March 2019 Security News

Trump halts financial aid to Central American states over migration flow Press TV 31 Mar 2019 -- US President Donald Trump has ordered all direct financial assistance to three Central American countries to be cut over the flow of their migrants toward the US-Mexico border.
US cuts aid to El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras Press TV 31 Mar 2019 -- The US government has cut aid to the Central American countries of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras for sending migrants to the United States, according to the State Department.
White House Demands Mexico, 3 Central American Countries Curb Migrant Surge VOA 31 Mar 2019 -- The Trump administration on Sunday demanded that Mexico and three Central American countries curb the surge of thousands of undocumented migrants heading to the United States, noting that the homeland security chief for former President Barack Obama agrees there is an immigration crisis at the southern U.S. border.
Trump Calls for Ending Aid to El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras Over Migrants VOA 31 Mar 2019 -- The Trump administration wants to halt funding to Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, the State Department confirmed Saturday.
Trump threatens to close Mexican border next week Press TV 29 Mar 2019 -- US President Donald Trump has threatened to close border with Mexico to trade if immigrants are not stopped. Mexico has said it does not act on the basis of threats.
Joint Statement on U.S.-India Counterterrorism Joint Working Group and Designations Dialogue US Dept. of State 29 Mar 2019 -- The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and India on the occasion of the U.S.-India Counterterrorism Joint Working Group and Designations Dialogue.
Ebola cases rising in DR Congo, but UN health agency cites progress in community trust-building UN News 29 Mar 2019 -- A rise in new cases of deadly Ebola virus disease in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been announced, while authorities say that progress is being made in accessing communities that have been wary of outside help, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.
Crisis Deepening at US Southern Border VOA 29 Mar 2019 -- The crisis at the U.S. southern border deepens as Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen turns to Congress for help while President Donald Trump threatens again to shut it down.
UNSC ratifies resolution to counter financing terrorism IRNA 28 Mar 2019 -- The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Thursday passed a resolution to counter financing terrorism.
Department of State Submits 2019 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report US Dept. of State 28 Mar 2019 -- The U.S. Department of State submitted the 2019 edition of the annual International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR) to Congress today. This two-volume, Congressionally-mandated report assesses foreign governments' efforts to reduce illicit drug production, trafficking and use, as well as their work to counter drug trafficking-related money laundering.
Landmark terror finance resolution adopted by Security Council UN News 28 Mar 2019 -- The UN is hailing a new Security Council resolution adopted on Thursday as a landmark step in suppressing the funding of terror groups worldwide.
UN Orders Members to Crack Down on Terrorist Financing VOA 28 Mar 2019 -- The U.N. Security Council Thursday unanimously passed the first-ever resolution ordering members to enforce laws against terror financing.
Pakistan, China Slam Fresh US Anti-Terror Move in UN VOA 28 Mar 2019 -- China and Pakistan are criticizing the United States for bypassing established mechanisms and submitting a draft resolution directly in the United Nations Security Council to push for outlawing a Pakistani extremist leader.
Terrorist Financing Targeting Center Hosts Exercise on Disrupting Illicit Finance US Treasury 27 Mar 2019 -- The Terrorist Financing Targeting Center (TFTC) this week convened a regional capacity-building workshop in Riyadh focused on Iranian illicit finance schemes and the risks Iran poses to the international financial system.
Reserve, Guard Leaders Provide Cybersecurity Updates DoD News 26 Mar 2019 -- National Guard and Reserve units are deployed worldwide, providing valuable assets for combatant commanders and working with partners and allies, reserve component military leaders told lawmakers on Capitol Hill today.
Pentagon authorizes $1 billion for Trump's Mexico wall Press TV 26 Mar 2019 -- The Pentagon says it has authorized the transfer of one billion dollars from its budget for the construction of a wall that President Donald Trump has been seeking to build along the border with Mexico under a controversial emergency plan declared by the American president.
Pentagon Authorizes $1 Billion for Trump's Border Wall - Reports Sputnik 26 Mar 2019 -- The US Department of Defence has authorized $1 billion of funding for the construction of Trump's much-anticipated wall on the US-Mexico border, AFP reported Monday.
US High Court Throws Out Judgement Against Sudan in USS Cole Bombing Case VOA 26 Mar 2019 -- The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned a lower court's decision to allow U.S. sailors to collect damages from Sudan after the 2000 al-Qaida bombing of a U.S. Navy destroyer.
