December 2018 Security News

UK's notorious female terrorist 'plotting new attack in London' Press TV 31 Dec 2018 -- Intelligence sources have revealed that Britain's most wanted female terrorist is plotting a major attack in the capital London.
Trump Contradicts Outgoing Chief of Staff, Says Concrete Wall Not Abandoned Sputnik 31 Dec 2018 -- US President Donald Trump contradicted his outgoing Chief of Staff John Kelly on Monday, insisting that his administration has not yet abandoned the idea of building a concrete wall along the US-Mexico border.
Trump: US-Mexican Border Wall Would Not Be Solid Concrete VOA 31 Dec 2018 -- U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledged Monday that not all of the barrier he wants to build along the Mexican border would be a concrete wall he has long called for.
Fired Chief of Staff Kelly Says What Trump Wants Is Not a 'Wall' But a 'Barrier' Sputnik 31 Dec 2018 -- Outgoing White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, in an interview published in the Los Angeles Times on Sunday, detailed that US President Donald Trump is not pushing for a concrete wall but is only seeking a barrier as a means of tackling illegal immigration.
Chung-Hoon seizes drugs in Gulf of Aden NNS 30 Dec 2018 -- The guided-missile destroyer USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93) interdicted a shipment of narcotics aboard a stateless vessel while conducting maritime security operations in the international waters of the Gulf of Aden, Dec. 27.
Trump refuses to budge over border wall demand that triggered govt. shutdown Press TV 30 Dec 2018 -- US President Donald Trump's administration and Democrats in Congress continued to attack each other on Sunday over the proposed US-Mexico border wall that triggered a partial government shutdown, now in its ninth day.
Anti-Government Protests in DR Congo's North Kivu Province Hamper Response to Ebola Epidemic VOA 29 Dec 2018 -- The World Health Organization says violent protests in DR Congo's conflict-ridden North Kivu Province are hampering efforts to control the spread of the Ebola virus. Protests erupted Thursday in response to the government's decision to delay presidential elections in the region until March.
Four killed, 11 injured in Egypt bus bombing Press TV 28 Dec 2018 -- A bomb explosion has hit a bus transporting tourists near Egypt's world-famous Giza pyramids, leaving three Vietnamese tourists and an Egyptian guide dead, the Egyptian Interior Ministry says.
Trump Once Again Threatens to Shut US-Mexico Border VOA 28 Dec 2018 -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday once again threatened to close the entire U.S.-Mexico border and cut aid to Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador if Congress fails to give him money to fund the border wall.
Trump vows to wait as long as it takes for wall funding Press TV 27 Dec 2018 -- US President Donald Trump has vowed to wait as long as it takes to get $5 billion from taxpayers for a wall on the US-Mexico border, a demand that has triggered a partial shutdown of the federal government that is now in its sixth day.
Alleged Mastermind Of Chinese Consulate Attack In Pakistan Reported Dead RFE/RL 27 Dec 2018 -- The alleged mastermind of an attack by a Pakistani separatist group on the Chinese Consulate in the port city of Karachi last month has been killed, the group said.
India's Anti-Terror Agency Busts Terror Cell, Seizes Explosives & Weapons Sputnik 26 Dec 2018 -- India's NIA has said that terrorists belonging to a new *Daesh-inspired cell were planning to carry out remote-controlled explosions and suicide bombings at multiple locations across the country. The alleged terrorists, whose identities are yet to be revealed, were reportedly in touch with a foreign agent.
Trump: Shutdown Won't End Until Wall Funded VOA 25 Dec 2018 -- The partial shutdown of the U.S. government has moved no closer to a resolution, with President Donald Trump asserting on Tuesday the shutdown will continue until his demand for funds to construct a U.S.-Mexico border wall are met.
UK Minister Warns Al-Qaeda Will Target Planes, Airports as It Gains Power Again Sputnik 23 Dec 2018 -- The notorious terrorist group, responsible for the 9/11 attacks, has been overshadowed by Daesh* in recent years, but a British minister believes that al-Qaeda* was merely restructuring and finding new ways to commit attacks in the modern world.
US Renames, Strengthens DHS's Nuclear Security Coordinating Office Sputnik 22 Dec 2018 -- The US Government is implementing new legislation to strengthen and expand the coordination of domestic security agencies and activities to defend against weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), President Donald Trump said in a statement.
