May 2015 Security News

At debate, UN and Security Council renew pledge to counter foreign terrorist fighters UN News 29 May 2015 -- The increasing number of foreign terrorist fighters populating the front-lines of the world's conflict zones is cause for deepening concern and requires the international community's bolstered efforts to combat the scourge, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon declared today as the Security Council renewed its resolve in addressing this growing threat to international peace and security.
Experts: IS Skilled at Gathering Intelligence, Adjusting Tactics VOA 29 May 2015 -- While U.S. and coalition partners pluck intelligence on Islamic State extremists from the militants' communications or movements and then bomb them from the air, the militant group is gathering its own intelligence from city streets and preparing the ground for its next battlefield moves.
Obama Steps Up Pressure for Renewal of Surveillance Measures VOA 29 May 2015 -- President Barack Obama is stepping up pressure on the U.S. Senate, which appears set for a political showdown Sunday when it meets only hours before some key surveillance powers of the National Security Agency are set to expire.
Islamic State Claims Saudi Mosque Blast VOA 29 May 2015 -- At least four people have been killed in a suicide bombing at a Shi'ite mosque in eastern Saudi Arabia. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility.
N Korea Military Hackers Could Launch Deadly Attacks – Prominent Dissident Sputnik 29 May 2015 -- North Korean military hackers are capable of attacks on power plants and banks, and could severely destroy infrastructure, as well as kill people, a prominent North Korean defector and rights activist said Friday.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 29 May 2015 [PDF]
National Guard Responds to Floods in Texas, Oklahoma AFPS 28 May 2015 -- Texas National Guard engineers rescued three people here May 26, and searchers continue hunting for survivors and victims of raging flood waters.
Libya: IS Stepping Stone to Europe? VOA 28 May 2015 -- A number of recent reports suggest that the Islamic State is not only making millions trafficking humans out of Libya, but smuggling its own fighters on boats headed across the Mediterranean to Europe. These reports have given added urgency to European Union ambitions to disrupt human smugglers and stem the flow of migrants into Europe – and to requests by the Libyan government for support.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 28 May 2015 [PDF]
Changing Under Pressure, IS 'Potent' as Ever VOA 27 May 2015 -- Nearly 10 months since the first U.S. airstrikes rained down on Islamic State (IS) targets in Iraq, the terror group has been subject to a persistent, if not relentless, assault on multiple fronts. Yet the campaign to degrade and ultimately destroy the self-declared caliphate appears to have done little to deter the militants from spreading terror throughout the Middle East and beyond.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 27 May 2015 [PDF]
USS Kauffman, U.S. Coast Guard Team Intercept Narcotics NNS 26 May 2015 -- In collaboration with the U.S. Coast Guard, the guided-missile frigate USS Kauffman (FFG 59) interdicted 1,775 kg of cocaine, worth an estimated wholesale value of approximately $59 million, in international waters of the Eastern Pacific, May 16.
China to speed up building a cyber force People's Daily 26 May 2015 -- China will speed up the development of a cyber force to tackle 'grave security threats' to its cyber infrastructure, said a military white paper here Tuesday.
IS Takes Credit for Tunis Shooting VOA 26 May 2015 -- The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for a shooting rampage by a Tunisian soldier that left seven of his comrades dead and 10 others wounded Monday at a Tunis army barracks.
Money Shortage Threatens Ebola Battle, WHO Says VOA 26 May 2015 -- The numbers of Ebola cases in Sierra Leone and Guinea have been rising and falling since Liberia was declared Ebola-free on May 9. The World Health Organization says that the road to zero will be bumpy, but that for the most part, progress in stopping transmission of the virus has been good.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 26 May 2015 [PDF]
White House: Senate 'Playing Chicken' With NSA Spying Program VOA 22 May 2015 -- With U.S. senators no closer to reauthorizing the government's domestic surveillance program, the White House is sounding new warnings that the safety and security of Americans is being put at risk.
Islamic State Claims Bombing of Shi'ite Mosque in Saudi Arabia VOA 22 May 2015 -- The Islamic State group has claimed responibility for the suicide bombing of a Shi'ite mosque in eastern Saudi Arabia on Friday that killed at least 19 people and wounded dozens of others
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 22 May 2015 [PDF]
US Lawmakers Scramble to Avoid Lapse in Domestic Surveillance VOA 21 May 2015 -- U.S. lawmakers of both parties and in both houses say they are unsure how Congress will deal with the federal government’s expiring authorization for domestic surveillance in the fight against terrorism.
