ways that demand broader concern, engagement, and change By Zara AbramsLast updated: September 1, 2022 Date created: July 11, 202213 min read Vol. 53 No. 6Print version: page 20   As mass shootings repeatedly erupt in schools, grocery stores, and other establishments we visit every week, Americans are living in fear. For children and teens, whose mental health is already in crisis, the ongoing backdrop of violence is steadily eroding the sense of well-being, safety, and efficacy known to be essential for healthy development. On top of recent surges in depression, anxiety, and suicides, a majority of teens now say they worry about a shooting happening at their school (Pew Research Center, 2018). Those concerns have been linked with elevated anxiety levels and fear among students (O’Brien, C., & Taku, K., Personality and Individual Differences, Vol. 186, 2022). Meanwhile, clinical...

Six Antifa Extremists Arrested, Charged with Domestic Terrorism in Fiery Atlanta Riots

Six Antifa Extremists Arrested, Charged with Domestic Terrorism in Fiery Atlanta Riots National Review By Ari Blaff Six people were arrested on charges of domestic terrorism by Atlanta police Saturday night following violent riots carried out by Antifa activists who shattered windows, destroyed a police car, and vandalized walls with graffiti. Protesters descended upon Atlanta following the death of Manuel Esteban Paez Terán (“Tortuguita”), a climate activist who was killed during a violent confrontation with police earlier in the week. Five of the six people arrested came from out of state to cause mayhem. One of the arrested, Francis Carroll, was out on bail for domestic terrorism and is the son of a wealthy Maine family, according to investigative reporter Andy Ngo. Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum strongly condemned the violence.”We can tell now, early in this investigation, this was not the focus tonight just to damage the windows of three...

    The National British Teenager Admits Plotting Islamist Terrorist Attack Against Police Officers by Gillian Duncan A British teenager accused of holding extremist beliefs pleaded guilty to planning an Islamist terrorist attack, allegedly with the intention to target police officers or military personnel. Prosecutors said Matthew King, 19, carried out surveillance at police stations, railway stations, a magistrates court and a British Army barracks. At a hearing at the Old Bailey in London on Friday, King pleaded guilty to preparation of terrorist acts. The teenager stood in the dock to enter his plea wearing a grey shirt and sleeveless black padded jacket. His lawyer, Hossein Zahir KC, said the defence had submitted a basis of plea to the court. Judge Mark Lucraft KC adjourned sentencing until April 14 for a pre-sentence report to be prepared, which will include the issue of the danger posed by the defendant. Addressing King, Judge...

  The Jerusalem Post Palestinian Terrorist Killed While Shooting At IDF Troops Near Hebron Armed Palestinian stopped at entrance to Elon Moreh settlement By JERUSALEM POST STAFF IDF reservists on Tuesday shot and killed Palestinian terrorist Hamed Abu Diah, a released prisoner, during a vehicle check near Hebron in the West Bank, Israeli media reported. The terrorist reportedly shot at a bus in Gush Etzion on another, unspecified day. He had also been trying to shoot Israeli soldiers near the checkpoint before they fired back and killed him, Ynet reported. According to Haaretz, Abu Diah had previously served as a prisoner in Israel, but after his release, he worked as a Palestinian Authority police officer in the Bethlehem area. A letter supposedly written by the 40-year-old terrorist was later shared on Palestinian news outlets, where he claimed that he had made the decision to "take revenge and hurt the Zionists" as...

  Firehouse The Tools of the Incident Commanderby Frank Leeb The incident commander (IC) must manage successfully and proficiently the many responsibilities of command, to best fulfill the fire service core mission of life and property preservation. These responsibilities include everyday responses, such as structural fires, calls to help the sick and injured, alarms ringing, odors of smoke or gas and automobile accidents, to name a few. However, they also include and extend to everything else that the public calls upon us to help to solve. These are awesome responsibilities that we must be prepared for. The tools of the chief officer or IC are vastly different from those of the irons or nozzle firefighter. The firefighter who occupies the nozzle or irons position must be proficient at stretching the hoseline or forcing a door, respectively. The IC must have a wider aperture/more global view of all of the aspects of...

Real Clear Defense National Security and the Middle ClassBy Jack Gardner Russia’s invasion of Ukraine reminds us that the world is still a very dangerous place where many nations and non-state actors hold world views fundamentally different than those of most Americans. Having spent much of my life in the military looking at these threats, I’m concerned that they are more menacing now than several decades ago. But I also feel reasonably confident that if we stay vigilant, work with our allies, and, in a bipartisan manner, leverage our huge advantages our national security apparatus can effectively deal with them. But since I retired from the military, I sense another threat to our future. An equally challenging one that also requires a systemic national security response. In this case, though, the threat is internal and centers around the fragile state of our middle class and limitations on economic mobility. To me...

