December 2014 Security News

Most intense Ebola transmission in West Africa reported in western Sierra Leone – UN UN News Centre 31 Dec 2014 -- The number of Ebola cases is fluctuating in Guinea, decreasing in Liberia and showing signs the increase has slowed in Sierra Leone, the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) reported today as the UN development agency said it is helping the Liberian Government build border posts to cut the cross-border spread of infection in West Africa.
U.S. Sends Five Guantanamo Prisoners To Kazakhstan RFE/RL 31 Dec 2014 -- The United States has transferred five prisoners from the military prison at Guantanamo Bay to Kazakhstan for resettlement.
Hong Kong Culls Tons of Chinese Poultry Amid Bird Flu Fears: Reports Sputnik 31 Dec 2014 -- Hong Kong authorities on Wednesday started culling approximately 15,000 chickens imported from China in an effort to stop the spread of bird flu, Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) reported.
Defense Attorneys Challenge Arrest of Mumbai Attacks Suspect VOA 31 Dec 2014 -- Defense attorneys in Pakistan have alleged the government rearrested the suspected leader of the 2008 Mumbai attacks on "fake" charges to appease India. Authorities in Pakistan appear to have a problem because the release of the man could further raise tensions with India and attempting to influence the judiciary could draw massive criticism at home.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 31 Dec 2014 [PDF]
Detainee Transfer Announced DoD 30 Dec 2014 -- The Department of Defense announced today the transfer of Asim Thabit Abdullah Al-Khalaqi, Muhammad Ali Husayn Khanayna, Sabri Muhammad Ibrahim Al Qurashi, Adel Al-Hakeemy, and Abdullah Bin Ali Al-Lufti from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to Kazakhstan.
Fight against Ebola requires district-by-district approach - head of UN response mission UN News Centre 30 Dec 2014 -- The outgoing head of the head of the United Nations Emergency Ebola Response Mission (UNMEER) said today that communities are going to play a big role in defeating the "nasty disease" in West Africa by stamping out outbreaks while they are small and not allowing them to become bigger.
Japan culls 37,000 more chickens over bird flu Iran Press TV 30 Dec 2014 -- Authorities in Japan have started culling another 37,000 chickens in the west of the country after the discovery of a fresh bird flu outbreak, making it the third reported in less than a month.
France, Germany Urge Checks on Jihadists' Travel VOA 30 Dec 2014 -- France and Germany, traditionally among the fiercest defenders of document-free travel within the 26-nation Schengen travel zone, are calling for changes to counter the increasing number of Europeans leaving to wage jihad in Iraq and Syria.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 30 Dec 2014 [PDF]
Number of people affected by Ebola tops 20,000 - UN health agency UN News Centre 29 Dec 2014 -- The head of the United Nations Ebola emergency response mission is set to open a treatment facility in Liberia near the Sierra Leonean border during a visit to review where the UN can do more to help, as the World Health Organization (WHO) today reported that more 20,000 people have now become infected by the virus.
Universal health coverage - Ebola reveals the gaps IRIN 29 Dec 2014 -- West Africa's Ebola epidemic has cruelly exposed the weaknesses of health systems in the countries where it struck. It was understandable that they were not prepared for Ebola, which has never been reported in the region before, but the director of the World Health Organization (WHO), Margaret Chan, says what they lacked was a robust public health infrastructure to deal with the unexpected.
Liberia reports 49 new Ebola cases in 26 days Iran Press TV 29 Dec 2014 -- Liberia has reported 49 new Ebola cases between December 1 and 25 in the western county of Grand Cape Mount near Sierra Leone's border.
Japan culls 42,000 chickens over bird flu Iran Press TV 29 Dec 2014 -- Japanese authorities have ordered the culling of some 42,000 chickens following the discovery of a fresh outbreak of the bird flu at a farm in the country's southwest.
Russia Officially Recognizes Islamic State as Terrorist Organization Sputnik 29 Dec 2014 -- The Russian Supreme Court on Monday ruled that the Islamic State (IS) and Jabhat al-Nusra militant groups are terrorist organizations, the court's press service said.
Sierra Leone Intensifies Ebola Fight VOA 29 Dec 2014 -- It's been a year since a small boy died of Ebola in a remote part of southeastern Guinea. Scientists say he was the first known case of this ongoing regional epidemic. Guinea has since reported at least 2597 cases but it's the country's neighbors, Sierra Leone and Liberia, that have been the hardest hit. Sierra Leone started a fresh push against the virus in mid-December.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 29 Dec 2014 [PDF]
Islamic State Emergence Transformed Syria, Iraq in 2014 VOA 28 Dec 2014 -- The emergence of the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria as a potent force in early 2014 changed the dynamics of the region.
DPRK Internet, 3G mobile network suffer 2nd outage People's Daily 28 Dec 2014 -- Internet and 3G mobile network of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) were paralyzed again Saturday evening amid bickering between the United States and the Asian country over an earlier cyber attack on Sony Pictures.
Bird flu takes four in Libya: Health minister Iran Press TV 27 Dec 2014 -- Four people have died after contacting bird flu in Libya over the last few days, says the health minister of the country's internationally recognized government.
North Korea Suffers Countrywide Internet Shutdown Again Sputnik 27 Dec 2014 -- North Korea is continuing to have problems with Internet and 3G mobile networks on Saturday evening, Chinese news agency Xinhua reported.