Bin Laden Documents Show Split With Iraq Affiliate, Contact With Son In Iran RFE/RL 21 May 2015 -- Among the treasure trove of documents released by U.S. authorities May 20 detailing terrorist leader Osama bin Laden's life and aspirations are some morsels throwing further light on his rift with Al-Qaeda's affiliate in Iraq.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 21 May 2015 [PDF]
UN health agency responds to Ebola spike by deploying team on border of Guinea and Guinea-Bissau UN News 20 May 2015 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) today reported "a substantial increase" in the weekly total of new Ebola cases in Guinea and Sierra Leone and deployed a response team to the border with Guinea-Bissau because of its proximity to a recent cluster of cases in a neighbouring Guinean prefecture.
Inside Bin Laden Papers: Targeting Americans, Missing Family VOA 20 May 2015 -- "Do you wish to execute a suicide mission?' 'What objectives would you like to accomplish on your jihad path?' 'Who should we contact in case you become a martyr?' 'Do any of your family or friends work with the government? If so, would he/she be willing to cooperate or help us?"
Senator Rand Paul Launches Patriot Act Filibuster VOA 20 May 2015 -- A U.S. lawmaker has halted Senate proceedings by exercising his right to speak uninterrupted on the chamber floor as long as he is physically capable of doing so.
US Releases Documents Recovered During Bin Laden Raid VOA 20 May 2015 -- The U.S. government released Wednesday dozens of documents it said were recovered during the 2011 raid on the compound in Pakistan where U.S. forces killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 20 May 2015 [PDF]
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 19 May 2015 [PDF]
Analysts: US Airstrikes,Targeted Raids not Enough to Defeat ISIS VOA 18 May 2015 -- Iraq experts warn that unless the United States works to have Sunni Iraqis take up arms against the Islamic State militant group, Washington's policy of airstrikes and targeted raids will do nothing but slow the country's collapse into crippling sectarian warfare.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 18 May 2015 [PDF]
German Intelligence Services Helped CIA in Search for bin Laden Sputnik 17 May 2015 -- Germany's Federal Intelligence Service (BND) provided the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) with important help in the search for slain al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden, local media reported.
Statement by NSC Spokesperson Bernadette Meehan on Counter-ISIL Operation in Syria The White House 16 May 2015
Statement by Secretary of Defense Ash Carter on Counter-ISIL Operation in Syria DoD 16 May 2015
US Special Forces Kill IS Commander in Syria, Capture Wife VOA 16 May 2015 -- U.S. special forces have killed a top Islamic State commander and captured his wife in eastern Syria, the White House and Pentagon said Saturday.
Effect of Abu Sayyaf's Death on IS Unclear, Analyst Says VOA 16 May 2015 -- Families in Iraq fled from Islamic State fighters on Friday, saying the group had raised its black flag over a regional police headquarters.
Boston Bomber Sentenced to Death VOA 15 May 2015 -- Convicted Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has been sentenced to death over the April 2013 attack that killed three people and wounded 264 others.
US Coast Guard Lacks Funds to Buy Needed Ships, Planes Sputnik 15 May 2015 -- The US Coast Guard's plans to buy more ships and aircraft outstrip the available funds that are needed to purchase them, according to new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 15 May 2015 [PDF]
Al-Mourabitoun Jihadists in Mali Pledge Allegiance to ISIL Sputnik 14 May 2015 -- Jihadist fighters from the Mali-based militant group al-Mourabitoun pledged loyalty to ISIL leader Abu Bakr Baghdadi.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 14 May 2015 [PDF]
USS Kauffman, U.S. Coast Guard Team Nab Narcotics NNS 13 May 2015 -- In collaboration with the U.S. Coast Guard, the guided-missile frigate USS Kauffman (FFG 59) recovered approximately 630 kg of cocaine, worth an estimated wholesale value of approximately $23 million in international waters in the drug transit zone of the Eastern Pacific, May 6.
