Terrorism in the News
Terrorist threats have become more transnational in recent years with the adaptation to new technologies. Terrorist groups that have begun to spread are Al Qaida, and Da’esh. The threats have become more digitalized and de-centralized causing a rapidly evolving situation in the countries under their rule, especially Afghanistan. The UN has stressed “We will need to ensure that Afghanistan is never again used as launching pad for global terrorism.” While Da’esh remains focused on reconstituting its capabilities in Iraq and Syria, the most alarming development is the group’s relentless spread across the African continent. With the introduction of the “Islamic State in the Greater Sahara”, there has been a call to support the efforts of African countries to counter the threat of terrorism. Another event exacerbating the issue is Da’esh’s detention of thousands of individuals linked to terrorist groups. The UN is calling for Member States to refocus their concerns on the targeted individuals, particularly children.
Classified Sandwich
A navy engineer and his wife were recently detained for attempted espionage. They were attempting to sell design information for the nuclear powered submarines to foreign nations. The actions were stopped by the FBI. They were attempting to conduct drops by hiding data cards in peanut butter sandwiches and chewing gum wrappers. They face a maximum punishment of life in prison under the Atomic Energy Act.
Microsoft Hacked 365
Hackers linked to Iranian nationals recently attempted to gain access to over 250 Microsoft Users Office 365 accounts. Less than 20 of the targeted individuals were compromised. The target of the attack were US and Israeli Defense technology and global maritime companies. The method the hackers used to access the account is called “ password spraying” where they cycle through different passwords.
https://www.cyberscoop.com/iran-maritime-microsoft-defense-israel/
Cross border terrorism is not statecraft
The Prime Minister of India recently warned Pakistan that “Cross border terrorism is not statecraft; it is simply another form of terrorism.” He addressed the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia. He stated “If peace and development is our common goal, the biggest enemy we must overcome is terrorism…”
