January 2016 Security News

Saudi Arabia detains over 30 'terror' suspects Press TV 31 Jan 2016 -- Saudi authorities have rounded up more than 30 'terror' suspects, including nine American citizens, from different parts of the country over the past days.
US Army Provides No Cyber Unit Training to Foreign Partners - Cyber Command Sputnik 30 Jan 2016 -- Head of Army Cyber Command Lt. Gen. Edward Cardon said that the US Army is not providing cyber unit training to America's international partners.
Islamic State Caliphate Crunched by US-Backed Forces VOA 29 Jan 2016 -- The borders of the Islamic State's self-declared caliphate in Iraq and Syria are steadily eroding, but it will likely be months before U.S. and coalition-backed forces are ready to take on the terror group's strongholds in Mosul or Raqqa.
Obama Ramps Up Strategy in Fight Against Islamic State VOA 29 Jan 2016 -- President Barack Obama met with his defense chief at the White House on Friday as the White House ramps up its strategy to defeat Islamic State and the group's attempts to expand beyond Iraq and Syria into Libya.
At Least 5 Killed in Saudi Mosque Attack VOA 29 Jan 2016 -- Attackers wearing suicide belts and carrying assault rifles targeted a Shi'ite mosque in eastern Saudi Arabia during Friday prayer services, killing five people and wounding 18 others. It was at least the fifth such attack in under a year.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 29 Jan 2016 [PDF]
UN health agency convenes emergency meeting to address 'dramatic' spread of Zika virus UN News 28 Jan 2016 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) today called an emergency meeting for Monday on the "dramatic" rise in Zika virus infection – strongly suspected of causing birth malformations – warning that its "explosive" spread could eventually infect up to four million people before it is brought under control.
Zika virus spreading explosively, warns WHO Press TV 28 Jan 2016 -- The head of World Health Organization (WHO) has voiced alarm over the Zika outbreak around the Americans, saying the virus is "spreading explosively."
'Explosive' Spread Of Zika Virus Raises Alarm Worldwide RFE/RL 28 Jan 2016 -- The Zika virus was discovered in a monkey in Uganda in 1947, and the first human case was registered in Nigeria in 1954. Borne by mosquitoes, it has circulated in Africa and Asia for decades, and more recently in the Pacific region, never causing much concern.
Flu Outbreak Kills 107 People in Russia - Health Ministry Sputnik 28 Jan 2016 -- Russia's Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova said that the death toll of the flu outbreak stood at 107 people, including four pregnant women and eight children.
WHO: Zika Virus Spreading Explosively in Americas VOA 28 Jan 2016 -- The World Health Organization warns the Zika virus, seen as a possible cause of severe birth defects, is spreading rapidly through the Americas and could affect as many as four million people.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 28 Jan 2016 [PDF]
National Guard forces continue post-storm assistance AFNS 27 Jan 2016 -- Virginia National Guard Soldiers on state active duty have been using Humvees and medium tactical trucks to provide mobility support to help Virginia State Police and local first responders reach residents requiring assistance after a historic snowfall blanketed the state.
Carter Encourages Cyber Command to Intensify Fight Against ISIL AFPS 27 Jan 2016 -- Defense Secretary Ash Carter today encouraged U.S. Cyber Command to 'intensify the fight' against the Islamic State of Iraq the Levant, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said.
HRW: Security Fears Increasingly Trumping Human Rights Protections RFE/RL 27 Jan 2016 -- Growing state and public fear in an age of terrorism, conflicts, and mass migration is producing an increasingly bleak human rights picture in many parts of the world, international watchdog Human Rights Watch (HRW) has warned.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 27 Jan 2016 [PDF]
Turkey buying oil from Daesh: Israel Press TV 26 Jan 2016 -- The Israeli regime, which is itself believed to be supporting militants in the region, says Turkey has been providing money to the Daesh Takfiri militants operating in Syria and Iraq through oil trade with them.
Turkey's Oil Trade With Daesh Sponsors Terrorism - Israeli Defense Minister Sputnik 26 Jan 2016 -- During his visit to Athens, Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon accused Turkey of sponsoring terrorism by buying oil from Daesh terrorist group.
National Guard Forces Continue Post-Storm Assistance AFPS 26 Jan 2016 -- Virginia National Guard soldiers on state active duty have been using Humvees and medium tactical trucks to provide mobility support to help Virginia State Police and local first responders reach residents requiring assistance after a historic snowfall blanketed the state.
Russia's Lavrov says Daesh militants trained in Georgia Press TV 26 Jan 2016 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Moscow has information that Daesh Takfiri militants are being trained in a valley region in Georgia near the Russian border.
