February 2015 Security News

Egyptian Court Rules Hamas a Terrorist Organization VOA 28 Feb 2015 -- An Egyptian court declared Gaza's ruling Hamas faction a terrorist group Saturday, one month after a similar ruling against its military wing. Another court also condemned Egypt's top Muslim Brotherhood leaders to life in prison, over bloodshed during an attack on the group's Cairo headquarters in June 2013.
Security Council strongly deplores ISIL's 'barbarism,' says resolve stiffened to defeat group UN News Centre 28 Feb 2015 -- The United Nations Security Council has strongly condemned the "ongoing barbaric terrorist acts" committed by militants of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and reaffirmed its determination in defeating the extremist group.
Oil Smuggling Highlights Challenges in Shutting Down IS Finances VOA 28 Feb 2015 -- In the span of one year, Islamic State militants made more than half a billion dollars by seizing government banks, illegal oil sales, kidnapping and extortion, making them one of the wealthiest terrorist organizations in the world.
Obama Renews Controversial NSA Spying Program Ahead of Deadline Sputnik 28 Feb 2015 -- Early last year in a speech at the Department of Justice, President Obama announced a transition that would end the Section 215 bulk telephony metadata program as it previously existed, and that the government would establish a mechanism that preserves the capabilities we need without the government holding this bulk data.
Joint Statement By the Department of Justice and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence on the Declassification of Renewal of Collection Under Section 215 of the USA Patriot Act US Dept. of Justice 27 Feb 2015 -- Early last year in a speech at the Department of Justice, President Obama announced a transition that would end the Section 215 bulk telephony metadata program as it previously existed, and that the government would establish a mechanism that preserves the capabilities we need without the government holding this bulk data.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 27 Feb 2015 [PDF]
Liberian Leader Thanks US for Ebola Support VOA 26 Feb 2015 -- Seven months after the Ebola outbreak turned Liberia upside down, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf came to Washington on Thursday to say thanks to a country she said did so much.
FBI says investigating ISIL suspects in all 50 US states Iran Press TV 26 Feb 2015 -- The director of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) says the agency is investigating suspected supporters of the ISIL terrorist group in all 50 American states.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 26 Feb 2015 [PDF]
Three Brooklyn, New York, Residents Charged with Attempt and Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to ISIL US Dept. of Justice 25 Feb 2015 -- Earlier today, a criminal complaint was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn charging Abdurasul Hasanovich Juraboev, Akhror Saidakhmetov, and Abror Habibov with attempt and conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a foreign terrorist organization.
US Charges 3 With Conspiring to Support IS VOA 25 Feb 2015 -- U.S. authorities on Wednesday arrested and arraigned two foreign nationals living in New York on charges of plotting to support the Islamic State group in Syria and kill President Barack Obama, police and FBI agents in the United States. A third foreign national was charged separately.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 25 Feb 2015 [PDF]
Three words of advice for WHO Africa's new chief IRIN 24 Feb 2015 -- The World Health Organization says the death toll from Ebola has risen for the second time in two consecutive weeks, despite earlier announcements that the transmission rate was on the decline.
IS Broadens Fundraising as Oil Revenue Falls VOA 24 Feb 2015 -- U.S-led coalition efforts to cut off one of the Islamic State militants' main funding sources, oil smuggling, by bombing the militants' improvised oil drilling in Syria and transportation infrastructure has had some success and may have cut profits by half. But analysts and inhabitants in territory the group controls warn the jihadist organization has many other ways to finance itself, including securing ransom for hostages.
US Immigration Dispute Threatens Security Agency Shutdown VOA 24 Feb 2015 -- Another political dispute is threatening to shut down part of the U.S. government, this time over funding President Barack Obama's immigration policies and the Department of Homeland Security.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 24 Feb 2015 [PDF]
Carter: ISIL Must be Dealt 'Lasting Defeat' AFPS 23 Feb 2015 -- There is no doubt the international coalition battling the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant "will deliver a lasting defeat," Defense Secretary Ash Carter told U.S. troops during his visit to Kuwait today.