  CBS News Germany detains brothers from Iran over alleged terror plot involving cyanide and ricin By Anna Noryskiewicz Berlin — Counterterrorism police in Germany raided an apartment in the west of the country over the weekend, arresting an Iranian national and his brother who now stand accused of preparing an attack motivated by Islamic extremism. The 32-year-old man who was the primary subject of the investigation is suspected of preparing an attack using cyanide and ricin, according to the General Prosecutor's Office in Düsseldorf. The suspects were taken into custody on Sunday. How far the plan had progressed, whether there was any concrete target decided upon, or whether the men had already obtained either of the lethal substances remained unclear on Monday. The prosecutor's office said there was no indication of involvement by Iranian government agencies in the alleged plot. According to the Robert Koch Institute, the German government's national health...

Jihad Watch France: Muslim migrant screaming ‘Allahu akbar’ stabs six people at Paris train station By Robert Spencer In total, 5 victims were slightly injured: 1 policeman from the PAF and 4 users. The author, in his thirties, has his vital prognosis involved. The police officer who opened fire was off duty, in civilian clothes, and was returning home. (@Europe1) #GareDuNord The perpetrator, on whom no identity papers were found, declared his name to be Mohamed Amine M., of Algerian nationality. He says he is 31 years old. The investigators of the criminal brigade, to whom the investigation was entrusted, are trying to cross-check his statements. (@Europe1) Two police officers, including one who was off duty, opened fire. Three casings were found. The investigators verify by means of the testimony of the victims and witnesses that the suspect shouted “Allah akbar” during the attack. Among the victims was a 40-year-old Belgian....

Las Vegas Sun Las Vegas police: Man faces terrorism count after fire at power facility By Katie Ann McCarver A man accused of breaking into a power facility and setting a vehicle on fire next to a transformer has been arrested on a terrorism count, according to Metro Police. Mohammed Mesmarian, 34, was located by counter terrorism detectives and taken into custody Thursday in Boulder City, police said. Mesmarian is accused of breaking into the Mega Solar Array facility on U.S. 93 at about 11:35 a.m. Wednesday and causing damage by setting a vehicle on fire, police said. The facility is owned and operated by Invenergy and AEP Renewables, according to the Invenergy website. On-site personnel at the facility immediately notified authorities and shut down the plant’s operations as a precaution, in accordance with industry-standard safety protocols, said a spokesperson for Invenergy, a global developer and operator of sustainable energy solutions. The...

The Telegraph Ukraine unleashes ‘Bonus’ weapon that can destroy two tanks in a single shot Kyiv’s troops fire new munitions, likely from France, that uses thermal mapping to seek out and strike Russian targets By Joe Barnes, BRUSSELS CORRESPONDENT Ukraine has started using new high-tech artillery shells capable of destroying two tanks in a single shot from up to 20 miles away, imagery from the battlefield has shown. Russian sources have shared photos online showing what appeared to be a 155mm (6.1in) Bonus projectile, likely supplied by France to be fired by the Cesar self-propelled howitzers it also sent to Ukraine. The “Tankers U” channel, run by Russian tank operators, shared an image, believed to be the first, showing an unexploded submunition recovered by Russian troops in the eastern Donetsk region. Each Bonus shell contains two such submunitions, which feature fold-out wings and advanced sensors. Once fired, the two submunitions are...

Bloomberg Nearly 700 Islamic State Operatives Killed in 2022, US Says General praises partner forces in the region for their helpIslamic State’s leader killed in February during Syria raid By John Harney US military forces and their allies in Iraq and Syria killed almost 700 Islamic State operatives, including several of the organization’s leaders, in 2022, according to the US Central Command. “The emerging, reliable and steady ability of our Iraqi and Syrian partner forces to conduct unilateral operations to capture and kill ISIS leaders allows us to maintain steady pressure on the ISIS network,” Major General Matt McFarlane, commander of a combined task force in Syria and Iraq, said in a Centcom statement released Thursday. According to the statement, 466 Islamic State operatives were killed in Syria, and another 220 in Iraq. A total of 374 militants were captured in both countries. “No US forces were injured or killed in...

  NYC Machete Attack: Suspect Reportedly Wanted To Join Taliban—Here’s What We Know Nicholas Reimann A man arrested for allegedly attacking three New York City police officers near Times Square on New Year's Eve carried a diary describing his wish to die a martyr and his hope of joining the Taliban in Afghanistan, according to CNN, as details slowly emerge about the suspect. Key Facts The suspect, 19-year-old Trevor Bickford, has reportedly been hospitalized since police shot him Saturday night after he attacked officers at a security checkpoint near Times Square. Police are seeking search warrants to see whether Bickford viewed terrorist propaganda leading up to the attack, CNN reported, citing sources with knowledge of the investigation. The attack came after the New York Police Department sent a warning to law enforcement agencies Friday about the potential for "Lone Offender Attacks" on New Year's Eve inspired by a video release from...

  CNN Hackers Stole Data From Multiple Electric Utilities In Recent Ransomware Attack By Sean Lyngaas, CNN Hackers stole data belonging to multiple electric utilities in an October ransomware attack on a US government contractor that handles critical infrastructure projects across the country, according to a memo describing the hack obtained by CNN. Federal officials have closely monitored the incident for any potential broader impact on the US power sector while private investigators have combed the dark web for the stolen data, according to the memo sent this month to power company executives by the North American grid regulator’s cyberthreat sharing center. The previously unreported incident is a window into how ransomware attacks on critical US companies are handled behind the scenes as lawyers and federal investigators quietly spring into action to determine the extent of the damage. The ransomware attack hit Chicago-based Sargent & Lundy, an engineering firm that has...