Statement by the President The White House 21 Dec 2018
Bill Announcement The White House 21 Dec 2018
Trump Balks at Approving Funding to Avert Shutdown Without Border Wall Money VOA 20 Dec 2018 -- President Donald Trump is not going to sign legislation to avert a partial government shutdown at midnight Friday because it does not include money for the wall he wants built along the U.S.-Mexican border to thwart illegal immigration, top Republican congressional leaders said Thursday.
Two Chinese Hackers Associated With the Ministry of State Security Charged with Global Computer Intrusion Campaigns Targeting Intellectual Property and Confidential Business Information US Dept. of Justice 20 Dec 2018 -- The unsealing of an indictment charging Zhu Hua (??), aka Afwar, aka CVNX, aka Alayos, aka Godkiller; and Zhang Shilong (???), aka Baobeilong, aka Zhang Jianguo, aka Atreexp, both nationals of the People's Republic of China (China), with conspiracy to commit computer intrusions, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft was announced today.
Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein Announces Charges Against Chinese Hackers US Dept. of Justice 20 Dec 2018
US Justice Department charges Chinese nationals for 'extensive' global hacking campaign Press TV 20 Dec 2018 -- The US Justice Department has announced the indictment of two Chinese nationals who allegedly hacked dozens of companies in multiple countries, including the US.
Joint Statement by Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen: Chinese Actors Compromise Global Managed Service Providers US Dept. of State 20 Dec 2018 -- Since at least 2014, Chinese cyber actors associated with the Chinese Ministry of State Security have hacked multiple U.S. and global managed service and cloud providers.
UK and allies reveal global scale of Chinese cyber campaign UK FCO 20 Dec 2018 -- The UK government and its allies are holding responsible elements of the Chinese government for an extensive cyber campaign
US Charges Two Hackers Linked to Chinese Intelligence VOA 20 Dec 2018 -- U.S. prosecutors unsealed charges on Thursday against two hackers linked to Chinese intelligence, accusing them of engaging in a campaign of computer intrusions over a 12-year period targeting technology firms that businesses and government agencies around the world hire to store, process and protect their data.
Treasury Publishes National Illicit Finance Strategy and Supporting Risk Assessments US Treasury 20 Dec 2018 -- The U.S. Department of the Treasury today issued the National Strategy for Combating Terrorist and Other Illicit Financing (National Illicit Finance Strategy), pursuant to Sections 261 and 262 of the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017 (CAATSA).
Abdulrahman El Bahnasawy Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Plotting to Carry out Terrorist Attacks in New York City for ISIS in Summer of 2016 US Dept. of Justice 19 Dec 2018 -- Abdulrahman El Bahnasawy, 20, of Missausagua, Canada, was sentenced to 40 years in prison, and a lifetime of supervised release, for plotting to carry out terrorist attacks in New York City during the summer of 2016 in support of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. El Bahnasawy pleaded guilty on Oct. 13, 2016, to a seven-count Superseding Information charging El Bahnasawy with terrorism offenses.
World Police Body Warns of 'Second Wave' of Terrorists VOA 19 Dec 2018 -- The Islamic State group may be defeated geographically in the Middle East, but radical extremism is spreading to other parts of the world, and a new crop of potential terrorists now in prison will be out in a few years.
Arizona Man Sentenced for Providing Material Support to ISIS US Dept. of Justice 18 Dec 2018 -- Ahmed Mohammed El Gammal, 46, a resident of Arizona, was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for providing and conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization, aiding and abetting the receipt of military-type training from ISIS, and conspiring to receive such training. A jury convicted El Gammal of these charges on Jan. 30, 2017, following a three-week trial.
Russia rejects new US reports on 'election meddling' Press TV 18 Dec 2018 -- The Kremlin has rejected two new US reports on purported Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential election, saying they lacked details and evidence to prove the allegation.
Russia Rejects Reports Alleging Extensive US Election Meddling VOA 18 Dec 2018 -- The size and scope of Russia's efforts to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election was far more extensive and thorough than previously understood, according to two newly released reports.