Defeating ISIL Takes Diplomatic, Military Effort, Carter Says AFPS 23 Feb 2015 -- Dealing a lasting defeat to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant will require "a combined diplomatic and military effort," Defense Secretary Ash Carter told reporters today at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, after he concluded a conference there with ambassadors and senior U.S. and regional military leaders.
Remarks by Secretary Carter at a Troop Event at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait DoD 23 Feb 2015 -- Presenters: Secretary of Defense Ash Carter; Lieutenant General James L. Terry, commander, Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve
Media Availability with Secretary Carter at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait DoD 23 Feb 2015 -- Presenters: Secretary of Defense Ash Carter
Virginia National Guard Responds to New Snowstorm AFPS 23 Feb 2015 -- The Virginia National Guard deployed nearly 20 soldiers for duty in Wise and Highland counties yesterday to assist local emergency response officials after another round of heavy snow and frigid cold hit the commonwealth, officials said.
Islamic State, Other Militant Threats Raise Costs for Aid Workers VOA 23 Feb 2015 -- In war zones around the world, aid workers trying to help local populations now face a relentless cycle of violence and personal risk.
Islamic State Having Significant but Limited Impact in Libya VOA 23 Feb 2015 -- Despite Islamic State grabbing headlines over the past week with executions, bombings and even an attack on the residence of the Iranian ambassador, U.S. officials caution the group's foothold in Libya remains tenuous.
ISIL to Declare Emirate in Lebanon - Reports Sputnik 23 Feb 2015 -- The Islamic State (IS) militant group is set to declare an Islamic emirate in Lebanon soon as part of its geographical extension, The Daily Star reported, citing security sources.
WHO urges KSA to take needed steps against MERS resurge Iran Press TV 23 Feb 2015 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged Saudi Arabia to fight the spread of the deadly MERS virus.
France Moves to Limit Jihadi Threat VOA 23 Feb 2015 -- French authorities moved at home and abroad Monday to counter the threat of Islamic terrorism, seizing the passports of six jihadi suspects in France and deploying an aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf to bolster the fight against the Islamic State group.
Liberia Lifts Ebola Curfew, Opens Borders VOA 23 Feb 2015 -- A Liberian health ministry official said the country will continue to observe all Ebola preventive protocols and regulations until it achieves "zero infections."
Malls in US, Canada on Alert After Terror Threat VOA 23 Feb 2015 -- Two shopping malls, one in the United States and the other in Canada, are operating with higher security measures following a terrorist threat made by Somali-based Islamist militants.
US Homeland Security Chief Calls for Vigilance Following New Video VOA 23 Feb 2015 -- U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson is appealing for public vigilance following the release of a video purportedly by the Somali-based al-Shabab terrorist group calling for attacks on Western shopping malls. Johnson said the latest video underscores the fact that the global terrorist threat has entered a new phase.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 23 Feb 2015 [PDF]
Saudi Arabia reports two more MERS deaths Iran Press TV 22 Feb 2015 -- Saudi Arabia's Health Ministry has reported two more deaths from the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), amid a United Nations' investigation over the recent surge in the kingdom.
Somali Militants Threaten to Attack Western Shopping Malls VOA 22 Feb 2015 -- The U.S. homeland security chief said authorities are taking seriously a threat made by Somali-based Islamist militants against Western shopping malls.
ISIL 'a Very Complex Threat,' Dempsey Says in Marshall Islands AFPS 21 Feb 2015 -- Regional governments must take the lead in solving the 'very complex threat' posed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said today.
UN health agency approves rapid test for Ebola as decline in cases appears to level off UN News Centre 20 Feb 2015 -- The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) today announced that it has approved for use a rapid diagnostic test kit for Ebola that can provide results in 15 minutes and correctly identify 92 percent of patients infected by the disease that has killed more than 9,400 people, mainly in West Africa.
US State Department Unable to Root Out Hackers Three Months After Attack Sputnik 20 Feb 2015 -- The US State Department is still in struggling to rid itself of hackers that infiltrated its email system almost three months ago, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday.