French President Presses For Extension of State of Emergency Sputnik 26 Jan 2016 -- French President Francois Hollande's government is seeking parliamentary approval to extend the country's state of emergency, despite receiving widespread condemnation that is erodes the founding principle of the French Republic and people's freedoms.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 26 Jan 2016 [PDF]
Thailand confirms MERS-CoV disease, WHO cautions against risk IRNA 25 Jan 2016 -- Thailand confirmed Middle East Respiratory Syndrom coronavirus MERS-CoV disease in traveler, WHO said on Monday. WHO cautioned against continued risk of importation.
Daesh provoking France in worst possible way: Hollande Press TV 25 Jan 2016 -- French President Francois Hollande says the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group "is provoking" France in "the worst possible way," after the group released a propaganda video that purportedly shows their assailants sometime before the November attacks in Paris.
Authorities Say Up To 1,000 Tajiks Joined IS In Syria, Iraq RFE/RL 25 Jan 2016 -- Tajik authorities say up to 1,000 nationals have joined Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria and Iraq, doubling the figure that officials previously provided.
Tajik Minister Confirms Death of Extremist Group Jamaat Ansarullah Leader Sputnik 25 Jan 2016 -- Tajik Interior Minister Ramazon Rakhimzoda said that the leader of the Jamaat Ansarullah extremist group was killed in Afghanistan over half a year ago.
Europol: IS Planning Large-Scale Attacks in Europe VOA 25 Jan 2016 -- Islamic State group and other militants are likely to carry out large scale attacks in Europe following last year's attacks in Paris, the European Union police agency said in a new report Monday.
Malaysia PM Defends Strict Counterterrorism Laws VOA 25 Jan 2016 -- Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said his country's new anti-terrorism laws are a necessary weapon against what he said are 'very real' threats by the Islamic State group.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 25 Jan 2016 [PDF]
Malaysia police arrest seven Daesh-linked supects Press TV 24 Jan 2016 -- At least seven people suspected of having ties to the Takfiri Daesh terrorists have been arrested in Malaysia on suspicion of planning terror attacks across the Southeast Asian country.
Omani man becomes Thailand's 2nd confirmed MERS case Press TV 24 Jan 2016 -- An Omani man has become the second confirmed case of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in Thailand after arriving in the capital, Bangkok.
UN health agency urges vigilance in South-East Asia after new case of MERS confirmed in Thailand UN News 24 Jan 2016 -- The United Nations health agency cautioned South-East Asia States today to remain vigilant against the continuing risks of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS CoV) after Thailand confirmed the sometimes fatal disease in a traveller, its second case in seven months.
Documents Show Degree of IS Control Over Life in Its Territories VOA 23 Jan 2016 -- From detailed orders to those who drive cars to instructions for storeowners on how, and to whom, they must display their wares, Islamic State militants have been determined to oversee every aspect of life in territory they control.
National Guard Aids Civil Authorities as Blizzard Pounds East Coast AFPS 23 Jan 2016 -- As much of the East Coast hunkered down today in the midst of a ferocious winter storm, National Guard citizen-soldiers and citizen-airmen were poised to assist local and state emergency agencies.
French president seeks longer state of emergency Press TV 23 Jan 2016 -- French President Francois Hollande is set to call on the parliament to extend by another three months the state of emergency put in place after the deadly 2015 Paris attacks.
Swine flu has killed 39 in Russia Press TV 22 Jan 2016 -- Swine flu has killed nearly 40 people in Russia since last month, with one of the cases reported in the capital, Moscow.
Paris state of emergency to remain till Daesh defeat: French PM Press TV 22 Jan 2016 -- France says the state of emergency put in place in Paris after last November's deadly terror attacks by Daesh will be extended until the world could totally get rid of the Takfiri terror group.
Swine Flu Causes Deaths In Eastern Ukraine RFE/RL 22 Jan 2016 -- An outbreak of the H1N1 swine flu virus has killed 26 people in the territories currently controlled by Russia-backed separatists in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, Russian news agencies reported on January 22.
Over 20 Swine Flu Cases Registered in Russia's Kamchatka Territory Sputnik 22 Jan 2016 -- Over 20 cases of swine flu have been registered in Russia's Kamchatka Territory, three children are among the infected, regional authorities report.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 22 Jan 2016 [PDF]
Cybercom Chief Details Strategic Priorities for 2016 AFPS 21 Jan 2016 -- U.S. Cyber Command's strategic priorities for 2016 include continued defense of DoD networks and systems, applying Cyber Mission Force capabilities more broadly and expanding international partnerships, Navy Adm. Mike Rogers said today.
Virginia Guard Prepares for Massive Snowstorm AFPS 21 Jan 2016 -- The Virginia National Guard has been authorized to bring up to 500 soldiers, airmen and members of the Virginia Defense Force on state active duty for possible assistance with the state's severe winter weather response operations.