Pentagon Reduces Troop Levels at US-Mexico Border to 3,150 Sputnik 17 Dec 2018 -- The US military has lowered the number of personnel deployed on the southwest border to 3,150 but will continue assessing the needs of the Custom and Border Protection (CBP) agency, US Defense Department spokesperson Robert Manning told reporters on Monday.
US Senate to detail Russian election meddling: Report Press TV 17 Dec 2018 -- The US Congress will publish a report this week detailing Russia's alleged disinformation campaign surrounding the 2016 presidential election campaign, US media have reported.
Senate Report: Russian Social-Media-Interference Operations 'Active And Ongoing' RFE/RL 17 Dec 2018 -- The Russian influence campaign on social media in the 2016 U.S. presidential election campaign sought particularly to deepen divisions in society and suppress turnout among Democratic voters, according to a report produced for the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Washington Post: Senate Report Details Vast Russian Meddling Campaign RFE/RL 17 Dec 2018 -- The U.S. Senate is preparing to publish a report this week documenting the enormous breadth of a Russian disinformation campaign that sought to help President Donald Trump win the 2016 presidential election, The Washington Post reports.
Russia's 2016 Election Meddling More Comprehensive Than Realized VOA 17 Dec 2018 -- Two new reports on Russia's efforts to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections are shedding more light on the size and scope of the campaign, showing it was far more extensive and thorough than previously understood.
White House Presses Border Wall as Shutdown Looms VOA 16 Dec 2018 -- The White House on Sunday pressed its demand for construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border to thwart illegal immigration, even if it forces a partial government shutdown later this week.
Pakistan Executes 56 Terrorists in 4 Years Since School Attack VOA 16 Dec 2018 -- Military courts in Pakistan have handed down death sentences to 310 people convicted of terrorism in the last four years, and 56 of them have been executed. Fifteen of the death penalties were approved by the military chief Sunday, according to an official announcement.
Russian lawmakers push for greater internet security against US cyber warfare Press TV 15 Dec 2018 -- Amid a rising threat of cyber warfare from the United States, a draft law pushing for greater Russian internet security has been presented to Russia's lower house of parliament, the State Duma.
Michigan, Virgin Island National Guard conducts Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise Army News 14 Dec 2018 -- "When the Weather Channel becomes our favorite channel on TV, it comforts us to know it is now also the favorite channel of the Michigan National Guard, who has shown a commitment for assistance when the next big storm threatens our islands," said Brig. Gen. Deborah Howell, Virgin Islands National Guard Adjutant General.
Joint Task Force Civil Support is prepared for any CBRN disaster Army News 14 Dec 2018 -- Task forces can be formed at the time of a crisis, but a unit in Newport News, Va., Joint Task Force Civil Support (JTF-CS), works 365 days a year with people on call 24/7 for the past 19 years.
Strasbourg attack suspect killed after gun battle with police: French officials Press TV 14 Dec 2018 -- Suspected gunman Cherif Chekatt has been killed in a brief gun battle with the police after killing three people in a Christmas market attack in the French city of Strasbourg. He had evaded arrest for 48 hours.
Criminal Syndicates, Terrorist Groups Increasingly Converge in Africa - INTERPOL Sputnik 14 Dec 2018 -- Transnational criminal syndicates and terrorist groups in Africa are growing more integrated and interconnected, the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) said in a press release on Friday.
In France, Manhunt Continues for Other Potential Suspects VOA 14 Dec 2018 -- A day after killing the alleged assailant in a bloody Christmas market shooting in eastern France, police are searching for other potential suspects. The Islamic State group, without providing evidence, claimed responsibility for Tuesday's attack that killed at least three people, wounded more than a dozen others and left a country on edge.
Western Officials Discuss Hezbollah's Latin Efforts VOA 14 Dec 2018 -- A U.S.-led Western Hemisphere ministerial on counterterrorism this week discussed Hezbollah's activities in Latin America, with some analysts suggesting member countries are stepping up efforts to prevent the Lebanese militant group from funneling funds from the region to make up for the money lost from close ally Iran because of U.S. sanctions.
Afghanistan finds saffron as antidote to opium production Press TV 13 Dec 2018 -- The Afghan government has increased saffron production by 22 percent this year as part of a plan to create an alternative source of income for farmers dependent on opium poppy cultivation.