N. Korea Denounces Obama for Internet Outages VOA 27 Dec 2014 -- North Korea denounced U.S. President Barack Obama with a crude personal attack as it blamed the United States for intermittent Internet outages that have isolated Pyongyang during the past week, and recurred again on Saturday.
South Korea Heightens Security After Cyberattack on Nuclear Plants VOA 26 Dec 2014 -- South Korea has increased security around power plants after hackers penetrated their computer network and released sensitive documents online. Investigators cannot yet say if Pyongyang was involved in this hacking incident, but given the recent alleged North Korean cyberattack on the Sony movie studio, they cannot rule it out either.
UN Ebola response efforts at 'full capacity' following warehouse fire UN News Centre 24 Dec 2014 -- The UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) has reported that a main United Nations logistics hub managed by the World Food Programme (WFP) in Guinea is fully operational despite the fire that swept through the facility last week threatening medicines and laboratory materials used in the fight against Ebola.
Is North Korea Really Responsible for Sony Hack? VOA 24 Dec 2014 -- On December 19, less than one month after Sony Pictures Entertainment suffered one of the worst computer hacks in history, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation announced it had found the culprit: North Korea.
Estimates Rising of Foreign Fighters in Iraq, Syria VOA 24 Dec 2014 -- Foreign fighters are making more of a mark on the battles raging across Syria and Iraq than initially thought.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 24 Dec 2014 [PDF]
Amnesty: IS Fighters Using Rape as Weapon VOA 23 Dec 2014 -- A human rights group says Islamic State militants are using 'rape as a weapon' against ethnic Yazidi women seized from northern Iraq in what amounts to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
France ups security after 3 attacks in 3 days Iran Press TV 23 Dec 2014 -- French Prime Minister Manuel Valls says Paris is stepping up security nationwide following three successive unrelated bloody attacks.
German Security Services Warn of Highest Terrorist Threat in Decades Sputnik 23 Dec 2014 -- The terrorist threat level in Germany is currently very high, with Germany's involvement in the anti-Islamic State (IS) war a justification for a terrorist attack, the Bild reported Tuesday citing unattributed security services documents.
Australian Authorities Detect Increased 'Terrorist Chatter' VOA 23 Dec 2014 -- Australian authorities say they have detected increased 'terrorist chatter' in the days following last week's deadly siege at a Sydney cafe.
Pakistan to free leader of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi terror group Iran Press TV 23 Dec 2014 -- Pakistan is set to release the leader of outlawed terrorist group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi after the Punjab provincial government removed an appeal to extend his detention under public order laws.
North Korea Internet Service Restored VOA 23 Dec 2014 -- North Korea emerged Tuesday from a complete Internet outage Monday lasting nearly 10 hours.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 23 Dec 2014 [PDF]
Courage of Ebola health workers should inspire greater efforts by all, says Ban UN News Centre 22 Dec 2014 -- Citing the "memorable and moving" example of a Sierra Leonean nurse who had contracted Ebola but became a caregiver as soon as she had recovered, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today that kind of commitment "should move us all to do more to end the outbreak" in West Africa.
US Officials Warn Against Complacency in Fight Against Ebola VOA 22 Dec 2014 -- U.S. officials are worried that progress in the global effort to curtail the spread of the deadly Ebola virus could lead to overconfidence and a reemergence of an outbreak that has already claimed more than 7,000 lives. Both health officials and lawmakers are warning the fight against Ebola may be entering its most critical phase.
WHO: Ebola Death Toll Passes 7,500 VOA 22 Dec 2014 -- The World Health Organization says the death toll from the Ebola outbreak has risen to more than 7,500 people and the number of cases is nearing 20,000.
France Rocked by Attacks as Fear of IS-Inspired Terror Grows VOA 22 Dec 2014 -- Eleven people were injured, two seriously, when a man shouting 'Allahu Akbar' ('God is Great' in Arabic) drove his car into crowds of pedestrians Sunday in the French city of Dijon. Witnesses say he invoked 'the children of Palestine' to explain his actions.
N. Korea to US: Apologize for Sony Hack Claim VOA 22 Dec 2014 -- North Korea has called on the United States to apologize for implicating Pyongyang in the hacking of Sony Pictures and threatened to fight back in a variety of ways, including cyberwarfare.
South Korea Divided on Response to North's Cyber Attack VOA 22 Dec 2014 -- In South Korea, there are voices of support for the idea that U.S. President Barack Obama might put North Korea back on the list of state sponsors of terrorism in response to the cyber attack on Sony Pictures Entertainment.
North Korea threatens to strike US over Sony hack Iran Press TV 22 Dec 2014 -- North Korea has threatened to retaliate against the United States after it was accused of orchestrating a destructive cyberattack on Sony Pictures.
North Korea Warns of Retaliation After US Blames Pyongyang for Sony Hacking Sputnik 22 Dec 2014 -- An irate Pyongyang has released a statement through its Korean Central News Agency threatening an attack against the US, after Washington announced North Korea is to blame for the Sony Picture hacking scandal.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 22 Dec 2014 [PDF]
U.S. Urged to Honestly Apologize to Mankind for Its Evil Doing before Groundlessly Pulling up Others KCNA 21 Dec 2014 -- "The Sony Pictures Entertainment, the biggest movie producer in the U.S., which produced the undesirable reactionary film "The Interview" daring hurt the dignity of the supreme leadership of the DPRK and agitating even terrorism and had a plan to distribute it, was exposed to surprisingly sophisticated, destructive and threatening cyber warfare and has been thrown into a bottomless quagmire after suffering property losses worth hundreds of millions of dollars."