Kerry Urges Closer Ties Among Allies in Battling IS VOA 13 May 2015 -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called Wednesday for closer ties among allies in the battle against the Islamic State militant group.
44 killed as gunmen attack passenger bus in Pakistan's Karachi People's Daily 13 May 2015 -- At least 44 people were killed and 11 others injured when gunmen opened fire at a passenger bus carrying about 60 to 65 people of a minority group in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi on Wednesday morning, local media and officials said.
More Than 40 Killed After Gunmen Attack Bus In Karachi RFE/RL 13 May 2015 -- Gunmen have opened fire on a bus carrying members of the minority Ismaili sect in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi, killing at least 43 people in an attack that drew swift condemnation from the Pakistani government, India, and the Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of the Ismaili community.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 13 May 2015 [PDF]
UN health agency draws lessons from Ebola to prepare roadmap for future epidemics UN News 12 May 2015 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) today concluded a meeting on Ebola research and development to look at lessons learned from the outbreak and develop a roadmap for future epidemics so that "we can be better prepared, faster, and more effective" in the next global health emergency.
White House: Seymour Hersh's bin Laden story is fallacious Press TV 12 May 2015 -- The White House has rejected an article by investigative journalist Seymour Hersh that says the US misled the world by staging the raid on Osama bin Laden's compound.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 12 May 2015 [PDF]
US-Turkish Pact Could Slow 'Jihadist Highway' VOA 11 May 2015 -- Washington and Ankara are close to signing a security deal to improve cooperation in stemming the threat of groups like the Islamic State (IS). In the face of strong criticism from its allies, Ankara has in the past few weeks stepped up its efforts to stop would-be jihadists from entering Syria to join the ranks of IS. But doubts remain over Ankara's priorities.
After Ebola outbreak, expert panel urges 'unified entity' within UN health agency for emergency response UN News 11 May 2015 -- Independent experts tasked to assess the World Health Organization's (WHO) response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa today said "at present, WHO does not have the operational capacity or culture to deliver a full emergency public health response" and urged investments by its member States to make it fit for purpose.
Obama's Account of Bin Laden's Death is One Fabricated Lie - Seymour Hersh Sputnik 11 May 2015 -- US forces killed Osama bin Laden with the full cooperation of Pakistani military and intelligence agencies, according to a controversial article published in the London Review of Books by veteran investigative journalist Seymour M. Hersh.
US Faces Questions About Policing, Counterterrorism in UN Rights Review VOA 11 May 2015 -- U.S. officials faced questions Monday in Geneva about the use of the death penalty, excessive force by police and national security measures as the United Nations' Human Rights Council conducted a review of the country's rights practices.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 11 May 2015 [PDF]
IS Constructs A 'Can-Do' Image In Mosul RFE/RL 10 May 2015 -- For the Islamic State (IS) group, appearances are everything. That's why, in recent days, the militant group has focused its propaganda efforts on positive developments in the Iraqi city of Mosul.
Fighting Ends In Northern Macedonia RFE/RL 10 May 2015 -- Fighting between security forces and members of an armed group in the northern Macedonian town of Kumanovo has ended after nearly two days of violence and many casualties.
Macedonian President: Police Prevented Widespread Terrorist Attack VOA 10 May 2015 -- Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov said police prevented what he calls a 'coordinated terror attack' after an armed group battled officers in northern Macedonia Saturday.
US Security Chief Warns of 'New Phase' in Terrorist Threat VOA 10 May 2015 -- The worldwide terrorist threat has entered a 'new phase,' where media savvy Islamist extremists are successfully attracting so-called 'lone wolf' attackers to their cause, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson warned Sunday.
Ebola virus transmission ends in Liberia - UN health agency UN News 09 May 2015 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Liberia free of Ebola virus transmission as forty-two days have passed since the last laboratory-confirmed case was buried on 28 March, a "monumental achievement" for a country that reported the highest number of deaths in the largest, longest, and most complex outbreak since Ebola first emerged in 1976.
Uganda Army Launches De-radicalization Campaign VOA 09 May 2015 -- A spokesman for Uganda's People's Defense Forces says the army has launched a de-radicalization campaign in an effort to thwart recruitment drives by terrorist groups, including the Somali-based Islamist group al-Shabab.