Detainee Transfer Announced DoD 21 Jan 2016 -- The Department of Defense announced today the transfer of Tariq Mahmoud Ahmed Al Sawah from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to the Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Detainee Transfer Announced DoD 21 Jan 2016 -- The Department of Defense announced today the transfer of Abd al-Aziz Abduh Abdallah Ali Al-Suwaydi from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to the Government of Montenegro.
US Tightens Visa Waivers VOA 21 Jan 2016 -- The United States Thursday tightened its Visa Waiver Program, ending easy access to the U.S. for travelers who have been in Iran, Iraq, Sudan or Syria in the last five years, as well as for citizens of those four countries.
Deported Bangladeshi Migrant Workers Weighed 'Armed Jihad,' Police Say VOA 21 Jan 2016 -- One day after Singapore deported 26 Bangladeshi Muslim migrant workers who had been arrested in November for allegedly supporting the ideology of Islamist terrorist groups like al-Qaida and the Islamic State, authorities in the southeast Asian nation said the men were contemplating 'armed jihad' in the Middle East and Bangladesh.
Indonesian Terrorism Law Reform Still Faces Opposition VOA 21 Jan 2016 -- Indonesian President Joko Widodo's call for strengthening the country's national security law could still face resistance in parliament, even after Islamic State-linked militants last week carried out the first serious terrorist attack in Jakarta since 2009.
Pakistan: Afghan Territory Used for Deadly University Raid VOA 21 Jan 2016 -- Pakistan says a deadly assault on a university in a northwestern city on Wednesday was "being controlled from a location in Afghanistan through an Afghan cell phone" by a fugitive member of the Pakistani Taliban.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 21 Jan 2016 [PDF]
Crafty al-Qaida Affiliate Looking to Win US War on IS VOA 20 Jan 2016 -- Slowly but surely al-Qaida's Syria affiliate - Jabhat al Nusra - appears to be positioning itself to emerge as the victor in the U.S.-led war against the Islamic State terror group.
Joint Statement on Counter-ISIL Cooperation by the Defense Ministers of Australia, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States DoD 20 Jan 2016 -- The text of the following statement was released by the defense ministers of Australia, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States following a meeting co-hosted by France and the United States in Paris on counter-ISIL cooperation.
Singapore nabs 27 Bangladeshis on terror charges, deports 26 Press TV 20 Jan 2016 -- Authorities in Singapore have arrested 27 Bangladeshi workers and deported 26 of them on charges of supporting Takfiri terror groups, including Daesh and al-Qaeda.
UN experts urge France to protect fundamental freedoms while combatting terrorism UN News 19 Jan 2016 -- A group of United Nations human rights experts warned today that the current state of emergency in France and the country's law on surveillance of electronic communications impose excessive and disproportionate restrictions on fundamental freedoms.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 20 Jan 2016 [PDF]
Indonesia president seeks terror law review Press TV 19 Jan 2016 -- Indonesia is considering a regulation that would prohibit its citizens from joining the ranks of Takfiri terrorist groups operating in conflict-ridden Iraq and Syria.
Indonesian Police Receive Terrorist Threat Targeting Bali VOA 19 Jan 2016 -- In Indonesia there are growing concerns that more deadly attacks could follow last week' bombings in Jakarta by Islamist militants.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 19 Jan 2016 [PDF]
Counter-terrorism measures threaten remittances sent to Somali diaspora - UN rights experts UN News 18 Jan 2016 -- Expressing concern over the impact on vital remittances from diaspora countries into Somalia caused by "necessary but less considered counter-terrorism regulations," United Nations rights experts today warned the measures may "severely affect the human rights" of Somali people, while urging regulation-setting governments to guarantee the flow of such funds.
Morocco: Belgian Suspect Tied to Paris Attackers Arrested VOA 18 Jan 2016 -- Moroccan officials say they have arrested a Belgian suspect linked to attackers that killed 130 people in Paris in November.
White House Condemns Attacks in Burkina Faso VOA 17 Jan 2016 -- The White House issued a sharply-worded statement Sunday saying it 'condemns in the strongest terms' attacks in the capital of Burkina Faso that killed at least 29 people and wounded scores more from 18 countries overnight Friday.
Burkina Faso: 126 Hostages Freed, 3 Militants Killed as Hotel Siege Ends Sputnik 16 Jan 2016 -- News emerged of gunmen taking over a hotel close to the Splendid Hotel and the Cappuccino restaurant in the capital of Burkina Faso where a security rescue operation recently ended after an unknown number of gumen linked to al-Qaeda took hostages, according to AFP with reference to the Security and Internal Affairs minister.