South Korea Suspends Importation of US Poultry Due to Bird Flu Outbreak Sputnik 21 Dec 2014 -- South Korea's Agriculture Ministry has suspended the country's importation of US poultry due to an outbreak of bird flu in the United States, Reuters reported on Sunday, quoting a station issued by the ministry.
Obama: US Might Put N. Korea on Terror List VOA 21 Dec 2014 -- President Barack Obama said the United States is reviewing whether to put North Korea back onto its lists of state sponsors of terrorism following a cyber attack on Sony Pictures, which U.S. officials blame on the communist nation.
Sierra Leone Educates on Safe Ebola Burials VOA 21 Dec 2014 -- With Ebola having killed more than 2,000 people in Sierra Leone, and unsafe burials possibly being responsible for up to 70 percent of new infections, officials said they are resorting to increasingly desperate measures to clamp down on traditional burials in the country.
North Korea vows to respond to potential US bans over hacking Iran Press TV 21 Dec 2014 -- North Korea has warned it will take retaliatory measures in case the US imposes sanctions against Pyongyang over an alleged recent hacking attack against US-based Sony Pictures.
DPRK Foreign Ministry Rejects U.S. Accusation against Pyongyang over Cyber Attack KCNA 20 Dec 2014 -- A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of the DPRK gave the following answer to a question put by KCNA Saturday as regards the U.S. accusation against the DPRK over a cyber attack on a movie company in the U.S.
ISIL kills 100 members trying to quit terror group: Report Iran Press TV 20 Dec 2014 -- The ISIL terrorist group has reportedly killed 100 of its own foreign members who were trying to escape from their headquarters in Syria.
Islamic State Executes 100 Fighters Who Wanted to Flee Raqqa: Report Sputnik 20 Dec 2014 -- The Islamic State has executed at least 100 foreign militants, fighting for the radical Sunni group, for trying to leave the Syrian city of Raqqa, the IS stronghold, the Financial Times reports, citing an activist.
Detainee Transfer Announced DoD 20 Dec 2014 -- The Department of Defense announced today the repatriation of Shawali Khan, Khi Ali Gul, Abdul Ghani, and Mohammed Zahir from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
Pentagon Says Four Afghan Guantanamo Detainees Repatriated RFE/RL 20 Dec 2014 -- The Pentagon says four detainees held at the Guantanamo Bay U.S. military detention facility have been repatriated to Afghanistan.
North Korea Proposes Joint Investigation With US Into Sony Cyberattack Sputnik 20 Dec 2014 -- US accusations that North Korea staged a cyber attack on Sony Pictures are "groundless slander"; Pyongyang wants to set up a joint investigation into the incident with Washington, a spokesman of the North Korean foreign ministry said, according to Reuters.
In Guinea, as Ebola spread slows, Ban pledges UN support towards total eradication UN News Centre 20 Dec 2014 -- Cautioning that much remains to be done to wipe out Ebola in Guinea, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today that joint national, regional and global efforts have "significantly" slowed the spread of the deadly virus, giving hope to thousands of people and providing space for communities to look ahead to socio-economic recovery.
US Releases 4 Afghan Prisoners From Guantanamo VOA 20 Dec 2014 -- The U.S. Defense Department said Saturday that four Afghans held for more than a decade at the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, had been returned to their home country.
IS Militants Use Sex to Lure Recruits VOA 20 Dec 2014 -- Fighters join the so-called Islamic State [IS] for myriad motives, but one big reason might be the lure of one of the most basic human desires: sex.
Turnout Low for Liberian Election Amid Ebola Fear VOA 20 Dec 2014 -- Health workers manned polling stations Saturday as Liberians voted in a Senate election that was delayed twice because of the West African Ebola epidemic.
Sony Still Hopes to Release Film About Killing Kim Jong Un VOA 20 Dec 2014 -- Sony Pictures says it still hopes to release its controversial film about a plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Condemning Cyber-Attack by North Korea US Dept. of State 19 Dec 2014
Ban visits Ebola-hit West Africa, says zero cases "must be everyone's goal" UN News Centre 19 Dec 2014 -- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today that there is reason to be "cautiously optimistic" about defeating the Ebola crisis in West Africa, as he made a series of visits to countries most-affected by the unprecedented outbreak, which has sickened some 18,000 people and killed close to 7,000 others throughout the region.
Adopting resolution, Security Council urges fight against nexus of transnational crime, terrorism UN News Centre 19 Dec 2014 -- Amid a proliferation of well-funded and well-organized transnational criminal activities in Africa, the Middle East and beyond, the United Nations Security Council today adopted a resolution spotlighting its concern over the ties between cross-border crime and terrorism and called on UN Member States to ramp up efforts in combatting the two activities.
Update on Sony Investigation FBI 19 Dec 2014 -- Today, the FBI would like to provide an update on the status of our investigation into the cyber attack targeting Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE). (...) As a result of our investigation, and in close collaboration with other U.S. government departments and agencies, the FBI now has enough information to conclude that the North Korean government is responsible for these actions.