Outlining an Action Agenda to Counter Violent Extremism US Dept. of State 19 Feb 2015 -- Remarks by John Kerry, Secretary of State at the White House Summit on Countering Violent Extremism
Fighters Not the Only Foreigners Seeking IS VOA 19 Feb 2015 -- The so-called Islamic State movement wants more than fighters.
Preventing violent extremism, promoting human rights go hand-in-hand, Ban tells Washington summit UN News Centre 19 Feb 2015 -- In Washington D.C. for a summit hosted by the United States on countering violent extremism, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon today warned leaders against "discarding our moral compass" and giving into fear, as he called for "cool heads and common sense" to deal with what may very well be "the greatest test our human family faces in the 21st century."
IS Urges Jihadist Attacks on Rome VOA 19 Feb 2015 -- Islamic State militants are goading Italy on their social media accounts by urging jihadist recruits to go to Libya in preparation for attacks on Rome, saying the strategic location of the conflict-torn North African country is perfect.
Obama: 'Ugly Lie' That West Is at War With Islam VOA 19 Feb 2015 -- U.S. President Barack Obama declared Thursday that any contention by terrorist groups that Western nations are fighting a war against Islam is an 'ugly lie.'
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 19 Feb 2015 [PDF]
Our Plan for Countering Violent Extremism US Dept. of State 18 Feb 2015 -- Op-Ed by John Kerry, Secretary of State
Remarks at the White House Summit on Countering Violent Extremism US Dept. of State 18 Feb 2015 -- Remarks by John Kerry, Secretary of State
White House Summit on Countering Violent Extremism Reception US Dept. of State 18 Feb 2015 -- Remarks by John Kerry, Secretary of State
FSB Head To Attend Obama Antiextremism Summit RFE/RL 18 Feb 2015 -- The U.S. State Department has confirmed that Aleksandr Bortnikov, the head of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), will be part of a Russian delegation at the Obama administration's antiextremism conference in Washington.
Ebola: UN envoy likens final phase of response to 'looking for needles in haystacks' UN News Centre 18 Feb 2015 -- The Secretary-General's Special Envoy on Ebola, Dr. David Nabarro, told the United Nations General Assembly today that the final phase of "getting to zero" cases may well be the hardest, saying the hunt to track down the virus is "like looking for needles in haystacks."
UN official says recent terror attacks represent 'exact opposite' of values of peace, stability UN News Centre 18 Feb 2015 -- The High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, Nassir Al-Nasser, said today that the "vicious forces" of extremism, violence and terrorism should not hamper international efforts to prevent and combat such forces.
Obama: 'We Are Not at War With Islam' VOA 18 Feb 2015 -- President Barack Obama on Wednesday urged civic and religious leaders around the world to unite in the fight against the 'false promises of extremism' and to reject the notion that 'terrorist' groups represent Islam.
FACT SHEET: The White House Summit on Countering Violent Extremism The White House 18 Feb 2015
Remarks by the President in Closing of the Summit on Countering Violent Extremism The White House 18 Feb 2015
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 18 Feb 2015 [PDF]
Ebola: UN development chief begins last leg of West Africa mission UN News Centre 17 Feb 2015 -- The top United Nations development official today began the last leg of her Ebola-recovery focused visit to West Africa a day after she witnessed the reopening of schools in Liberia and urged the international community to support "recovery from this terrible crisis" beyond the emergency phase.
Reports: Danish Gunman Swore Allegiance to IS Leader VOA 17 Feb 2015 -- Danish media report the Copenhagen man who attacked a free-speech seminar and a synagogue last weekend swore allegiance to the Islamic State leader just six minutes before he unleashed his deadly barrage of gunfire.
Pakistan's Army Chief Visits Afghanistan VOA 17 Feb 2015 -- Pakistan's army chief says his country is sharing "unprecedented" levels of intelligence with Afghanistan and both countries are working "hand in glove" to eradicate the menace of terrorism.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 17 Feb 2015 [PDF]
Iran's UN Ambassador Says IS Fighters Are Committing Genocide VOA 17 Feb 2015 -- Iraq's U.N. ambassador alleged Tuesday that Islamic State militants were committing genocide, a day ahead of an emergency Security Council session.