DOD Authorizes Support to Counter Drug Border Security DoD 25 Mar 2019 -- Today, Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan authorized the commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to begin planning and executing up to $1 billion in support to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Customs and Border Protection.
Aid Group Says Ebola Outbreak in DRC Growing VOA 25 Mar 2019 -- A global humanitarian aid group reports 58 new cases of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo last week -- the highest weekly number this year.
Could Venezuela Crisis End Hezbollah's Presence There? VOA 22 Mar 2019 -- As the political and humanitarian tumult in Venezuela unfolds, analysts say illicit activities by Lebanese militant group Hezbollah in the South American country could be disrupted.
Indian PM Modi Capable of Any "Misadventure" to Win Elections - Pakistani PM Sputnik 22 Mar 2019 -- Narendra Modi's BJP has made terrorism one of its election planks as the party gears up to seek its second five-year term in office. Indian voters are going to elect new members to the lower house of Parliament in seven-phased polling starting 11 April, and results will be declared on 23 May.
US Man Pleads Guilty of Mailing Bombs to Trump Foes VOA 21 Mar 2019 -- A Florida man pleaded guilty Thursday of mailing pipe bombs to prominent Democrats and critics of President Donald Trump in late 2018.
EU Weighs Designating Pakistani Militant a Terrorist VOA 21 Mar 2019 -- The European Union is reportedly contemplating designating the leader of Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) a terrorist.
Amendments to the Terrorist Designations of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria US Dept. of State 21 Mar 2019 -- The Department of State has amended the terrorist designations of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) to include Amaq News Agency, Al Hayat Media Center, and other aliases.
Guardsmen Spring into Action for Rescue, Relief Operations in Nebraska DoD News 20 Mar 2019 -- In the true nature of the force, the Nebraska National Guard sprang into action when unprecedented flooding hit the state.
Iran dismisses Israeli hacking claims as 'lies' meant to spread Iranophobia Press TV 20 Mar 2019 -- Iran says reports that it has hacked into the phones of Israeli officials are part of the "lies" Tel Aviv spreads against the Islamic Republic on a daily basis, asserting that Tehran would rather put its technological prowess to good use.
Six Pakistani Security Officers Die in Terror Act in Balochistan - Reports Sputnik 20 Mar 2019 -- Six Pakistani security officers were killed on Wednesday during a terror attack on a security checkpoint in the country's southwestern Balochistan province, Pakistani Dawn reported, citing local officials.
Terrorists kill six security personnel in SW Pakistan IRNA 20 Mar 2019 -- At least six security personnel on Wednesday were killed in a terrorist attack on a check post in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, local media reported.
Dutch Police Arrest Suspect in Tram Shooting VOA 18 Mar 2019 -- Following an hours-long manhunt, Dutch police have arrested a suspect in a shooting incident on a tram that left three people dead and five others wounded in the city of Utrecht Monday.
Bomb blast kills 4 on railway track in southwest Pakistan Press TV 17 Mar 2019 -- At least four people have been killed and ten others injured in Pakistan following a bomb blast on train tracks in the country's troubled southwestern province of Balochistan.
Egypt court upholds verdict, places 169 Brotherhood convicts on terror list Press TV 16 Mar 2019 -- An Egyptian court has upheld an earlier verdict against 169 convicted members of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood movement and placed them on the country's terror list for the next five years.
Suspect In New Zealand Mosque Shootings Officially Charged With Murder RFE/RL 16 Mar 2019 -- The 28-year-old Australian man suspected of carrying out mass shootings at two mosques in New Zealand has made his first court appearance, wearing handcuffs and a white prison suit as he waited to hear the charges against him.
Christchurch Death Toll Rises to 50 VOA 16 Mar 2019 -- The death toll in a mass shooting at two New Zealand mosques on Friday has risen to 50 after emergency workers found another body at one of the crime scenes.
FSB: India, Pakistan Mull Counter-Terrorism Cooperation Despite Tense Relations Sputnik 16 Mar 2019 -- The intelligence services of India and Pakistan are interested in cooperation in combating terrorism despite a recent escalation of tensions between the two countries, Sergei Smirnov, the first deputy director of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), said Friday.
Trump Vetoes Border Emergency Rebuke Passed by US Lawmakers Sputnik 15 Mar 2019 -- Marking a first during his presidency, US President Donald Trump signed his first-ever veto on Friday, rejecting a congressional resolution to overturn his decision to declare a national emergency at the US-Mexico border.
Trump vetoes bill that would block his border emergency Press TV 15 Mar 2019 -- US President Donald Trump has vetoed a congressional resolution aimed at terminating his emergency declaration over a border wall.