Kenya president signs controversial anti-terror bill Iran Press TV 19 Dec 2014 -- Kenyan president has signed a controversial security bill into law, saying it will be of great help in fighting the rising threat of terrorism.
UN Chief: Ebola Fight in Liberia is Working VOA 19 Dec 2014 -- United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon is on a tour of West African nations struggling with Ebola, pledging continued U.N. help to fight the outbreak.
Obama: US to Respond to N. Korea Sony Attack VOA 19 Dec 2014 -- U.S. President Barack Obama has vowed that U.S will respond 'proportionally' to the cyberattack on Sony Pictures that the FBI has blamed on North Korea.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 19 Dec 2014 [PDF]
Mystery over Ebola survivors' ailments IRIN 18 Dec 2014 -- For some Ebola survivors, overcoming the lethal viral assault has not heralded a full return to good health. An array of ailments including headache, joint pains, vision and hearing problems have afflicted convalescents; experts are still uncertain of the exact cause.
N Korea Involved in Sony Hack: US Investigators Sputnik 18 Dec 2014 -- US authorities have determined that North Korea is responsible for the recent cyber attack against Sony Pictures, which is now reviewing its options for an effective response to the new threats aimed at movie theaters by Pyongyang-backed hackers.
US: Sony Cyberattack Is 'Serious' National Security Matter' VOA 18 Dec 2014 -- U.S. officials are treating a cyberattack on Sony Pictures as a 'serious national security matter,' with the National Security Council considering a proportionate response, the White House said Thursday.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 18 Dec 2014 [PDF]
Ebola: UN Secretary-General will visit West Africa to 'show solidarity with those affected' UN News Centre 17 Dec 2014 -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced he will leave today for the countries hardest hit by the Ebola outbreak "to show my solidarity with those affected and urge even greater global action" to fight the epidemic, which two United Nations food agencies said could push the number of people facing food insecurity to more than one million by next spring.
Ebola Threatens Million with Food Insecurity VOA 17 Dec 2014 -- Ebola continues to attack Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone on several fronts. While infections and deaths rise, the disease is posing a greater threat to food security. U.N. agencies warn that more than one-million people could be food insecure by March unless action is not taken now.
EU Court Orders Hamas Removed from Terror List VOA 17 Dec 2014 -- A European court has ruled that the Palestinian militant group Hamas must be removed from a European Union list of designated terror groups.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 17 Dec 2014 [PDF]
Ebola: UN says health workers in Sierra Leone to receive hazard pay using mobile money UN News Centre 16 Dec 2014 -- Response workers battling the Ebola outbreak in West Africa will receive "hazard pay" for the first time in Sierra Leone using mobile money because "unless there is a certain element of incentives, or danger pay, it's very difficult to attract and retain people," the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) announced today.
Indonesia Reports Increase in Citizens Joining Islamic State VOA 16 Dec 2014 -- Indonesia says it estimates that more than 350 of its citizens are now in Syria or Iraq to fight with the Islamic State, an increase of 50 since last month.
Japan slaughters 4,000 chickens to restrain bird flu Iran Press TV 16 Dec 2014 -- Some 4,000 chickens have been slaughtered at a farm in southwestern Japan following the detection of the bird flu virus in the country's top poultry producing region, local media reported.
US Military Cancels Terror Suspect Hearing Sputnik 16 Dec 2014 -- A pretrial hearing of the men suspected of masterminding the September 11 attacks has been cancelled by the US military in Guantanamo Bay on Monday, a week after last Tuesday's publication of the Senate Intelligence Committee report summary on CIA torture practices.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 16 Dec 2014 [PDF]
Ebola: UN forum urges debt relief for hard-hit countries, as search for faster diagnostics gets underway UN News Centre 15 Dec 2014 -- The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) today recommended that creditors should seriously consider debt cancellation for the countries worst-hit by the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, and also projected that even if those most affected were to register zero economic growth, the impact on Africa as a continent would be minimal.
Australia Café Siege Leaves Gunman, 2 Hostages Dead VOA 15 Dec 2014 -- Australian police have confirmed three people, including the hostage-taker, were killed during a day-long standoff at a Sydney cafe.
French Police Arrest Islamist Suspects in Raids VOA 15 Dec 2014 -- French police detained nearly a dozen Islamist suspects in raids early Monday following a months-long investigation. Reports say those arrested include would-be jihadists hoping to join the fight in the Middle East and their recruiters.
Sydney Police Storm Cafe, End Standoff VOA 15 Dec 2014 -- Australian police stormed a Sydney cafe, ending a 16-hour siege in which an unknown number of people were held hostage by an armed gunman who was known to authorities.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 15 Dec 2014 [PDF]
Iran rejects reports on talks with US about ISIL ISNA 14 Dec 2014 -- Iranian embassy in Azerbaijan rejected media reports that Iran and the US have held talks on the terrorist group known as the so-called the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Baku.
Islamic State Has Spread its Influence to Nigeria's Boko Haram Terrorists Sputnik 13 Dec 2014 -- The Islamic State has spread its influence far beyond the Middle East: Boko Haram, an African Islamic militant group which has been terrorizing Nigeria and its neighbors since 2002, is evidently copying the IS movement.