Ebola-Hit Nations Aim for No New Cases in 60 Days VOA 16 Feb 2015 -- The three West African countries hardest hit by Ebola have set a target of reducing new cases to zero within 60 days.
US, Global Partners Seek Support to Fight Extremism VOA 16 Feb 2015 -- When it comes to fighting violent extremism, the 'government does not have all the answers,' a senior U.S. administration official said Monday, as he outlined plans for a White House summit to build new efforts against extremists.
Egypt Bombs IS Targets in Libya After Beheadings VOA 16 Feb 2015 -- Egyptian warplanes carried out airstrikes early Monday against the Islamic State group in neighboring Libya, the military said, in retaliation for the militants beheading 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians who were kidnapped in Libya.
India's swine flu death toll rises to 485 Iran Press TV 16 Feb 2015 -- Swine flu (H1N1) has claimed 12 more lives in India's Gujarat, raising the death toll in the country to 485 since the beginning of this year.
Copenhagen gunman had background in criminal activities: Police Iran Press TV 15 Feb 2015 -- The gunman behind the fatal attacks on a café and a synagogue in the Danish capital Copenhagen had a background in criminal activities, police say.
Afghanistan Wakes Up To Islamic State Threat RFE/RL 15 Feb 2015 -- After consistently rejecting the idea, Kabul could no longer ignore what self-declared recruiters and fighters had been telling them for months - the Islamic State (IS) group had indeed arrived in Afghanistan.
Copenhagen Police Kill Man After Deadly Shootings RFE/RL 15 Feb 2015 -- Police in Copenhagen say they have shot and killed a man suspected of carrying out shooting attacks at a free-speech event and then at a Copenhagen synagogue, killing two men, including a member of Denmark's Jewish community.Five police officers were also wounded in the attacks.
Police Say Suspected Copenhagen Gunman Was Born, Raised In Denmark RFE/RL 15 Feb 2015 -- Danish police say the suspected gunman behind fatal shootings in Copenhagen was 22 years old and born and raised in Denmark.
Condemning Copenhagen attacks, Ban urges 'strong stand' for tolerance, end to discrimination UN News Centre 15 Feb 2015 -- Strongly condemning this weekend's attacks at a freedom of expression event near a synagogue in Copenhagen, Denmark, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today stressed that there is no justification for attacks against civilians and reaffirmed the need for the world "stand strong" for tolerance and free expression.
Police Release Details on Suspected Gunman in Copenhagen Attacks VOA 15 Feb 2015 -- Danish police shot and killed a man early Sunday suspected in the slayings of two people in Copenhagen since Saturday, in what the country's prime minister calls a 'cynical act of terror against Denmark.'
Washington Eyes Denmark Attacks Amid Debate on Authorizing Fight Against IS VOA 15 Feb 2015 -- The U.S. Congress is in recess this coming week, as President Barack Obama prepares to host a summit on confronting violent extremism in American neighborhoods. Attacks in Denmark once again underscore the need for vigilance, and could impact forthcoming congressional deliberations on President Obama's request for authorization to battle Islamic State militants.
Video Purports to Show IS Beheading Egyptian Hostages VOA 15 Feb 2015 -- A video has emerged that purports to show militants of the Islamic State terrorist group beheading 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians kidnapped in Libya.
WHO Mission to Saudi Arabia to Target Mers Corona Virus VOA 14 Feb 2015 -- A World Health Organization mission is going to Saudi Arabia in the coming week, at the request of the government, to take preventive measures against an anticipated spring season upsurge of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, also known as MERS-Corona virus.
UN Economic, Social Council President urges action 'now' to bolster health systems in Ebola-hit counties UN News Centre 13 Feb 2015 -- In addition to lives lost and the socio-economic impact of the Ebola outbreak, the long-term impact on families – with at least 3,700 children in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone losing one or both parents to the virus – further underscores the dire need to invest in better health care systems, Martin Sajdik, President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), has said.