30 hostages freed from militants-held hotel in Burkina Faso People's Daily 16 Jan 2016 -- Some 30 hostages have been freed from the Splendid Hotel that was attacked by an Al-Qaidaaffiliate Friday, Burkina Faso's Minister of Communications Remis Dandjinou said Saturday.
Al-Qaeda group claims raid at Burkina Faso hotel, at least 20 dead People's Daily 16 Jan 2016 -- An Al-Qaeda affiliate has claimed responsibility for the hotel attack which has so far killed 20 in the capital of Burkina Faso Friday, a U.S.-based monitor group said on its website.
Indonesia Arrests 12 Suspects Linked to Terror Attack VOA 16 Jan 2016 -- Indonesian police say they have arrested 12 people allegedly connected to this past week's deadly Islamic State-linked terror attack in the capital.
Deadly Islamist Militants Attack on Burkina Faso Hotel is Over VOA 16 Jan 2016 -- Burkina Faso government officials say the siege of an upscale hotel that killed at least 23 people in the capital, Ouagadougou, has ended.
With New Ebola Death, Sierra Leone, Region Suffer Setback VOA 16 Jan 2016 -- The West African nation of Sierra Leone is re-starting the 42-day countdown to being declared free of transmission of the Ebola virus after a woman died of the deadly virus. It is a setback for the nation after it was declared Ebola free for two months. Health officials are now on the alert for more cases just as the deadliest outbreak on record appeared to be ending.
ECOWAS Condemns Burkina Faso Terror Attacks VOA 16 Jan 2016 -- The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a regional bloc, has sharply condemned the terrorist attacks in Burkina Faso that left 23 people dead, including three of the jihadists, and at least 30 injured.
Are Conservative Muslim Tablighi Jamaat Pacifists or Extremists? VOA 15 Jan 2016 -- For the second time in a week, at least 1 million devotees of the ultraorthodox Islamic movement Tablighi Jamaat are gathering in Bangladesh for the Bishwa Ijtema, one of the world's largest annual Muslim gatherings.
Why Kerry Calls Terror Group 'Daesh,' not Islamic State VOA 15 Jan 2016 -- The Islamic State terror group has gained worldwide infamy with its murderous exploits. It is called many different names by various people and organizations. ISIL, ISIS and IS are all commonly heard.
Dealing IS 'Lasting Defeat' Could Require Decades, Officials Caution VOA 15 Jan 2016 -- 'Lasting defeat' has become a mantra for top U.S. officials when talking about the strategy to defeat Islamic State terrorists.
Burkina Faso Hotel Raided After Suspected Militants Take Hostages VOA 15 Jan 2016 -- Elite security forces in Burkina Faso have stormed an upscale hotel frequented by foreigners in the capital where suspected Islamist militants are holding hostages.
Swine Flu Outbreak Kills 11 In Armenia RFE/RL 15 Jan 2016 -- Armenian officials say an outbreak of the H1N1 swine flu virus has killed 11 people in the country in the last two months.
Sierra Leone reports new Ebola case; UN health agency stresses risk of more flare-ups UN News 15 Jan 2016 -- A new case of Ebola has been confirmed in Sierra Leone, reflecting the ongoing risk of new flare-ups of the virus in affected countries, the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) announced today, just hours after declaring that all known chains of transmission had been stopped in West Africa.
WHO: Ebola Case Detected in Sierra Leone VOA 15 Jan 2016 -- An official in Sierra Leone said a corpse has tested positive for the Ebola virus, just a day after the World Health Organization declared an end to the outbreak in West Africa.
UN chief introduces new action plan to prevent violent extremism UN News 15 Jan 2016 -- Violent extremism is a direct assault on the United Nations Charter and a grave threat to international peace and security, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today while presenting a new plan of action to prevent violence stemming from "poisonous ideologies."
Indonesia Conducts Raids Following Its First Attack by IS VOA 15 Jan 2016 -- A suspected terrorist was killed and at least two others arrested Friday, according to Indonesian police, who said they had conducted raids in multiple locations in the wake of the downtown Jakarta fatal attack the previous day.
Jakarta Attack Raises Fears of Jihad in Asia VOA 15 Jan 2016 -- Thursday's terrorist attacks in Jakarta have raised concern throughout Asia that the Islamic State group is attempting to create a caliphate in Indonesia, which has the largest Muslim population in the world.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 15 Jan 2016 [PDF]
Terrorism remains major threat in West Africa despite electoral progress – senior UN official UN News 14 Jan 2016 -- While peaceful and credible elections were held in several countries in West Africa in the past six months, violent extremism continues to pose a serious threat throughout the area, the top United Nations official for the region warned today.