Ebola: UN envoy calls for "big surge" in efforts to reduce transmission rates in Sierra Leone UN News Centre 13 Dec 2014 -- Amid a spike in Ebola transmission rates in Sierra Leone, the United Nations envoy coordinating the massive global crisis response has travelled to the West African nation to help implement a surge in efforts to contain the outbreak.
Guinea Fights to Reduce Ebola Risks to Miners VOA 13 Dec 2014 -- Health teams working in Guinea are ramping up outreach efforts in the country's mining regions, where a concentrated and mobile workforce provides a ripe environment for spreading the deadly Ebola virus, according to a UNICEF representative.
UN meeting urges critical improvements to health systems of Ebola-affected countries UN News Centre 12 Dec 2014 -- The international community must help Ebola-affected countries reboot their health systems so that they emerge from the current crisis more resilient and more focused on prevention efforts than ever before, a high-level meeting coordinated by the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva heard today.
DTRA Medical Countermeasures Help West African Ebola Crisis AFPS 12 Dec 2014 -- Since 2003, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency has invested more than $300 million to develop medical countermeasures against hemorrhagic fever viruses, and those efforts are paying off today in potential new ways to fight Ebola virus disease.
Pakistan arrests al-Qaeda commander in Karachi Iran Press TV 12 Dec 2014 -- Pakistani authorities have arrested a regional al-Qaeda commander during a raid in the southern port city of Karachi.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 12 Dec 2014 [PDF]
Ebola response must include efforts to bolster health systems – UN Economic, Social Council chief UN News Centre 11 Dec 2014 -- While the priority is to stop the Ebola outbreak, measures must also ensure that the emergency response is linked to longer-term efforts to strengthen health systems in those countries hit the hardest, President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) said today.
Al-Qaida Claims Attack on US-Yemen Airbase VOA 11 Dec 2014 -- An al-Qaida affiliate in Yemen says it carried out a rocket attack Thursday on an airbase used by the United States.
Sierra Leone Hits Back at Ebola Outbreak Claims VOA 11 Dec 2014 -- The World Health Organization said a new Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone has killed dozens of people and sickened more than 100, but a Sierra Leone government spokesman said those numbers are too high.
Bush Era Officials Claim Terrorist Torture 'Necessary' to Prevent Attacks Sputnik 11 Dec 2014 -- After the Tuesday's publication of the report on the alleged CIA torture of suspected terrorists, the most prominent figures of the George W. Bush Republican administration and some CIA leaders unite efforts in defending themselves from the risen wave of leftist criticism.
UN Official Calls US Torture Practices 'Breeding Ground' for More Terrorism Sputnik 11 Dec 2014 -- The United States' post 9/11 interrogation practices revealed and confirmed in the Senate report released this week have served as a breeding ground for terrorist activities, the UN's Special Rapporteur on torture said Thursday.
CIA Officials Campaign Against US Senate Torture Report Sputnik 11 Dec 2014 -- High-ranking CIA officials have launched a campaign, criticizing the US Senate's inquiry into the CIA's brutal torture methods, claiming the document was based on adjusted evidence, Wall Street Journal reported.
After CIA torture revelations, United States must now recover moral high ground - UN expert UN News Centre 11 Dec 2014 -- The United States' use of torture when interrogating prisoners captured in its "War on Terror" has damaged the country's moral high ground and created a set-back in the global fight against the condemnable practice, a United Nations human rights expert has declared.
Brennan Defends CIA Against Criticism in Torture Report VOA 11 Dec 2014 -- Central Intelligence Agency Director John Brennan addressed criticism included in a Senate Intelligence Committee report on torture during a rare news conference Thursday at the agency's headquarters in Langley, Virginia.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 11 Dec 2014 [PDF]
UN congratulates frontline workers battling Ebola in West Africa UN News Centre 10 Dec 2014 -- The United Nations today congratulated the front line workers in the field battling Ebola on their well-deserved recognition as Time "Person of the Year," while countries affected by the outbreak and their partners met to ensure cases do not cross borders and to lay the foundation for resilient health systems respectively.
Previously Unknown Ebola Outbreak Kills Dozens in Sierra Leone VOA 10 Dec 2014 -- The World Health Organization said Wednesday that dozens of people have died from a previously hidden Ebola outbreak in an eastern district of Sierra Leone.
Russian General Staff Puts Number of Islamic State Militants at 70,000 Sputnik 10 Dec 2014 -- The radical Islamic State group active in Iraq and Syria has up to 70,000 members according to Russia's estimates, the chief of the Russian General Staff, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, said Wednesday.
French Hostage in Mali Freed in Al-Qaida Swap VOA 10 Dec 2014 -- A rights group in Mali says it is alarmed by the apparent deal that set free the last French hostage held by al-Qaida's North Africa branch. Four accused terrorists were released in Bamako in the days before the release of French citizen Serge Lazarevic.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 10 Dec 2014 [PDF]
Ebola: UN envoy says intense response needed for western Sierra Leone and Guinea-Mali border UN News Centre 09 Dec 2014 -- The United Nations, working with its national and international partners to halt the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, is currently focusing attention on bringing down the high levels of transmission in western Sierra Leone and ensuring that cases do not cross the border from Guinea into neighbouring Mali, the UN Special Envoy on Ebola Dr. David Nabarro said today.