Deadly Shooting At Copenhagen Free Speech Event RFE/RL 14 Feb 2015 -- Gunmen have killed one person and injured three police officers during a debate on freedom of expression in the Danish capital, Copenhagen, attended by a controversial Swedish cartoonist.
Bullets Spray Copenhagen Free-Speech Meeting VOA 14 Feb 2015 -- Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt has called Saturday's deadly shooting at a free-speech event in Copenhagen a terrorist attack.
Ebola: UN health agency turns to foreign medical teams in last phase of combat against virus UN News Centre 13 Feb 2015 -- The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) announced today that it will huddle with medical teams from outside the Ebola-affected countries next week in Geneva to see how they can help in the last phases of the fight to bring the number of cases down to zero.
Saudi Arabia invites UN health team in precautionary measure against spread of respiratory virus UN News Centre 13 Feb 2015 -- The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) today announced it is dispatching a mission to Saudi Arabia next week at the request of the Government to take preventive measures for a possible upsurge of cases of a respiratory virus linked with camels known as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-COv).
Obama Signs Executive Order on Cybersecurity VOA 13 Feb 2015 -- U.S. President Barack Obama signed an executive order Friday aimed at encouraging companies and organizations to share more information about cybersecurity threats with the government and each other.
20 Killed in Attack on Shi'ite Mosque in Pakistan VOA 13 Feb 2015 -- Militants attacked a Shi'ite mosque in Peshawar in northern Pakistan during Friday prayers, killing 20 people and wounding more than 40 others.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 13 Feb 2015 [PDF]
Ebola: World Bank will provide seeds to farmers in West Africa to ward off hunger UN News Centre 12 Feb 2015 -- The World Bank Group announced today that it has mobilized some $15 million in emergency financing to provide a record 10,500 tons of maize and rice seed to more than 200,000 farmers in the countries most-affected by the unprecedented Ebola outbreak, in time for the April planting season.
Fact Sheet: UN Security Council Resolution 2199 on ISIL U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations 12 Feb 2015
Explanation of Vote at a Security Council Session on Threats to International Peace and Security Caused by Terrorist Threats U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations 12 Feb 2015
Al-Qaeda-linked militants overrun army camp in south Yemen Iran Press TV 12 Feb 2015 -- Al-Qaeda-linked militants have launched an attack against a government army base in Yemen's volatile southern province of Shabwa, taking full control of the site, local government officials say.
Guardsmen From Maine, Vermont Help Massachusetts Dig Out AFPS 12 Feb 2015 -- National Guardsmen from Vermont and Maine are helping their Massachusetts counterparts in responding to recent major snowfalls that have buried areas of the Bay State.
UN Security Council moves to halt ISIL's financial support Iran Press TV 12 Feb 2015 -- The UN Security Council has adopted a resolution which bans individuals and entities from engaging in trade with the ISIL Takfiri terrorists.
Security Council approves resolution targeting sources of financing for ISIL UN News Centre 12 Feb 2015 -- Urging global cooperation "to impair, isolate and incapacitate" terrorist threats, the United Nations Security Council today approved measures targeting sources of funding for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and Al-Nusrah Front (ANF), condemning those buying oil from the groups, banning all trade in looted antiquities from Iraq and Syria, and calling on States to end ransom payments.
EU Leaders Mull Harsher Anti-terror Measures VOA 12 Feb 2015 -- Just over a month after the Paris attacks, European leaders are meeting to discuss a range of counter-terrorism measures - from better information sharing to tougher border controls and scrutiny of the Internet.