Strasbourg Christmas Market Shooting Suspect Killed, Interior Minister Confirms Sputnik 13 Dec 2018 -- The suspect in Strasbourg Christmas market shooting was killed in a shootout Thursday evening with French police.
French Police Kill Suspect in Deadly Shooting at Strasbourg Christmas Market VOA 13 Dec 2018 -- French police have shot dead the gunman suspected of killing three people late Tuesday at a Christmas market in Strasbourg, according to multiple media reports.
Pakistan Hosts Regional Meeting on Countering Afghan Opiates VOA 12 Dec 2018 -- Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran have pledged to increase cooperation and information-sharing for effectively combating the trafficking of Afghan opiates.
Remarks by President Trump in Meeting with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker-Designate Nancy Pelosi The White House 11 Dec 2018
Four Dead, Many Injured After Shooting at Christmas Market in France - Police Sputnik 11 Dec 2018 -- Police in the French city of Strasbourg have reported that a shooting attack occurred near the city's famous Christmas Market. The total number of dead remains unclear; most recent local reports, citing police sources, claim four people were killed. Twelve people were injured, with six left in serious condition, according to local authorities.
Trump, Democrats Clash at White House Over Border Security Sputnik 11 Dec 2018 -- Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump warned on Twitter that if Democrats do not vote for a spending bill that includes the amount of funding he wants for a wall along the US-Mexico border, the military will build the barrier instead.
Trump: Military to Build Wall on Mexico Border if Dems Don't Vote to Secure US Sputnik 11 Dec 2018 -- One of Donald Trump's signature campaign pledges back in 2016 was to build a wall along the US border with Mexico in a bid to prevent illegal immigrants from entering the United States. This has been a pressing issue in recent weeks, particularly in light of migrant caravans from Central America attempting to cross the border into the US.
Remarks at the Western Hemisphere Counterterrorism Ministerial US Dept. of State 11 Dec 2018 -- Remarks by John J. Sullivan, Deputy Secretary of State
Pentagon to Withdraw Hundreds of Troops From US-Mexico Border Sputnik 11 Dec 2018 -- The Department of Defence will soon withdraw several hundred US active duty troops from the southern border with Mexico, Pentagon spokesperson Col. Rob Manning told reporters.
Ohio Man Arrested on Terrorism Charge After Planning Attack on Jewish Synagogue US Dept. of Justice 10 Dec 2018 -- Damon M. Joseph, 21, of Holland, Ohio, was charged today in federal court with one count of attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization, for allegedly planning an attack on a synagogue in the Toledo, Ohio area. Joseph was arrested Friday evening after he took possession of two semi-automatic rifles.
Public Designation of The Gambia's Yahya Jammeh US Dept. of State 10 Dec 2018 -- The Department is publicly designating former president of The Gambia, Yahya Jammeh, under the terms of Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act of 2018, due to his involvement in significant corruption.
Statement from the Press Secretary The White House 10 Dec 2018 -- "Since President Donald J. Trump's first day in office, he has remained resolute in his commitment to defend the American people from the threat of terrorism. In October, the President signed a comprehensive National Strategy for Counterterrorism, which details the Administration's approach to defeating ISIS and other extremist groups at home and abroad."
Study: Terrorism Deaths Declining Globally VOA 07 Dec 2018 -- Deaths caused by terrorism have fallen in the past three years worldwide, a new global study found.
Unmanned aircraft enhances Army Guard response capabilities Army News 07 Dec 2018 -- In the aftermath of Hurricane Florence and during recent Northern California wildfires, Army National Guard members deployed two types of unmanned aircraft systems that allowed for greater coordination of response efforts.
Top Democrat: Moscow Has Closed Cyber Gap With US VOA 07 Dec 2018 -- The top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee warns the United States is being outgunned in cyberspace, already having lost its competitive advantage to Russia while China is rapidly closing in.
N.Y. National Guard Civil Support Team trains local fire departments Army News 06 Dec 2018 -- The scene was set up like something out of a zombie apocalypse movie.
Lebanese Businessman Tied by Treasury Department to Hezbollah Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering Conspiracy in Furtherance of Violations of U.S. Sanctions US Dept. of Justice 06 Dec 2018 -- Kassim Tajideen, the operator of a network of businesses in Lebanon and Africa whom the U.S. Department of the Treasury designated as an important financial supporter to the Hezbollah terror organization, pleaded guilty today to charges associated with evading U.S. sanctions imposed on him.