SSCI Releases Report on CIA Detention, Interrogation Program Senator Feinstein 09 Dec 2014-- Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today released the executive summary of the committee's five-year review of the CIA's detention and interrogation program. The release includes redacted versions of the committee's executive summary and findings and conclusions, as well as additional and minority views authored by members of the committee.
Statement from Director Brennan on the SSCI Study on the Former Detention and Interrogation Program Central Intelligence Agency 09 Dec 2014
Chambliss, McConnell React to Public Release of Senate Democrats' CIA Detention and Interrogation Report Senator Chambliss 09 Dec 2014
Floor statement by Senator John McCain on Senate Intelligence Committee Report on CIA interrogation methods Senator McCain 09 Dec 2014
US Releases Report on CIA Interrogation Methods VOA 09 Dec 2014 -- The United States has released a long-awaited report detailing how the Central Intelligence Agency employed extreme interrogation methods on suspected terrorists following the September 11, 2001, attacks.
Statement by the President on the Report of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence The White House 09 Dec 2014
Flawed, brutal and ineffective: Senate report on CIA torture Iran Press TV 09 Dec 2014 -- The US Senate Intelligence Committee has released a drastically redacted summary of its voluminous report on the CIA's torture program during the George W. Bush administration.
Cheney: CIA torture program 'absolutely, totally justified' Iran Press TV 09 Dec 2014 -- Former US vice president Dick Cheney has defended the use of torture by the Central Intelligence Agency ahead of the release of a new Senate report on the agency's controversial program.
Senate Report: CIA Misled Officials About 'Brutal' Interrogation Methods RFE/RL 09 Dec 2014 -- A U.S. Senate report has concluded that the CIA used interrogation techniques against suspected terrorists that were "brutal" and "far worse" than they had led officials to believe, and that the methods failed to elicit accurate information.
Senate Report Reveals Brutal CIA Torture Practices Sputnik 09 Dec 2014 -- CIA interrogators used a number of cruel techniques including 'Russian Roulette', sleep deprivation, along with other tortures against the suspects, detained in relation to 9/11 attacks, according to a US Senate report released Tuesday.
Release of Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Report US Dept. of State 09 Dec 2014
UN expert calls for prosecution of CIA, US officials for crimes committed during interrogations UN News Centre 09 Dec 2014 -- A United States Senate report has confirmed what the international community has long believed – that there was a clear policy orchestrated at a high level within the Bush Administration which allowed to commit gross violations of international human rights law, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on counter terrorism and human rights said today.
UN Official: Focus on Ebola Shifts to Sierra Leone, Guinea VOA 09 Dec 2014 -- A senior United Nations official says an upsurge in the transmission of the deadly Ebola virus in western Sierra Leone and northern Guinea requires a more intense international response to halt the spread of this fatal disease.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 09 Dec 2014 [PDF]
DoD Threat Reduction Agency Builds Anti-Ebola Capacity AFPS 08 Dec 2014 -- The Defense Department agency whose mission is to reduce biological, chemical and other threats to troops worldwide began ramping up its response early in the Ebola outbreak and now, with many partners, is steadily building capabilities in Liberia as it extends capacity into Sierra Leone and Mali.
Health workers on Ebola response frontlines get boost with donation of protective gear - UN UN News Centre 08 Dec 2014 -- The first of 700,000 sets of protective gear intended for healthcare workers battling on the frontlines of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa arrived today from Japan and were handed over the United Nations, as the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said the crisis has left some 5 million children out of school.
Opium poppy cultivation in 'Golden Triangle' hits new high in 2014 - UN report UN News Centre 08 Dec 2014 -- Cultivation of opium poppy crops in Myanmar and Laos rose again for the eighth consecutive year, nearly tripling the amount harvested in 2006, according to a new report released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) today.
EU Foreign Chief in Turkey, Seeks Support Against IS VOA 08 Dec 2014 -- The foreign affairs chief of the European Union is leading a high-level delegation to Turkey to discuss Ankara's role in battling the Islamic State group and to re-invigorate the country's accession bid. But the visit comes as relations are at a low point.
EU Foreign Chief in Turkey, Seeks Support Against IS VOA 08 Dec 2014 -- The foreign affairs chief of the European Union is leading a high-level delegation to Turkey to discuss Ankara's role in battling the Islamic State group and to re-invigorate the country's accession bid. But the visit comes as relations are at a low point.
Security Expert Calls Kenya Reply to Al-Shabaab Attacks Incoherent VOA 08 Dec 2014 -- Kenya needs more that military options to deal with the terrorist threat of Al Shabaab, says a security specialist. He proposes that the government adopt a comprehensive response that includes non-military options rolled out in a way that is national in scope and commensurate to the domestic threats that Kenya faces.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 08 Dec 2014 [PDF]
Detainee Transfer Announced DoD 07 Dec 2014-- The Department of Defense announced today the transfer of Ahmed Adna n Ahjam, Ali Hussain Shaabaan, Omar Mahmoud Faraj, Abdul Bin Mohammed Abis Ourgy, Mohammed Tahanmatan, and Jihad Diyab from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to the Government of Uruguay.
Saudi Arabia detains 135 suspected 'terrorists' Iran Press TV 07 Dec 2014 -- Saudi Arabia has detained 135 people whom it has accused of planning to carry out terrorist activities and destabilizing the country's security, the Saudi Interior Ministry says.
