Federal authorities are urging law enforcement agencies across the country to watch out for signs that extremists might be planning to wreak havoc at the upcoming political conventions — by blocking roads, shutting down transit systems and even employing what were described as acid-filled eggs.
The warning came in a joint FBI-Department of Homeland Security bulletin issued Wednesday.
The bulletin specifically warned about a group of anarchists from New York City who could be planning to travel to the convention sites to disrupt the events by blockading bridges.
CNN reports that U.S. officials say they have no specific and credible information about planned terror attacks on the United States, but they have issued an intelligence bulletin (more…)
The Homeland Security Department plans to establish a database of immigration data that will identify fraud in applications for benefits, and provide information to intelligence and law enforcement agencies.
Dozens of Americans have joined terrorist groups and are posing a threat to the United States and its interests abroad, the president’s most senior adviser on counterterrorism and homeland security said Thursday.
“There are, in my mind, dozens of U.S. persons who are in different parts of the world, and they are very concerning to us,” said John O. Brennan, deputy White House national security adviser for homeland security and counterterrorism.
Federal authorities on Thursday announced the arrests of more than 2,200 people in 19 states on narcotics-related charges in the largest in a series of operations targeting violent Mexican drug cartels.
The 2,266 arrests over the past 22 months were part of Project Deliverance, a joint effort with Mexican authorities that the Justice Department did not disclose until Thursday.
Investigators from more than 300 federal, state, local and foreign law enforcement agencies seized 74 tons of drugs, 501 weapons and $154 million in cash, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. announced.
An interesting story from a small town in Oregon that once again should remind everyone, it doesn’t matter where you live, if you see something, say something.
Story – It seemed implausible to think that Iranian arms dealers were doing business right here in McMinnville, trading in high-powered sniper rifles, semi-automatic hand guns, ammunition and other equipment. How was that even possible, especially in post 9/11 times? It’s a stark reminder that even here, in small-town America, we need to remain vigilant to the dangers in our ever-shrinking world.
Local law enforcement knew nothing about the business or the illegal activities until last week, when they learned that federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents had arrested Iranian national, Hamid Malekpour, for interstate possession and transportation of firearms and ammunition from McMinnville to Washington state.
Police Chief Ron Noble and Yamhill County Sheriff Jack Crabtree expressed dismay that their departments hadn’t been notified of the investigation by the FBI or ICE, and are looking into the lack of communication from the agencies.
Mexican drug cartels are infiltrating federal law enforcement agencies along the southwest border and those charged with weeding them out say they don't have the money to catch all the corrupt agents, homeland security officials told a U.S. Senate panel Thursday.
James Tomsheck, assistant commissioner with U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Office of Internal Affairs, told a Senate homeland security subcommittee in Washington that only about one in 10 of the new hires for agency jobs are given polygraph tests, and of those, 60 percent are deemed unsuitable for employment.
That means that many who joined the agency during the recent hiring boom and did not take polygraphs could have joined with corruption already in mind, Tomsheck said.
via US Customs: Mexican cartels corrupt border agents – Yahoo! News.
US Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano gave an unprecedented seal of approval to Super Bowl safety measures on Monday after a stadium tour and a detailed look at preparations for Sunday’s game.
“I didn’t have any (advice) to give,” Napolitano said. “They looked well prepared for the game. It all looked fine to me.”
With technological upgrades and tweaks for specific cities, the elaborate Super Bowl security plan is basically the same as it has been since terrorist attacks in 2001 – unifying federal, state and local law-enforcement agencies.
“We’re looking forward to a great and safe Super Bowl 44,” Napolitano said. “We’re grateful for the remarkable cooperation w’ve seen up and down the line. We’re doing everything we can in preparation to make sure it’s a great event.”
The head of the FBI said the threat of a terrorist attack against the U.S. is becoming more worrisome “with each passing day.”
Robert Mueller, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, told the Senate Judiciary Committee that law enforcement agencies have disrupted several plots in the past year as terrorists “remain determined to strike the United States.”
“As the Christmas Day attempted bombing illustrates, the threats we face are becoming more diverse and more dangerous with each passing day,” Mueller testified. “We not only face threats from al-Qaeda, but also from self-directed groups not part of al-Qaeda’s formal structure.”
via FBI Chief Tells Congress Terrorist Threat Grows More Worrisome – BusinessWeek.
Excellent Article by Lt.Andrew Esposito details how police officers need to prepare to tactically resolve a mass hostage terror siege. Important read for those in the law enforcement community.
The threat of an international terrorist attack against our country is not to be taken lightly by emergency responders. In fact, I see it being taken very seriously in the New York Metropolitan area; agencies are meeting, communicating and taking proactive steps to counter potential terrorist efforts.
As professional police officers we are all aware of the threat. The training is out there to provide information and resources on how to deal with terrorism, whether it is domestic or foreign. In this article I would like to address one area that I feel we in law enforcement need to take action on immediately. The immediate employment of police officers to a terrorist attack as first responders is inevitable; I believe that the one thing that is not being addressed is what is going to happen to those first responding officers.
The Washington Post reports D.C. police are questioning a man who allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail Tuesday from atop his van on a busy downtown street as a form of government protest.
Shortly after 2 p.m., the man abruptly stopped his van at 17th and K St NW, and climbed up on the roof, said police spokesman Kevin Palmer.