Analyst: IS Presence in Indonesia Growing VOA 14 Jan 2016 -- Indonesian officials estimate there are between 200 and 300 IS sympathizers in country
Experts React to News Ebola Epidemic Over VOA 14 Jan 2016 -- It's been more than two years since a young boy contracted the first suspected case of Ebola in the forests of Guinea.
Turkey: 200 IS Fighters Killed in Retaliation for Istanbul Attack VOA 14 Jan 2016 -- Turkey claimed Thursday that it has killed 200 Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq in retaliation for the suicide bomb attack that killed 10 German tourists in Istanbul two days ago.
Suicide bombing in Indonesia's capital kills 7, injures 20 People's Daily 14 Jan 2016 -- People gather near the explosion site in Jakarta, Indonesia, Jan. 14, 2016. Seven people including two suicide bombers were killed and 20 others injured in suicide blasts in Jakarta, capital of Indonesia, on Thursday. (Xinhua/He Changshan)
WHO declares end of Ebola outbreak in West Africa People's Daily 14 Jan 2016 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday declared the end of the most recent flare-up of Ebola virus disease in Liberia, saying all known chains of transmission have been stopped in West Africa.
WHO declares end to Ebola epidemic in West Africa Press TV 14 Jan 2016 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that a two-year Ebola epidemic that took more than 11,000 lives in West Africa is now over.
Jakarta Blasts Follow Deadly Blueprint of Paris Attacks Sputnik 14 Jan 2016 -- A series of explosions hit the Indonesian capital of Jakarta on Thursday, January 14, reportedly killing at least 10 people. Later on in the day, Jakarta police confirmed that Daesh (also known as Islamic State) was behind the blasts.
West Africa declared free of Ebola transmission, but UN health agency warns new flare-ups possible UN News 14 Jan 2016 -- The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) today declared the end of the most recent outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Liberia, announcing that all known chains of transmission have been stopped in West Africa, but the job is not yet over.
Islamic State Claims Deadly Jakarta Attack VOA 14 Jan 2016 -- Islamic State has claimed responsibility for Thursday's coordinated bomb and gun attack in the Indonesian capital that left seven people dead, including all five attackers.
US Transfers 10 Guantanamo Bay Detainees VOA 14 Jan 2016 -- The U.S. Defense Department says 10 Yemeni detainees have been released from U.S. detention center in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and sent to the Middle East nation of Oman.
WHO: Zero Ebola Cases in West Africa VOA 14 Jan 2016 -- The World Health Organization says the most recent outbreak of Ebola in Liberia is over, bringing the number of cases in West Africa down to zero for the first time since the regional epidemic began in early 2014. The WHO reports all known chains of transmission have been stopped in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, the three most heavily affected countries.
Detainee Transfers Announced DoD 14 Jan 2016 -- The Department of Defense announced today the transfer of Fahed Abdullah Ahmad Ghazi, Samir Naji al-Hasan Muqbil, Adham Mohamed Ali Awad, Mukhtar Yahya Naji al-Warafi, Abu Bakr Ibn Muhammad al-Ahdal, Muhammad Salih Husayn al-Shaykh, Muhammad Said Salim Bin Salman, Said Muhammad Salih Hatim, Umar Said Salim al-Dini, and Fahmi Abdallah Ahmad Ubadi al-Tulaqi from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to the Government of Oman.
France to Boost Intelligence Activity in Fight Against Terrorism Sputnik 14 Jan 2016 -- The National Intelligence Council of France (CNR) has decided to improve the coordination of internal and external actions of the French intelligence services in the fight against terrorism, the Elysee Palace said in a statement on Thursday.
India, Pakistan Cooperate in Terror Probe VOA 14 Jan 2016 -- New Delhi has welcomed Pakistan's offer to send a special team to help India in its investigation of a deadly attack at an Indian air-force base in a sensitive border area.
Coordinated Terror Attack Kills 6 in Central Jakarta VOA 14 Jan 2015 -- Militants set off a series of explosions in Indonesia's capital, Jakarta, Thursday, according to officials and witnesses, triggering a series of heavy gun battles with police and leaving at least six people dead.
Dozens Killed By Deadly Swine Flu Virus In Ukraine RFE/RL 14 Jan 2016 -- An outbreak of the H1N1 swine flu virus has killed more than 50 people in Ukraine this winter - an increase of 10 percent over last year, Ukrainian authorities said.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 14 Jan 2016 [PDF]
With West Africa set to be declared free of Ebola virus transmission, UN chief calls for vigilance UN News 13 Jan 2016 -- On the eve of West Africa being declared free of Ebola virus transmission, top United Nations officials today highlighted the "extraordinary" global cooperation mustered to tackle an epidemic that killed over 11,300 people, at the same time calling for vigilance against future flare-ups.