Trump Issues Veto to Protect Emergency Wall Funding VOA 15 Mar 2019 -- U.S. President Donald Trump has issued the first veto of his presidency, overriding a congressional measure and protecting his national security declaration to fund a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.
President Donald J. Trump Stands by His Declaration of a National Emergency on Our Southern Border The White House 15 Mar 2019
Text of a Letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate The White House 15 Mar 2019
New Zealand In Shock After 49 Killed in 'Terror Attack' On Mosques RFE/RL 15 Mar 2019 -- New Zealand is in mourning after 49 people were killed and more than 20 wounded at two mosques in Christchurch in a March 15 attack that Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern called one of the country's "darkest days."
Christchurch Attacks: Suspect Took Inspiration From Former Yugoslavia's Ethnically Fueled Wars RFE/RL 15 Mar 2019 -- A 17-minute headcam video of one of the Christchurch, New Zealand, mosque attacks on March 15 opens with an eerie scene of a man identifying himself as Brenton Tarrant driving to the Al Noor Mosque, where at least 41 people were gunned down.
Christchurch Attacks: Why Are The Names Of A Georgian King And A Ukrainian Extremist Written On The Guns? RFE/RL 15 Mar 2019 -- Investigators piecing together the motivations of the suspected gunman behind New Zealand's worst terrorist attack are poring over the 87-page hate-filled manifesto he published, and the memes, cultural references in his online rantings, and musical allusions contained in the video he took of the deadly incident.
Arkansas National Guard unit refines earthquake plan with West Memphis Army News 15 Mar 2019 -- The 61st Civil Support Team (CST), 87th Troop Command, simulated their first ever on-the-ground earthquake response on Wednesday, as part of the Arkansas National Guard's ongoing "New Madrid earthquake" planning.
US senators vote to terminate national emergency Press TV 14 Mar 2019 -- In a fresh rebuke, the Republican-controlled US Senate has passed a proposal to terminate President Donald Trump's declaration of an emergency at the southern border.
China Prevents UN Blacklisting Of Pakistani JeM Leader RFE/RL 14 Mar 2019 -- China has blocked a bid to designate as a terrorist the leader of the group behind an attack last month that dramatically escalated tensions between India and Pakistan.
US Senate Passes Bill to End Trump's Border Emergency Sputnik 14 Mar 2019 -- Shortly before the vote, the US president tweeted that he would veto the legislation to end his national emergency declaration at the border if the bill passes the Senate.
DR Congo Ebola centre attacks could force retreat against the deadly disease, warns UN health chief UN News 14 Mar 2019 -- Attacks on Ebola treatment centres in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), risk reversing the gains made during the current outbreak in the north-east of the country, the head of the UN health agency said on Thursday.
New Delhi Disappointed as China Blocks Bid to Blacklist Militant Leader VOA 14 Mar 2019 -- India has expressed disappointment that a measure by the U.N. Security Council to name the head of the Islamic militant group, Jaish-e- Mohammad (JeM) as a global terrorist, has been blocked by China. The measure was proposed after India and Pakistan came to the brink of war last month following a suicide attack in Indian Kashmir for which the group claimed responsibility.
WHO Aims to End DRC Ebola Outbreak in 6 Months VOA 14 Mar 2019 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) chief says the Ebola outbreak in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) can be brought to an end in six months, if everything goes as planned. Latest figures from the DRC Ministry of Health put the number of Ebola cases at 927, including 584 deaths.
US Senate Rejects Trump's National Emergency Declaration VOA 14 Mar 2019 -- The U.S. Congress on Thursday formally rejected President Donald Trump's national emergency declaration to fund border wall construction, as the Senate voted 59 to 41 to disapprove the executive action, weeks after the House of Representatives did the same.
Senate Expected to Disapprove Trump's National Emergency Declaration VOA 13 Mar 2019 -- The U.S. Senate is expected to deliver a legislative black eye to President Donald Trump on Thursday, when it votes on disapproving the president's national emergency declaration to fund wall construction along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Secretary of the Navy Releases Cybersecurity Readiness Review NNS 12 Mar 2019 -- Letter from the Secreaty of the Navy:
Georgia Woman Arrested for Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISIS US Dept. of Justice 12 Mar 2019 -- Kim Anh Vo, a.k.a. "F@ng," a.k.a. "SyxxZMC," a.k.a. "Zozo," a.k.a. "Miss.Bones," a.k.a. "Sage Pi," a.k.a. "Kitty Lee," was arrested this morning in Hephzibah, Georgia. Vo was charged by a criminal Complaint with conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization.