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Montreal restaurant hit by Molotov cocktail (cbc.ca)
Brothel pelted with Molotov cocktails (news.theage.com.au)
Venezuelan newspaper attacked with firebombs, no injuries or major damage (foxnews.com)
A recent report from the U.S. military’s Joint Special Operations University argues that the American government should set up something like a “National Manhunting Agency” to go after jihadists, drug dealers, pirates and other enemies of the state according to an article on The Danger Room. What are your thoughts?
America’s military, intelligence and law-enforcement agencies already devote thousands of people and billions of dollars to tracking down top terrorists and insurgents.
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New signing Khedira joins Real Madrid squad for U.S. tour (cnn.com)
Son of Al Qaeda Mentor is Killed in Iraq By U.S. Forces, Friend Says (foxnews.com)
“The Squad” makes prison life even more boring (reuters.com)
Police in Princeton, Minnesota are investigating three suspicious packages found around town early Wednesday. An official told FOX News that the devices were located near a school, a post office and a public utility center.
Princeton, Minn. is located about 50 miles north of Minneapolis.
Later in the evening The Union Eagle said sources had confirmed that in addition to the three mysterious packages, five additional items described as “McGuyver bombs” were discovered around the city. The objects were judged to not be dangerous.They were collected and delivered to law enforcement for further examination.
The FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and several local law enforcement agencies are assisting in the investigation.
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Suspicious death in Whitecourt (cbc.ca)
Package Sparks Atlanta Federal Building Evacuation (foxnews.com)
Several news agencies are reporting there’s a reminder today from federal officials that rail and transit systems can be vulnerable to terrorist attacks. A reminder is being sent out to law enforcement around the country. The FBI and the Homeland Security Department warn that improvised explosive devices are the most common method used in attacks on transit systems and authorities need to be vigilant in watching for suspicious items and/or activity.
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What To Do If You Spot Suspicious Activity
If you see suspicious behavior, do not confront the individuals involved.
Take note of the details:
S – Size (Jot down the number of people, gender, ages, and physical descriptions)
A – Activity (Describe exactly what they are doing)
L – Location (Provide exact location)
U – Uniform (Describe what they are wearing, including shoes)
T – Time (Provide date, time, and duration of activity)
E – Equipment (Describe vehicle, make, color etc., license plate, camera, guns, etc)
Suspicious activity is often recalled after an event. We must train ourselves to be on the lookout for things that are out of the ordinary and arouse suspicions.
President Barack Obama has decided to set up a new, elite terrorist interrogation team, but will limit the techniques it can employ to those already approved for military use — a restriction sure to chafe some who believe tougher tactics should be allowed against America’s most determined adversaries.
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New Terror Interrogation Team at FBI: A Shift for Intelligence
Of all the elements of the new terrorism interrogation teams set up by President Barack Obama and announced this morning, among the most important is the fact it will be headquartered at the Federal Bureau of Investigation rather than at the rival Central Intelligence Agency.
Read More
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CIA memo on United States as ‘exporter of terrorism’ published by Wikileaks (telegraph.co.uk)
AP Exclusive: Terrorist interrogation tapes found (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
Antiterrorism officials are increasingly concerned about American-bred extremists who travel abroad for terror training and then return home, sometimes quietly recruiting followers over the years.
Federal authorities have issued a bulletin to law enforcement agencies around the country on the heels of the arrest Monday in North Carolina of a man whose devotion to the cause of violent jihad allegedly began 20 years ago.
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Three suspects arrested in alleged Canadian home-grown terror cell (cnn.com)
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5th Generation Warfare Educational Institute Will Provide Law Enforcement and Government Agencies with Strategies to Address Emerging Threats (prweb.com)
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano invites you to participate in the National Dialogue on the Quadrennial Homeland Security Review (QHSR). This groundbreaking, web-based interactive dialogue is designed to allow a broader range of opinions and ideas to inform the QHSR process, and to strengthen the Department’s relationship with its vast array of partners and stakeholders, including other federal agencies, state, local, and tribal governments, law enforcement professionals, first responders, academic institutions, and the business community.
The White House is considering overhauling interrogation techniques of suspected terrorists by creating a small team of professionals drawn from across the government, people familiar with the proposal told The Wall Street Journal.
The new unit, made of members of spy services and law-enforcement agencies, would be used for so-called high-value detainees, The Wall Street Journal reports.
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AP Exclusive: Terrorist interrogation tapes found (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
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Smirking for the camera, this is the 20-year-old woman Mexican police caught guarding an extraordinary arsenal of weapons.
Anahi Beltran Cabrera was seized during a routine patrol in Sonora state, near the U.S. border.
Officers recovered a vast cache of weapons including an anti-aircraft gun capable of firing 800 shots per minute, a number of rifles and an array of ammunition.
They believe the haul belongs to a group allegedly linked to the powerful Beltan Leyva drug cartel.
Cabrera was paraded before the media – along with the weapons she was caught guarding.
Large swathes of Mexico have been ravaged by violence with drugs gangs battling for territory.
Last month, 2,000 soldiers and armed federal police were deployed into the border town of Ciudad Juarez to restore order to the country’s most violent city.
In one month, 250 people were killed by hitmen fighting for lucrative smuggling routes.
In Arizona, after determining the subjects of an international terrorism case were involved in local criminal activity, the case was referred to local law enforcement. In New Mexico, several individuals linked to FBI investigations-including an MS-13 gang member-were identified. In Tennessee, we developed-with our partners-a formal process for collecting, sharing, and analyzing suspicious activity reports, looking for trends and patterns.
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