Turkey arrests 5 over deadly bombing in Istanbul Press TV 13 Jan 2016 -- Turkish authorities have arrested five suspects in connection with a deadly bomb attack in the historic heart of the city of Istanbul that left 10 foreigners dead.
Turkish police bust 'Daesh cell' in capital Ankara Press TV 13 Jan 2016 -- Turkish security forces have arrested 16 suspected members of the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group who had formed a cell to carry out a major terrorist attack in the capital, Ankara.
Belgian Prosecutors Say Found 3 Safe Houses of Paris Attacks Perpetrators Sputnik 13 Jan 2016 -- The properties uncovered by Belian police included a flat in the city of Charleroi, where fingerprints of two of the attackers were found, as well as a house near the French border, according to a federal prosecutor's spokesman.
IS Claims Attack on Pakistan Consulate in Afghanistan VOA 13 Jan 2016 -- Officials in eastern Afghanistan said a gun and bomb attack Wednesday near the Pakistani consulate in Jalalabad killed seven security personnel and wounded 10 people, including three civilians.
E. Africa Launches Program to Prevent, Control Pandemic Threats VOA 13 Jan 2016 -- Starting in 2014, West Africa experienced the largest Ebola outbreak in history, killing more than 11,000 people and bringing the threat of global pandemic to worldwide consciousness. Scientists believe the outbreak started with a small boy who contracted the virus from a bat.
Pakistan Claims Arrest of Militants Behind Indian Airbase Attack VOA 13 Jan 2016 -- Pakistan said Wednesday it has arrested 'several individuals' belonging to the Jaish-e-Mohammad militant group that India suspects masterminded the deadly assault earlier this month on an Indian airbase.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 13 Jan 2016 [PDF]
UN condemns 'despicable' terrorist bombing in Istanbul's Sultanahmet District UN News 12 Jan 2016 -- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today condemned the terrorist bombing in Sultanahmet Square in Istanbul, Turkey, calling it a "despicable crime targeting the heart of Istanbul's tourist district."
Fears Renewed of Islamic State Attacks in Europe, US VOA 12 Jan 2016 -- Western intelligence agencies are increasingly worried that Islamic State militants will soon find ways to carry out more and increasingly sophisticated attacks on Europe and the United States, using November's terror attack on Paris as a blueprint.
Istanbul explosion carried out by suicide bomber of Syrian origin: Turkish President People's Daily 12 Jan 2016 -- A huge explosion that rocked Istanbul's historic Sultanahmet district on Tuesday was carried out by a suicide bomber of Syrian origin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.
Blast In Historic Central Istanbul Kills At Least 10; IS Blamed RFE/RL 12 Jan 2016 -- Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has said a suicide bombing in central Istanbul that left 10 people dead, most of them Germans, was carried out by a member of the Islamic State (IS) militant group.
Several US Prosecutors Vie to Try Mexican Drug Lord VOA 12 Jan 2016 -- The expected extradition of Mexican drug lord Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman to the United States could take a year, but prosecutors in seven U.S. cities are looking to bring him to trial on a long list of murder and drug trafficking charges.
IS Orders Aspiring Terrorists: Wear a Cross, Shave Beards VOA 12 Jan 2016 -- Islamic State extremists are advising their supporters and recruits in the West to shave their beards and pretend to be Christians to help evade detection by intelligence services as they plot so-called 'lone wolf' terror attacks.
IS Blamed for Istanbul Suicide Bombing VOA 12 Jan 2016 -- Foreign tourists are said to be among those killed and injured in a suicide attack in Istanbul's main tourism district. Turkish officials say at least 10 people - nine of them Germans - were killed and 15 others injured.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 12 Jan 2016 [PDF]
Detainee Transfer Announced DoD 11 Jan 2016 -- The Department of Defense announced today the repatriation of Muhammed Abd Al Rahman Awn Al-Shamrani from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
UN rights experts urge US to close Guantánamo detention centre and end impunity for abuses UN News 11 Jan 2016 -- Human rights experts from the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) today called on the United States Government to promptly close the Guantánamo Bay detention facility and end impunity for abuses in the so-called 'global war on terror' such as 'enhanced interrogation techniques' and extraordinary rendition.
Saudi Guantanamo Prisoner Repatriated VOA 11 Jan 2016 -- The Pentagon says it repatriated a Saudi man from the Guantanamo U.S. military prison in Cuba, amid renewed claims by the Obama administration that the president will shutter the facility during his last year in office.