Saudi Arabia Arrests 135 Suspected Terrorists: Interior Ministry Sputnik 07 Dec 2014 -- Saudi Arabia arrested 135 people suspected of terrorist attacks and plotting to sabotage security in the Kingdom, the country's Interior Ministry spokesperson said Sunday.
10th Sierra Leone Doctor Dies of Ebola VOA 07 Dec 2014 -- A 10th doctor from Sierra Leone died from Ebola, a day after two other Sierra Leone doctors had succumbed to the disease, a health official said Sunday.
At Least 10 Killed in Failed US Rescue of Yemen Hostages VOA 07 Dec 2014 -- At least 10 people were killed Saturday in a U.S.-led attempt to free two foreign hostages in Yemen.
Rescue Mission 'Quick, But Thorough' Official Says AFPS 06 Dec 2014 -- The operation to rescue a U.S. hostage in Yemen was quickly but thoroughly planned, a senior U.S. military official said here today.
US, South African Hostages Killed in Yemen Rescue Attempt VOA 06 Dec 2014 -- An American photojournalist and a South African teacher were killed during a U.S.-led rescue attempt on Saturday in Yemen.
Senior U.S. Leaders Condemn Murder of Luke Somers AFPS 06 Dec 2014 -- President Barack Obama, Secretary of State John F. Kerry and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel condemned yesterday's murder of U.S. photojournalist Luke Somers in Yemen by al Qaeda terrorists as U.S. and Yemeni commandos attempted a rescue.
Statement by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel on the Death of Luke Somers DoD 06 Dec 2014 -- Yesterday, by order of the president of the United States, U.S. Special Operations Forces conducted a mission in Yemen to rescue a U.S. citizen, Luke Somers, and any other foreign nationals held hostage with him by Al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) terrorists.
Pakistani Military Kills Al-Qaeda Chief of Global Operations: Reports Sputnik 06 Dec 2014 -- The Pakistani army has announced that airstrikes have killed al-Qaeda leader Adnan el Shukrijuma, considered by the FBI to be the chief of al-Qaeda's global operations, in the South Waziristan region on Saturday, the BBC reports.
Top IS Militant Taunts Lebanese Shi'ites VOA 05 Dec 2014 -- A Sunni militant commander in Syria who has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group has threatened to retaliate against Lebanese Shi'ites because of the arrest of his wife and children in Lebanon.
World must do 'whatever it takes' to ensure recovery of Ebola-affected countries - Ban UN News Centre 05 Dec 2014 -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appealed today to members of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) "to do whatever it takes" to help the West African countries hardest hit by Ebola grow back stronger and more resilient, while the head of the UN health agency noted that the "fear of Ebola is moving faster than the virus" itself.
UN peacekeeper trooper tests positive for Ebola Iran Press TV 05 Dec 2014 -- A United Nations peacekeeper has tested positive for the deadly Ebola infection in Liberia and is to be transferred to the Netherlands for treatment.
Is Ebola Taking a Heavier Toll on Women? VOA 05 Dec 2014 -- The Ebola virus, indiscriminate and opportunistic, has infected more than 17,000 people in West Africa, the World Health Organization reports. But some observers fear the epidemic may be exacting an especially heavy toll on women and girls.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 05 Dec 2014 [PDF]
Cooler box-equipped motorbikes donated to UN will speed up Ebola testing process in West Africa UN News Centre 04 Dec 2014 -- Four hundred motorbikes equipped with cooler boxes will help speed up deliveries of blood samples to laboratories from remote areas of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone and reduce the waiting time for Ebola test results, thanks to a donation today from Germany to the United Nations.
Yemen: Security Council condemns deadly bombing at Iranian Ambassador's residence UN News Centre 04 Dec 2014 -- The United Nations Security Council has condemned yesterday's bomb attack at the residence of the Iranian Ambassador to Yemen which killed several people.
Al-Qaida in Yemen Threatens to Kill American Hostage VOA 04 Dec 2014 -- Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula has threatened to kill an American hostage unless the U.S. government meets unspecified demands within three days.
Pakistan Pushes Back Against IS Supporters VOA 04 Dec 2014 -- Pakistan on Thursday confirmed that police have arrested several individuals from major cities for their alleged links to Daish, the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State group or IS. The revelation comes amid reports the extremist outfit, operating in Syria and Iraq, is seeking to extend its influence in a region plagued by Islamic militancy.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 04 Dec 2014 [PDF]
Rodriguez: Significant Progress Made in Fight Against Ebola AFPS 03 Dec 2014 -- With the number of new Ebola cases declining or holding steady in Liberia, the top U.S. military commander for Africa said today that thousands of U.S. troops deployed to West Africa to help stop the spread of the deadly disease could soon shift their focus to other countries if needed or begin to come home.
Department of Defense Press Briefing by Gen. Rodriguez in the Pentagon Briefing Room on Ebola Response DoD 03 Dec 2014 -- Presenter: U.S. Africa Command Commander General David M. Rodriguez
Ebola: UN special envoy appeals to Liberians to remain vigilant, sustain response UN News Centre 03 Dec 2014 -- The United Nations Special Envoy on Ebola, Dr. David Nabarro, today took his message directly to the people of Liberia, applauding them for the progress made so far in combating the virus, but cautioning that "the most dangerous time is actually when it looks as though you are near a point where the disease is coming under control because people relax and stop being vigilant."