Khadr Release Puts New Spotlight on Gitmo VOA 08 May 2015 -- Canada's release of former Guantanamo Bay detainee Omar Khadr has brought the controversial detention center at the U.S. Naval base in Cuba back into the spotlight.
ISIL training Taliban militants in Afghanistan's north Press TV 08 May 2015 -- Militants belonging to the ISIL Takfiri group, operating mainly in Iraq and Syria, are now said to be training Taliban militants in a northern province of Afghanistan.
Force Protection Level Boosted at DoD Facilities Nationwide AFPS 08 May 2015 -- The commander of U.S. Northern Command has elevated the force protection level for all Defense Department facilities in the continental United States, but not because of a specific threat, Pentagon spokesman Army Col. Steve Warren said here today.
Ebola's silver lining: Guineans learn to have faith in hospitals IRIN 08 May 2015 -- Until Ebola, the main hospital in Gueckedou was often deserted. Now, on a Saturday afternoon, the place is bustling. Doctors and nurses move efficiently from patient to patient. Families sit on straw mats beside the beds of their loved ones, talking quietly as they wait.
US expands security at military bases amid ISIL terror threat Press TV 08 May 2015 -- The US Department of Defense has increased security at US military bases across the country as a precaution after the FBI warned that Americans with ties to the ISIL terrorist group could target troops or police officers.
Pentagon Raises Security Level at All US Military Bases Due to ISIL Threat Sputnik 08 May 2015 -- While maintaining that the concerns are not tied to any 'specific threat,' the Pentagon has raised the security status of military bases across the country due to general unease about the self-proclaimed Islamic State terrorist group.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 08 May 2015 [PDF]
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 07 May 2015 [PDF]
US Intel Officials Cautious About New IS Threat VOA 06 May 2015 -- A bold, new threat by an alleged American member of the Islamic State terror group has U.S. intelligence officials taking notice, although so far there seems to be little to back it up.
Liberia Days Away From Being Ebola-Free, Official Says VOA 06 May 2015 -- Liberia's minister of commerce and industry says Liberia has had no new cases of Ebola for a while and is near the point at which it can be declared Ebola-free.
IS Group Losses Resulting in Self-Styled Caliphates VOA 06 May 2015 -- Fighting on several fronts against multiple foes, the Islamic State militant group is showing signs of strain and, as a result, tribesmen and locals in towns it controls are enlisting locals to fight in self-styled caliphates, according to activists and local residents in northern Syrian towns.
Officials Look for Links Between IS, Texas Attack Gunmen VOA 06 May 2015 -- U.S. authorities are trying to determine if there are any connections between the Islamic State group and two gunmen who attacked a contest in Texas where cartoonists drew pictures of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 06 May 2015 [PDF]
Security Council hears Liberia briefing as country anticipates being declared 'Ebola-free' UN News 05 May 2015 -- Liberia is expected to be declared Ebola-free by the World Health Organization (WHO) within the week if no more new cases of the disease are discovered before then, the top United Nations official in Liberia said today as she briefed the Security Council.
US: Too Early to Say IS Was Behind Texas Attack VOA 05 May 2015 -- The United States is not ready to credit the Islamic State terror group with carrying out Sunday's attack on a convention center outside Dallas, Texas.
Gunman In Texas Muhammad Shooting Well-Known To FBI RFE/RL 05 May 2015 -- The U.S. government extensively investigated a gunman who opened fire at a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest in Texas, and prosecuted him in 2010 for lying about his intent to carry out Islamic extremist attacks, authorities said May 4.
IS Claims Responsibility in Texas Shooting VOA 05 May 2015 -- The Islamic State militant group is claiming responsibility for Sunday's attack on a convention center outside Dallas, Texas, where a contest for cartoons depicting Islam's Prophet Muhammad was taking place.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 05 May 2015 [PDF]
Tajikistan Jails 10 As Members Of Banned Islamic Group RFE/RL 04 May 2015 -- A court in the Sughd region of northern Tajikistan has sentenced 10 local men to 8 1/2 years in jail each after convicting them of being members of a banned Islamic group.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 04 May 2015 [PDF]
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 01 May 2015 [PDF]

NEWSLETTER

Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list

Homeland Security

May 2015 Security News