Red Cross: Attacks on Guinea Aid Workers Increase Ebola Risks VOA 12 Feb 2015 -- The International Red Cross said its Ebola workers in Guinea are being attacked an average of 10 times per month, endangering efforts to stop the spread of the disease.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 12 Feb 2015 [PDF]
Obama Sends Resolution for Use of Force Against ISIL to Congress AFPS 11 Feb 2015 -- President Barack Obama has sent a draft resolution to Congress to authorize the use of force against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
Letter from the President -- Authorization for the Use of United States Armed Forces in connection with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant The White House 11 Feb 2015
Remarks by the President on Request to Congress for Authorization of Force Against ISIL The White House 11 Feb 2015
President: Massive Global Effort Created Anti-Ebola Success AFPS 11 Feb 2015 -- The American and partner-nation fight in the last few months against the Ebola virus in West Africa has cut cases of the disease by 80 percent, President Barack Obama announced here today.
Top UN development programme official starts West Africa visit focused on Ebola recovery UN News Centre 11 Feb 2015 -- The top United Nations development official, tasked by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to lead the Organization' system-wide Ebola-related recovery effort, today began a visit to West Africa, where a new study recommended better programs for women who have been disproportionately impacted by the disease.
US Officials: Foreign Fighter Issue Is Huge Concern VOA 11 Feb 2015 -- The threat posed by foreign fighters flocking to Iraq and Syria is 'not even close to being under control,' top U.S. intelligence officials are warning the U.S. Congress.
Belgian Jihadists Jailed as Europe Tries to Stem Flow of IS Fighters VOA 11 Feb 2015 -- A court in Belgium on Wednesday handed jail sentences to 45 members of an Islamist group called Sharia4Belgium, convicted of arranging for young men to travel to Syria to fight for jihadist groups.
Sierra Leone Records Sharp Drop in Ebola Cases VOA 11 Feb 2015 -- Sierra Leone recorded only three new confirmed Ebola cases Tuesday. That is a sign that the sustained effort to fight the disease is succeeding, says government spokesman Abdulai Bayraytay.
Remarks by the President on America's Leadership in the Ebola Fight The White House 11 Feb 2015
FACT SHEET: Progress in Our Ebola Response at Home and Abroad The White House 11 Feb 2015
Massachusetts National Guard Responds to Snow Emergency AFPS 11 Feb 2015 -- With recent snowfalls measured in feet and more snow on the way, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker has declared a state of emergency and deployed about 500 Massachusetts National Guard members to assist with snow removal and cleanup efforts.
France dismantles 15 terrorist networks: Minister Iran Press TV 11 Feb 2015 -- The French government has dismantled some 15 terrorist networks as part of a sweeping campaign to uproot terrorism within the country, France's justice minister says.
Oops: NSA Afraid US Accidentally Aided Iran's Cyberattack Capabilities Sputnik 11 Feb 2015 -- Forget the bomb. US officials have been increasingly worried about Iran's cyberattack capabilities, and a new Snowden document confirms their worst fears. Iran is capable, and most of what they've learned they've learned from US attacks.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 11 Feb 2015 [PDF]
'Vigilant, determined, united': UN urges cohesive front against terrorism UN News Centre 10 Feb 2015 -- The international community must remain united in countering the threat of global terrorism despite the attempts by extremist groups to "spread fear by competing in brutality," United Nations Deputy-Secretary-General Jan Eliasson declared today.
WHO: Ebola Deaths, Infections on the Rise VOA 10 Feb 2015 -- The number of deaths from Ebola has risen to 9,152, a sharp increase following weeks in which the outbreak appeared to be weakening.
ISIL executes 13 members over defeat in Iraq's Kirkuk Iran Press TV 10 Feb 2015 -- The ISIL Takfiri militant group has reportedly executed 13 of its own members after they suffered defeat during an offensive in Iraq's northern oil-rich province of Kirkuk.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 10 Feb 2015 [PDF]
Kerry: US-led Coalition 'on the Road' to Destroying IS VOA 09 Feb 2015 -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the U.S.-led coalition is 'on the road' to degrading and destroying the Islamic State (IS) group. President Obama's special envoy for the coalition, retired Marine General John Allen, said he expects a major Iraqi-led counter-offensive against the IS group in coming weeks.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 09 Feb 2015 [PDF]
Kerry: Fight Terrorism 'With Every Fiber of Our Being' VOA 08 Feb 2015 -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Sunday terrorism must be opposed 'with every fiber of our being.'