Ohio Man Convicted of Terrorism Offenses After Trying to Join ISIS US Dept. of Justice 06 Dec 2018 -- Laith Waleed Alebbini, 28, of Dayton, Ohio, was convicted today for attempting and conspiring to join the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization.
Chabahar suicide attack martyred 2, injured 43 IRNA 06 Dec 2018 -- Two were martyred and as many as 43 people were injured in the Thursday terrorist suicide attack on a police headquarters in southeastern Chabahar port in Sistan-Balouchestan Province.
Commander: Full security restored to Chabahar IRNA 06 Dec 2018 -- Commander of Ground Force of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour underlined Chabahar city is in full security and complete safety on Thursday.
Zarif on Chabahar attack: Iran will punish terrorists, their masters Press TV 06 Dec 2018 -- Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has condemned a fatal terror attack that targeted Iran's strategic port city of Chabahar, vowing that the Islamic Republic will bring the perpetrators and "their masters" to justice.
Deadly car bomb attack hits Iran's SE port city of Chabahar Press TV 06 Dec 2018 -- A terrorist car bomb explosion has hit near a police post in Iran's southeastern port city of Chabahar, leaving two police officers dead and dozens of other people wounded.
At Least Two Police Officers Killed By Suicide Car Bomb In Southeast Iran RFE/RL 06 Dec 2018 -- Iranian officials and state media are reporting that two security guards have been killed in a suicide attack outside police headquarters in the southeastern port city of Chabahar.
Ukraine Security Agency Blames Attempted Cyberattack On Russia RFE/RL 05 Dec 2018 -- Ukraine's security agency said it has thwarted a massive cyberattack and blamed Russia for the attempted attack that targeted the country's court system.
Mattis orders US troops to remain at Mexico border Press TV 05 Dec 2018 -- US Defense Secretary James Mattis has directed the roughly 6,000 American troops deployed to stop arriving migrants at the southern border with Mexico to remain there through Christmas.
U.S. Soldier Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS US Dept. of Justice 04 Dec 2018 -- Ikaika Erik Kang, 35, a Sergeant First Class in the U.S. Army formerly stationed at Schofield Barracks, was sentenced today to 25 years in prison for attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization.
Congo's Worst Ebola Outbreak Hits Women Especially Hard VOA 04 Dec 2018 -- The Democratic Republic of Congo is in the throes of its worst-ever Ebola outbreak, with more than 420 cases in the country's volatile east, and a mortality rate of just under 60 percent. But this outbreak – the nation's tenth known Ebola epidemic – is unusual because more than 60 percent of patients are women.
Pentagon Working on Extending Deployment of Troops at Mexican Border - Mattis Sputnik 04 Dec 2018 -- US Defense Secretary James Mattis said in a press conference on Monday that he has not signed off on extending US troops' deployment on the border with Mexico and expects to have a request on his desk within 24 hours.
Alaska National Guard immediate aerial survey reduces earthquake havoc Army News 03 Dec 2018 -- In the cold and dark early-morning hours Friday, an Alaska Air National Guard C-130J "Combat King II" aircraft taxied out to the runway, filled with presents, school supplies and other Christmas goodies for school children in the remote Bering Sea community of Gambell.
Threat from Islamic State-Affiliated Group Reason DRC US Embassy Closed VOA 03 Dec 2018 -- A threat from a group affiliated with Islamic State was responsible for the closing of the U.S. Embassy in Democratic Republic of Congo for more than a week, a U.S. official tells VOA.
Czech Spy Agency Blames Russia For Cyberattacks On Foreign Ministry, Diplomats RFE/RL 03 Dec 2018 -- The Czech spy agency said it is "obvious" that Russia was behind two recent cyberattack campaigns against the Foreign Ministry and the country's diplomats.
US Homeland Security Requests Troops Remain on Mexican Border Until January 31 Sputnik 01 Dec 2018 -- The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has asked the Pentagon to extend the deployment of troops currently stationed along the US-Mexico border through the end of January, Department of Defence spokesperson Jamie Davis said in a statement.

NEWSLETTER

Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list

Homeland Security

December 2018 Security News