Irish separatists claim responsibility for parcel bombs found in UK Press TV 12 Mar 2019 -- The Irish Republican Army, a violent movement seeking separation of Northern Ireland from the UK, says it was behind a series of bomb packages sent to crowded locations across Britain last week.
No IS Kids Left Behind: Tajikistan To Repatriate Dozens Of Islamic State Children From Iraq RFE/RL 12 Mar 2019 -- As Islamic State's attempt to establish a caliphate crumbles, many countries are turning their backs on children born into the extremist group. Tajikistan is not one of those countries.
IRA Claims Responsibility for Recent Bombs in London, Glasgow Sputnik 12 Mar 2019 -- Investigations in to the devices used in the explosions are ongoing and enquiries are being sought in order to verify the claim.
Trump's Proposed Budget Calls for More Immigrant Detention VOA 12 Mar 2019 -- U.S. President Donald Trump wants to increase family immigration detention beds by 10,000 in his 2020 budget proposal, a move unlikely to win Congressional support.
Trump to seek another $8.6 billion for border wall in budget Press TV 11 Mar 2019 -- US President Donald Trump is seeking $8.6 billion in fresh funding for his long-promised wall along the border with Mexico when he submits his 2020 congressional budget on Monday, likely triggering another fight with Congress.
UN unveils global influenza strategy to prevent 'real' threat of pandemic UN News 11 Mar 2019 -- A new UN-led plan has been unveiled to tackle the estimated one billion cases of influenza which occur each year, and protect against the "real" threat of a global pandemic, the head of the organization's health agency said on Monday.
Trump's 2020 Budget Includes $8.6 Billion for Border Wall VOA 11 Mar 2019 -- The White House on Monday unveiled a $4.7 trillion government spending plan for 2020, a request that includes President Donald Trump's call for another $8.6 billion for his signature project, construction of a wall on the U.S.-Mexican border to thwart illegal immigration.
Pakistan Assures US It Will 'Firmly' Deal With Terrorists - Bolton Sputnik 11 Mar 2019 -- Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has assured the United States that Islamabad will deal firmly with all terrorists in the country, including Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), US National Security Advisor John Bolton said in a statement on Monday.
Morocco's Repatriation of Foreign Terrorist Fighters From Syria US Dept. of State 10 Mar 2019
DR Congo: Following second brutal assault on Ebola clinic, UN health chief vows to continue serving 'most vulnerable' UN News 09 Mar 2019 -- Amidst a deadly Ebola outbreak, on Saturday morning armed militia members brutally attacked an Ebola clinic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's (DRC) eastern city of Butembo, prompting a call from the UN's global health agency chief "to protect the treatment centres".
Attackers in Congo Hit Newly Reopened Ebola Treatment Center VOA 09 Mar 2019 -- Armed assailants on Saturday attacked an Ebola treatment center in the Democratic Republic of the Congo less than a week after it reopened following a previous attack.
Ebola Epidemic in DRC Out of Control as Death Toll Rises – MSF Sputnik 07 Mar 2019 -- The Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has gotten out of control, as the death toll continues to escalate and it is still unclear how some of the people got the disease, according to Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) charity.
Pakistan Changes Story on Jaish-e-Mohammed Militant Group Sputnik 07 Mar 2019 -- Contradicting earlier official statements on the whereabouts of the militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Pakistan's military spokesman now claims that the group does not exist in the country. However, former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf, in an interview on Wednesday, alleged that JeM had attempted to assassinate him twice.
Pakistan Seizes 400 Facilities Run by Banned Extremist Groups VOA 07 Mar 2019 -- Authorities in Pakistan said Thursday that a nationwide counter-extremism effort has brought under government control 216 religious seminaries and educational institutions run by outlawed Islamist groups.
Pakistan takes control of religious schools in continued crackdown Press TV 07 Mar 2019 -- The Pakistani government has taken control of more than 180 purported religious schools as part of a crackdown on militant organizations operating in the country.
NATO and United Nations working together to strengthen Jordan's security and defence capacity against terrorist threats NATO 06 Mar 2019 -- NATO and the United Nations have launched a partnership to strengthen Jordan's resilience and capacity to deal with threats posed by terrorist attacks with the use of weapons of mass destruction.