AF Ebola support winds down AFNS 06 Feb 2015 -- After more than four months of continuous airlift support to Operation United Assistance, the U.S. Air Force is winding down efforts in Senegal, Monrovia and Liberia.
Confessed Islamic Jihad Figure Given 25-Year Sentence VOA 06 Feb 2015 -- A U.S. federal judge Friday sentenced a confessed terrorist to 25 years in prison for various activities, including announcing al-Qaida's claim of responsibility for the 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.
Window for Containing Ebola Outbreak Seen Narrowing VOA 06 Feb 2015 -- The World Health Organization reports that good progress is being made toward containing the Ebola epidemic, but it warns that the outbreak is far from over and still poses a grave threat.
WHO Convenes Experts on Ebola Survivor Care VOA 06 Feb 2015 -- The World Health Organization says many Ebola survivors are left with physical and psychological problems, and will need help to recover from the debilitating aftereffects of the virus.
Outrage Over IS Killings Unlikely to Dent Finances VOA 06 Feb 2015 -- Spreading anger over the brutal killings of high-profile Islamic State group (IS) hostages after protracted negotiations is unlikely to hurt the terror group's cash flow. Instead, there are fears the deaths actually may serve to help fill its coffers.
IMF Offers Ebola-related Financial Aid VOA 06 Feb 2015 -- The International Monetary Fund has announced a 330 million dollar financing package for the countries hardest hit by the Ebola epidemic. It includes 170 million dollars in debt relief. The economies of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone have suffered over the past year as the disease has spread.
Closing Guantanamo 'National Security Imperative,' Official Says AFPS 06 Feb 2015 -- The question on closing the detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, is not whether to do it, but rather is how to do it, a senior Defense Department official said on Capitol Hill yesterday.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 06 Feb 2015 [PDF]
'Last mile in fight against Ebola will be the hardest,' says senior UN relief official UN News Centre 05 Feb 2015 -- The international community's mobilization in the global Ebola response has been "very impressive and effective" but efforts to reach zero cases must continue unabated, a top United Nations humanitarian official has confirmed.
IS Executions Show Need to Shut Guantanamo, Obama Administration Says VOA 05 Feb 2015 -- Proof that the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, inspires and rallies the world's most savage terrorists has flashed across television screens around the world in recent weeks, a deputy undersecretary of defense said Thursday.
UN Human Rights Chief Says Islamist Militants Think Like Nazis VOA 05 Feb 2015 -- The first U.N. human rights chief who is an Arab and a Muslim on Thursday also became the first person in that position to visit the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington.
One more H7N9 case reported in China's Guangdong People's Daily 05 Feb 2015 -- The number of H7N9 human cases in south China's Guangdong Province reached 34 since the start of the year with one more case reported, local health authorities said on Thursday.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 05 Feb 2015 [PDF]
Islamic State's Extreme Violence: Analysts Say to Expect More VOA 04 Feb 2015 -- The fight between the extremist group Islamic State, and the Western/Arab coalition battling to defeat it has become a public showdown of horror. And analysts warn, there could be more to come.
9/11 Plotter Says Saudi Royal Family Funded al-Qaida VOA 04 Feb 2015 -- A former al-Qaida member who helped plot the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States has testified that the Saudi royal family gave money and other help to the terrorist group.
Jordan's King Vows 'Relentless' War Against IS VOA 04 Feb 2015 -- Jordan's King Abdullah has vowed to take tough action against Islamic State militants following the group's gruesome killing of a Jordanian pilot captured after his plane went down during a mission targeting the militants in Syria.
Middle East Rejects 'Barbaric' Immolation Of Jordanian Pilot RFE/RL 04 Feb 2015 -- A video that appears to show a captured Jordanian pilot being burned alive in a cage by Islamic State (IS) militants has drawn outrage across the Middle East, with religious and political leaders condemning the immolation as 'barbaric' and 'satanic.'