Mexico Moves to Extradite Drug Lord 'El Chapo' to US VOA 11 Jan 2016 -- Mexico is starting the process to extradite the notorious Mexican drug lord Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman to the United States, where he faces an array of charges linked to the hundreds of tons of cocaine, heroin and other drugs he has shipped across the border.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 11 Jan 2016 [PDF]
Obama will keep promise to close Guantanamo: White House Press TV 10 Jan 2016 -- US President Barack Obama will keep his promise to close the American military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, before his presidency ends in 11 months, according to the White House.
Mexico Sends Escaped Drug Lord 'El Chapo' Back to Prison VOA 09 Jan 2016 -- Fugitive Mexican drug trafficker Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman has been sent back to the Altiplano prison, after being recaptured some seven months after he escaped from the facility.
Detainee Transfer Announced DoD 08 Jan 2016 -- The Department of Defense announced today the repatriation of Faez Mohammed Ahmed Al-Kandari from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to the government of the State of Kuwait.
Last Kuwaiti prisoner at Guantanamo repatriated Press TV 08 Jan 2016 -- The last Kuwaiti inmate at the US military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, has been transferred to his country, the Pentagon says.
Russian Hacker Sandworm Blamed For Ukraine Power Outage RFE/RL 08 Jan 2016 -- U.S. cyberintelligence firm iSight Partners said it is certain that a Russian hacking group known as Sandworm caused last month's unprecedented power outage in Ukraine.
Going After Terrorists Online, White House Meets With US Tech Companies VOA 08 Jan 2016 -- Fighting the battle against terrorism on the Internet, the White House and its top law enforcement officials met Friday with the nation's biggest technology companies in San Jose, California.
IS Foothold in Libya Threatens Europe, West Africa VOA 08 Jan 2016 -- The Islamic State has a new front: an established foothold in Libya.
Drug Lord 'El Chapo' Recaptured in Mexico VOA 08 Jan 2016 -- Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto says authorities have captured fugitive drug lord Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman, who brazenly escaped from prison through a secret underground tunnel seven months ago.
Statement by NSC Spokesperson Ned Price on Updates to U.S. Government Efforts to Counter Violent Extremism The White House 08 Jan 2016
Daesh terrorists claim deadly bomb attack near Libya's Sirte Press TV 08 Jan 2016 -- Daesh Takfiri terrorists have claimed responsibility for a bombing attack at a security checkpoint, which claimed the lives of six people, including an infant, in a northern Libyan town.
India Identifies Air Base Attack Mastermind as Jaish-e-Mohammed Group Head Sputnik 08 Jan 2016 -- The Indian intelligence services identified the 'handlers' of an attack on its air base as chief members of the Jaish-e-Mohammed extremist group, with the plan of the attack conceived in Pakistan, local media reported Friday.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 08 Jan 2016 [PDF]
Russia Suspected in First-ever Cyberattack on Ukraine's Power Grid VOA 07 Jan 2016 -- In the last months of 2015, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine over Crimea's annexation and continuing strife in Ukraine's east appeared largely to be in stalemate. But now, with the new year, it appears the conflict is heating up again, and playing out on the region's electric grids.
Flow of Foreign Fighters to Iraq, Syria Unrelenting VOA 07 Jan 2016 -- Western efforts to stem the flow of foreign fighters to the conflict in Syria and Iraq are starting to have an impact, but would-be militants are still finding their way to the battlefront.
U.S. Suspects Russia Behind Cyberattack On Ukraine Power Grid RFE/RL 07 Jan 2016 -- U.S. security agencies are investigating whether Russian government hackers were behind a cyberattack on the Ukrainian power grid last month.
Killing the Terror Group That Won't Die: Islamic State VOA 07 Jan 2016 -- There is growing concern among the ranks of U.S. officials that it could take more than one war to ultimately defeat and destroy the Islamic State terror group.
Why Is Islamic State So Hard to Beat? VOA 07 Jan 2016 -- Islamic State extremists have been bombed, strafed, derided and pushed back, yet they fight on.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 07 Jan 2016 [PDF]
Detainee Transfers Announced DoD 06 Jan 2016 -- The Department of Defense announced today the transfer of Mahmud Umar Muhammad Bin Atef and Khalid Muhammad Salih Al-Dhuby from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to the Government of Ghana.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 06 Jan 2016 [PDF]
Cyberattack On Ukrainian Power Grid Looks To Some Like An Apocalyptic First RFE/RL 05 Jan 2016 -- For years, experts have warned with mounting concern that critical infrastructure virtually anywhere in the world is vulnerable to cyberattack.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 05 Jan 2016 [PDF]
Law Minister Says 100 Pakistanis Joined IS in Syria, Iraq VOA 04 Jan 2016 -- A state law minister said Monday that around 100 Pakistanis have left the country to join Islamic State fighters in Syria and Iraq.