US sanctions Iraq's Nujaba Shia group known for role in anti-terror fight Press TV 06 Mar 2019 -- The United States has sanctioned Iraq's Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, a Shia movement known for its active cooperation with the national army in counter-terrorism operations, which led to the collapse of the Takfiri terror group of Daesh in late 2017.
US Border Policies Under Fire in Congressional Hearings VOA 06 Mar 2019 -- Two top U.S. Homeland Security officials defended the Trump administration's border policies on Capitol Hill Wednesday, a day after newly released data showed a spike in the number of undocumented families crossing into the United States.
State Department Terrorist Designation of Harakat al-Nujaba (HAN) and Akram 'Abbas al-Kabi US Dept. of State 05 Mar 2019 -- The Department of State has designated the Iranian proxy group Harakat al-Nujaba (HAN) and its leader, Akram 'Abbas al-Kabi, as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224.
Pakistan Launches Crackdown On Militants After Kashmir Attack RFE/RL 05 Mar 2019 -- Pakistan says it has arrested dozens of suspected militants, including prominent members of a group that has claimed responsibility for a deadly suicide bombing in Indian-administered Kashmir last month.
Pakistan Arrests Dozens of Militants, Including Key Members of Jaish-e-Mohammed Sputnik 05 Mar 2019 -- The escalation of tensions between Pakistan and India started after a deadly terrorist attack that took place on 14 February killing 45 Indian military personnel. India has accused Pakistan of harbouring and protecting terrorists, blasting the country for having a "direct hand" in the incident.
Pakistan Detains Suspects Tied to Indian Kashmir Attack VOA 05 Mar 2019 -- Authorities in Pakistan have detained 44 suspected militants, including two relatives of the leader of the Islamist group that India accused of plotting a suicide car bombing in the divided Kashmir region.
Chinese Hackers Targeted US Universities for Maritime Military Secrets - Report Sputnik 05 Mar 2019 -- Chinese hackers reportedly targeted nearly 30 universities around the world in an attempt to steal military maritime technology secrets.
Secret CIA Docs Claim Pakistani Intel Funded JeM's Predecessor Before bin Laden Sputnik 04 Mar 2019 -- The outfit was initially sponsored by Pakistan and then later gravitated towards Osama bin Laden when it was in need of more funds.
After The Caliphate: To Repatriate Or Not To Repatriate? RFE/RL 03 Mar 2019 -- As international coalition forces seize the last vestiges of territory in Syria under the control of Islamic State militants since 2015, authorities in the United States, Europe, Russia, and Central Asia are grappling with a new dilemma.
US Officials Believe Sanctions Lead to Boost in DPRK's Cyberattacks - Reports Sputnik 02 Mar 2019 -- North Korea's lack of funds, caused by international US-led sanctions, has prompted the increase in the number of cyberattacks by the country's hackers on financial institutions and businesses in the United States and across the world, the CNN broadcaster reported, citing US officials.
New Jersey Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS DoJ 01 Mar 2019 -- Gregory Lepsky, 22, of Point Pleasant, New Jersey, was sentenced today to 16 years in prison for planning to construct and use a pressure cooker bomb in New York on behalf of a designated foreign terrorist organization, the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS).
Saudi Arabia Strips Al-Qaeda's Hamza Bin Laden of Citizenship - Reports Sputnik 01 Mar 2019 -- The decision comes as the Daesh* terrorist group holds on to its last slither of territory along the Syrian border with Iraq. However, policymakers are becoming increasingly concerned that with the defeat of that group, the traditional al-Qaeda* franchise may, once again, begin to surge.
State Department Maintains Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) Designation of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) US Dept. of State 01 Mar 2019 -- The Department of State has reviewed and maintained the Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) designation of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), pursuant to Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), as amended (8 U.S.C. § 1189). The PKK was originally designated as an FTO in 1997.
Attacks Destroy Ebola Treatment Centers in DR Congo - WHO Sputnik 01 Mar 2019 -- Medical facilities treating Ebola victims in the Democratic Republic of Congo are upgrading security following attacks this week that forced patient evacuations and the closure of two treatment centers, the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) said in a press release on Thursday.
DR Congo: Insecurity and attacks mean Ebola will keep spreading, warns world health agency UN News 01 Mar 2019 -- Worsening security in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo marked by attacks on Ebola clinics have made it a "given" that the deadly virus will spread further, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.
Ebola Likely to Spread in Eastern DRC as Security Worsens VOA 01 Mar 2019 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) says the deadly Ebola virus is likely to spread in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo because of deteriorating security in conflict-ridden North Kivu and Ituri provinces.

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March 2019 Security News