IS Brutality in Burning Death Raises Arab Ire VOA 04 Feb 2015 -- The gruesome killing of captive Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kaseasbeh at the hands of Islamic State militants appears to be galvanizing Arab public opinion against the group.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 04 Feb 2015 [PDF]
Ebola: UN health agency says large-scale vaccine trials under way in Liberia UN News Centre 03 Feb 2015 -- The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) announced today that the Ebola vaccine trials now under way in Liberia would start soon in Guinea and Sierra Leone, the two other most-affected countries in West Africa.
UN chief, Security Council denounce 'appalling' murder of Jordanian pilot by ISIL UN News Centre 03 Feb 2015 -- For the second time in as many days, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the United Nations Security Council have jointly condemned the brutal killing of a civilian by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) – this time deploring the group's murder of Jordanian Royal Air Force pilot Lt. Muath Al-Kasasbeh.
Jordan Executes 2 Militants in Response to Pilot's Killing VOA 03 Feb 2015 -- Jordan executed two militants at dawn Wednesday in response to the Islamic State group killing one of its pilots.
New Video Overshadows IS Obsession With Kobani, Possible Flaws VOA 03 Feb 2015 -- Photos and video of Jordanian Air Force pilot Muath al-Kaseasbeh being burned alive at the hands of his Islamic State captors had U.S. officials searching for words, trying to describe another act of violence committed by a group that has continually found a way to shock the Western world.
WHO says avian influenza A(H7N9) virus outbreak reported in Canada IRNA 03 Feb 2015 -- The World Health Organization said on Tuesday that Canada notified of one laboratory-confirmed case of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus.
Senior US Intelligence Official Says IS Global 'Footprint' Growing Sputnik 03 Feb 2015 -- Islamic State (IS) militant group is growing internationally beyond Syria and Iraq while the US-led coalition's airstrikes continue to help local forces dislodge the extremists, a senior US intelligence officer said Tuesday.
Jordan to Execute al-Qaeda Prisoners After ISIL Burns Pilot Taken Hostage Sputnik 03 Feb 2015 -- The Jordanian pilot, Muath al-Kasaesbeh, who was captured by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in December after his plane crashed on the terrorist-controlled territory in Syria, has reportedly been burned alive on Tuesday.
IS Video Purports to Show Jordanian Pilot's Killing VOA 03 Feb 2015 -- New photos surfaced on social media on Tuesday that appear to show captured Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kaseasbeh being burned to death in a cage.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 03 Feb 2015 [PDF]
US Drone Strike Kills 4 al-Qaida Rebels in Yemen VOA 02 Feb 2015 -- Yemeni tribal and security officials say a U.S. drone strike Monday killed at least four suspected al-Qaida insurgents, the third American drone attack in a week.
US Senator Calls for Wider US Role in Campaign Against IS VOA 02 Feb 2015 -- U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham said the only way to end the gruesome beheadings by the Islamic State group is by degrading and destroying the insurgency, which has captured large swathes of Iraqi and Syrian territory.
Ebola Vaccines Trial Begins in Liberia VOA 02 Feb 2015 -- A large-scale trial of two potential Ebola vaccines has begun in Liberia as part of a global effort to prevent a repeat of the epidemic that has killed nearly 9,000 people in West Africa.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 02 Feb 2015 [PDF]
Japan Outraged At Beheading Of IS Hostage RFE/RL 01 Feb 2015 -- Japan has reacted with defiance to a video that purportedly shows the beheading of journalist Kenji Goto by the Islamic State (IS) extremist group.
Number of Bird Flu Cases in China's Guangdong Province Reaches 30 Sputnik 01 Feb 2015 -- Two more cases of bird flu have been reported to authorities in China's Guangdong province, placing have taken the number of infected people in the region at 30, Xinhua reports.
Jordan Vows 'All Efforts' to Secure Pilot's Release VOA 01 Feb 2015 -- Jordan's King Abdullah II said his country is doing everything it can to rescue the captured Jordanian fighter pilot being held by the Islamic State group.

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February 2015 Security News