Al Monitor Iraqi PM Orders 'Unconventional Methods' To Stop Islamic State Attacks by Shelly Kettleson December 22, 2022 BAGHDAD — A large ‘martyr’s photo’ has been placed outside the headquarters of the Ali al-Akbar Brigade in this southern Shia-dominant city in commemoration of one of the group’s unit commanders, who was killed farther north in the Diyala governorate in late November in an Islamic State attack. The Ali al-Akbar Brigade is part of the country’s official, government-salaried Popular Mobilization Units. As the traditional Islamic 40 days of mourning for the man continue, so do attacks in both Diyala and neighboring Kirkuk. Multiple members of the country’s security forces have been killed.  Three Iraqi army soldiers were killed in an attack in the Kirkuk governorate late in the evening of Dec. 21, a security source in Kirkuk contacted by Al-Monitor on Dec. 22 said. It was the third deadly IS attack in...

KWCH By KWCH Staff MULVANE, Kan. (KWCH) - First responders from neighboring communities in the Wichita area worked together Monday morning in a potentially life-saving effort. Mulvane Fire Rescue on its Facebook page shared photos of an ice rescue, along with a narrative of how that happened with assistance from Derby’s fire and rescue department. “Local hunters were out on a pond retrieving decoys when their boat became stuck on the Ice. The paddle they were using broke. Mulvane and Derby Water Rescue technicians were able to pull the hunters off the ice and back to the shore,” Mulvane Fire Rescue reported. The department said it has an auto-aid agreement with Derby Fire on all water rescue calls. Monday morning, temperatures were about 21 degrees (well below freezing) when the rescue happened. Mulvane Fire Rescue reported no injuries to the hunters or firefighters. Full story https://www.kwch.com/2022/12/26/1st-responders-neighboring-communities-work-together-ice-rescue/

    The Jerusalem Post World order on verge of cliff - first Israeli national intel assessment The Intelligence Ministry on Monday unveiled the country’s first-ever national intelligence estimate report on Monday. By YONAH JEREMY BOB The world is at a transition point analogous to being on the verge of a cliff, after which a series of crises striking simultaneously will reorder the planet’s geopolitics, the place of technology, the economic order and a variety of other disciplines from health to energy, according to Israel’s first government national intelligence estimate. The report was published by the Intelligence Ministry in the vein of the type of reports issued in the United States and other Western countries. A copy was obtained by The Jerusalem Post. According to the report, the world is on the verge of a cliff and is likely to be struck by a variety of crises affecting all aspects of...

Reuters Militants seize counter-terrorism centre in Pakistan, take hostages By Saud Mehsud and Jibran Ahmad DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Islamist militants seized a counter-terrorism centre in the northwestern Pakistani area of Bannu on Sunday and took hostages to negotiate with government authorities, officials said. "It's not clear if the terrorists attacked from outside, or if they snatched the ammunition from staff inside" while being interrogated following their arrest, Bannu police spokesman Muhammad Naseeb told Reuters. He said the compound had been surrounded by security forces. Two other officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the militants were looking to negotiate for safe passage to neighbouring Afghanistan, ruled by the hardline Islamist Taliban. One said about 15 militants took control of the centre after overpowering interrogators inside, grabbing their weapons and taking five or six of them hostage. The affiliation of the militants was not immediately known.  ...

  The Times Of Israel IDF Releases Photos Showing Terror Groups Put Rocket Launchers Next To Gaza Schools Military says the 3 schools are attended by over 1,000 students, accuses Hamas of intentionally putting ‘civilians and pupils in danger by using them as human shields’ By TOI staff The Israel Defense Forces on Wednesday released photos showing what it said were rocket launch sites that Palestinian terror groups have positioned next to several schools in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. The IDF released statements in English and Arabic that included satellite photos of three schools in Gaza City, outside which it said rocket launchers have been set up. “Over 1,000 innocent students attend these schools that Hamas uses for terrorist activities. Hamas purposefully puts civilians and pupils in danger by using them as human shields,” the IDF said. The military identified two of the launch sites as belonging to Hamas — including...

The Wall Street Journal U.S. Builds New Firewall To Stop Spread Of Militant Islamists By Michael M. Phillips “The front lines in the war between the West and militant Islamists have shifted to Africa, from Somalia on the continent’s eastern tip to the West African Sahel, a semidesert strip south of the Sahara. In the Sahel, the U.S. and its allies are betting that Niger, the worst-off country in the world by a U.N. measure, offers the best hope of stopping the seemingly inexorable spread of al Qaeda and Islamic State. In the heart of the region, the nations of Mali and Burkina Faso are losing ground, roiled by militant attacks and military coups. In contrast, the elected civilian government in neighboring Niger is making slow headway against insurgents with the help of Western forces, U.S. and Nigerien officials said. Mali’s ruling junta has hired Kremlin-linked mercenaries to provide security, while...