Pentagon Officials Thwart White House Efforts to Close Guantanamo Sputnik 04 Jan 2016 -- An investigation has revealed the tactics used by Pentagon officials to prevent the transferal or freeing of prisoners from Guantanamo, despite the wishes of the White House.
Britain's Cameron: IS Execution Video 'Desperate Stuff' VOA 04 Jan 2016 -- British Prime Minister David Cameron on Monday dismissed as 'desperate stuff' an Islamic State video purporting to show the militants' execution of five men it said were spying for Britain in Syria.
DHS-IAIP Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 04 Jan 2016 [PDF]
IS Claims Execution of Purported British Spies VOA 03 Jan 2016 -- A video circulated Sunday purporting to show an Islamic State execution of five men it said were spying for Britain in Syria.
Battle for Control of Indian Air Base Enters 2nd Night VOA 03 Jan 2016 -- The battle for control of an Indian air base near the Pakistan border entered a second night on Sunday, more than 36 hours after the compound came under attack. Authorities say at least seven troops and four gunmen had been killed by nightfall, with 12 others wounded.
Death toll of Indian security forces in airbase attack rises to 7 People's Daily 03 Jan 2016 -- The death toll of Indian security forces personnel in Saturday's terror attack on a key Indian Air Force base in the northern state of Punjab has touched seven.
New gunfire erupts at Indian air force base in Punjab Press TV 03 Jan 2016 -- A fresh gun battle has erupted at an Indian air force base in the northern state of Punjab that had been attacked by suspected militants a day earlier with the loss of about a dozen lives.
Death toll from attack on Indian air force base rises to 10 Press TV 03 Jan 2016 -- The death toll from an attack on an Indian air force base in the northern state of Punjab has risen to at least ten people, including six members of security forces and four militants.
Reports: Indian Consulate In Afghan City Attacked RFE/RL 03 Jan 2016 -- Fighting between security forces and gunmen was reported to have continued in the early hours of January 4 around the Indian consulate in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif.
Travel alert for China's Shanghai, Jiangxi raised after new H7N9 cases CNA 02 Jan 2016 -- Taiwan has raised a travel advisory for China's Shanghai City and Jiangxi Province by one level after two H7N9 avian flu cases were reported there, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said Saturday.
Ebola's Effect on West African Children,Traditions Outlasts Disease VOA 02 Jan 2016 -- Guinea and Sierra Leone have been declared Ebola-free, while Liberia is expected to follow in mid-January. Experts say that health care systems need to be rebuilt and that safety practices adopted during the crisis must be maintained to prevent future outbreaks.
Punjab airbase operation over, 7 killed, including two India soldiers Press TV 02 Jan 2016 -- India says its security forces have repelled an attack by gunmen on an airbase in the northern state of Punjab, ending an operation that led to the death of seven people.
Seven Dead After Gunmen Attack Indian Air Force Base VOA 02 Jan 2016 -- Seven people were killed at an air force base in India's northern Punjab state in a terror attack that is being seen as an effort to derail recent peace efforts between India and Pakistan.
France still facing high-level terror threat: Hollande Press TV 01 Jan 2016 -- President Francois Hollande says France is still facing a security threat "at its highest level," nearly two months after a series of coordinated terror attacks left 130 people dead in and around Paris.
New al-Shabab Video Highlights Trump Statement, US Police Brutality VOA 01 Jan 2016 -- The Somali militant group al-Shabab has released a new recruiting video that highlights U.S. police shootings and the call by presidential candidate Donald Trump to ban Muslims from entering the United States.
Belgian police nab three more terror suspects Press TV 01 Jan 2016 -- The Belgian police have arrested three more people for allegedly plotting an attack against the country's capital during New Year celebrations.
Munich Stations Reopen As Police Hunt for 'Terror Plot' Suspects RFE/RL 01 Jan 2016 -- Munich train stations reopened and police lifted an alert of an imminent terrorist attack in the southern German city on January 1, but authorities say the situation remains 'serious.'
NY Man Arrested for Alleged New Year's Eve Attack Plot VOA 01 Jan 2016 -- The U.S. Justice Department says authorities have arrested a New York state resident accused of planning to kill civilians on New Year's Eve in the name of the Islamic State group.
Analysts Study Jihadists' Dreams of the Caliphate VOA 01 Jan 2016 -- Just days before Islamic convert Elton Simpson attacked a controversial "Draw the Prophet Muhammad" contest last May in Garland, Texas, he asked jihadists online to arrange an interpretation of a dream he had of "a woman in a hijab looking down at him on a road."
It's (Finally) Official: China Creates Cyberwarfare Military Branch Sputnik 01 Jan 2016 -- China has long been rumored to possess cyberwarfare capabilities, and now the country's military has kicked off 2016 by creating a new military branch focused on the digital battleground.

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January 2016 Security News