Kerry: Coalition to fight ISIL 'for as long as it takes' Iran Press TV 03 Dec 2014 -- Secretary of State John Kerry says US-led airstrikes have inflicted "significant" damage on the ISIL terrorist organization in Iraq and Syria, pledging the campaign would go on "for as long as it takes."
Kerry Says Coalition Against IS Militants Will Prevail RFE/RL 03 Dec 2014 -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State militants is 'united and moving ahead on all fronts' and 'will engage in this campaign for as long as it takes to prevail.'
Remarks at the Counter-ISIL Meeting by John Kerry, Secretary of State US Dept. of State 03 Dec 2014
Kerry Praises Achievements by US-Led Anti-Islamic State Coalition Sputnik 03 Dec 2014 -- US Secretary of State John Kerry stresses that the coalition has managed to inflict significant damage on the Islamic State's logistical and operational capabilities. He says the coalition's strength stems from its diversity.
Kerry: It Will Take Years to Defeat Islamic State VOA 03 Dec 2014 -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says it will take years to defeat the Islamic State militants, but that coalition airstrikes against the insurgents have made it 'much harder' for them to launch new attacks.
Iraq Says Woman Detained by Lebanese Army Is Not Wife of Islamic Leader Sputnik 03 Dec 2014 -- The woman, detained by the Lebanese military on Tuesday, is not a wife of the Islamic state leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Reuters reports, citing Iraqi Interior Ministry.
Al-Qaida Behind Car Bomb at Iran Envoy's Home in Yemen VOA 03 Dec 2014 -- Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula claimed responsibility for a car bomb attack on the Iranian ambassador's house in the Yemen capital Sana'a early Wednesday that medics said killed at least three people.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 03 Dec 2014 [PDF]
Ebola: World Bank reports economic impact in worst-hit countries to exceed $500 million in 2014 UN News Centre 02 Dec 2014 -- The World Bank announced today that economic growth estimates in the three countries most affected by the Ebola crisis have been revised sharply downward with the impact totalling well over half a billion dollars in 2014, as the United Nations health agency officially declared the outbreak in Spain over.
Obama Urges Congress to Approve Emergency Ebola Funding VOA 02 Dec 2014 -- President Barack Obama is urging U.S. lawmakers, before they leave for the holiday recess in a few weeks, to pass $6.2 billion in emergency funding to fight the Ebola virus and prepare U.S. hospitals to handle future cases.
IS Leader's Wife Detained at Lebanese Border Before Charged With Terrorism Sputnik 02 Dec 2014 -- The wife of the Islamic State (IS) group leader Abu Bakr Baghdadi who was detained at the Syria-Lebanon border has already served a sentence on charges related to terrorist activities, a Lebanese security official told Sputnik Tuesday.
IS Claims to Have Constructed 'Dirty Bomb' After Stealing 40 Kg of Uranium Sputnik 02 Dec 2014 -- Islamic State (IS) militants claim they have constructed a 'dirty bomb' after stealing 40kg of uranium from a university in Iraq, the International Business Times said.
Lebanon Detains Wife, Child of Islamic State Leader VOA 02 Dec 2014 -- Security officials say the Lebanese military has detained a wife and child of Islamic State group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
Top Kenyan Officials Sacked After Massacre VOA 02 Dec 2014 -- Two top Kenyan security officials are being replaced following a terrorist attack that left 36 people dead Tuesday in northeastern Kenya, the second such incident in 10 days.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 02 Dec 2014 [PDF]
'Nimble and flexible' approach needed to bring new Ebola cases to zero - UN UN News Centre 01 Dec 2014 -- Exceptional efforts to respond to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa are starting to show results, but a more "nimble and flexible" approach will be needed as the outbreak evolves in order to stay ahead of the disease and bring it down to zero, top officials charged with the United Nations response said today.
WHO: Ebola Stabilizing in Some Places But Far From Over VOA 01 Dec 2014 -- The World Health Organization reports the Ebola epidemic in West Africa is slowing down and stabilizing in some places, but is far from over.
Ebola: Where next and how bad? IRIN 01 Dec 2014 -- In the past few months huge amounts of time and energy have been spent trying to second-guess the progress of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Where will the next hotspot be? Is the outbreak still exploding or is it starting to burn itself out? And how many beds will be needed next week, next month or next year?
Locking Ebola out of Sierra Leone jails IRIN 01 Dec 2014 -- It is next to impossible to avoid physical contact in an overcrowded prison. In Sierra Leone, heavily congested jails and a worsening Ebola outbreak make a potentially lethal combination. So how do you keep inmates safe?
USS Vandegrift-Coast Guard Team Prevents Smuggling Attempt Off Central America NNS 01 Dec 2014 -- Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigate USS Vandegrift (FFG 48) and a U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (USCG LEDET) interdicted almost 2,000 pounds of cocaine being smuggled in a small vessel Nov. 20 while on patrol in international waters off the coast of Central America.
WHO Says Ebola Fight Deadline Partially Met, More Work Needed Sputnik 01 Dec 2014 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that targeted goals to curb the Ebola outbreak have been partially met in the three worst-hit countries, WHO assistant director-general Bruce Aylward said Monday.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 01 Dec 2014 [PDF]

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December 2014 Security News