I was recently honored to be part of a project hosted by my colleagues at www.infosecisland.com. Several of us wrote articles for The CTO Forum, India's leading technology magazine and we were featured in a bold, colorful section in the center of their 21 Mar magazine. The glossy, twice monthly magazine has a very large circulation, and there is a slick online version, as well.
I decided to write about how radical Islamists are using the Internet to wage social warfare....much more so than engaging in cyberwarfare. The article is quite long for a blog, so here is the link if this sounds even remotely interesting to you:
http://www.thectoforum.com/content/unsafe-harbour
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Suicide Bombing In Moscow Reminds of Vulnerability; Need for Vigilance; Use of Women in Operations
Some takeaways from today's tragic suicide bombings in the Moscow subway:
Since the enemy is using women and children as bombers, profiling does not carry the weight it once did. A suicide bomber can be any gender, age, or from any socioeconomic background. As in the case of the Ghandi assassination, the bomber may be an innocent person who is brainwashed into thinking that killing themselves and the target is logical, or the bomber could be a victim of the plot who forced to cooperate. Facial recognition only works when a known operative is the attacker - use of the innocent will render technology useless.
Perhaps the only and last lines of defense against suicide bombings are the law abiding, observant, brave sources in our communities - carefully cultivated over time.
- Although the Black Widows of the Chechen Rebels have been involved in many operations through the years, the use of female suicide bombers is on the rise worldwide
- 2 attacks, 30 minutes apart - perhaps targeting first responders, absolutely inflicting extra fear and panic among commuters
- Boldly attacking stations at the heart of the city, on a Monday morning during rush hour
- Has been 6 years since last attack in Moscow: enemy is patient
The May 21, 1991 suicide bombing and assassination of Rajiv Ghandi, a former Prime Minister of India, gives a particularly useful blueprint for this type of operation. The assassination proposal originated with a senior officer in the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who was angry about PM Ghandi’s decision to send Indian troops into Sri Lanka to assist their government’s battle with LTTE. Since Ghandi’s return to power was imminent, the officer was determined to kill him. He next recruited 4 lieutenants to execute the plan. One lieutenant went to a particular neighborhood and began recruiting locals who would harbor the assassination team. Another began to solicit explosive experts who could assemble the device. Another began recruiting the suicide bomber and accomplices that would carry out the mission.
This case study illustrates that many people are engaged in the planning of a suicide bombing. These players are obviously sources that could provide valuable to the dismantling of a terrorist operation during the early stages. Israel places a high value on Human Intelligence and weaves HUMINT into all aspects of their law enforcement activities. A prevalent saying in their intelligence community guides their efforts: “the small bring in the big”.
Israeli law enforcement and intelligence collection agents build long term, lasting relationships on the ground with all types of business people. For instance waitresses, bartenders, taxi drivers and barbers can be a wealth of information. Emergency room employees, gas station workers, and grocery or drug store employees are all good collection sources. Around a specific target, street vendors are worthy of engagement since they frequent the same area and have a perfect viewpoint for noticing out-of-the-ordinary activity. If protecting a church is the objective, the clergy and worshipers are valuable informants. The key is to cultivate the relationship; visit the sources regularly, build their trust, instruct them on what to look for, and make sure they have a way of contacting you 24/7 if they notice something suspicious. Your sources are force multipliers and critical to gleaning the information needed to identify, monitor and then disrupt terrorist activities.
Prior to the assassination of PM Ghandi, the suicide bombing team made two dry runs. Both were photographed. In the second dry run, on May 12th, the suicide bomber, known as Dhanu, approached an important government official and future Prime Minister, V.P. Singh, at a public event and was able to practice the entire bombing sequence of events. She placed a wood necklace on him, bent and kissed his feet. Just 11 days later, she did the same to PM Ghandi and pulled the trigger on her bomb belt.
LTTE suicide bomber Dhanu with a wood necklace minutes before killing former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on May 21, 1991.
Similar to other types of terrorist attacks, such as the 7/7 attacks in London, dry runs will happen prior to a suicide bombing. The area may be videotaped or photographed, and a team member may walk the ground and pace off their steps. Notes may be taken about the crowd size at various times. The builders of the bomb need special materials and will visit stores to collect what they require. Often, as in the case of the would-be transatlantic aircraft bombers currently on trial in London, they will spread their visits out among several stores so as not to draw attention to themselves when purchasing large quantities of items. If illegal weapons such as grenades are needed, the builder will need to move out of the circle of those aware of the plot, potentially exposing him and the planners. Well cultivated sources will notice this unusual activity and alert you.Since the enemy is using women and children as bombers, profiling does not carry the weight it once did. A suicide bomber can be any gender, age, or from any socioeconomic background. As in the case of the Ghandi assassination, the bomber may be an innocent person who is brainwashed into thinking that killing themselves and the target is logical, or the bomber could be a victim of the plot who forced to cooperate. Facial recognition only works when a known operative is the attacker - use of the innocent will render technology useless.
Perhaps the only and last lines of defense against suicide bombings are the law abiding, observant, brave sources in our communities - carefully cultivated over time.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
China Exploits U.S. Power Grid Vulnerabilities: But Here Is The True Vulnerability...
Wang Jianwei is a graduate engineering student in China who,
along with his professor, published a paper entitled, "Cascade-based
Attack Vulnerability on the U.S. Power Grid". The New York
Times recently published an article on the paper and interviewed Jianwei,
who claimed he was innocent of any cyberwarfare motives and
was surprised his paper and his intentions were being viewed in a
negative light. He claimed his interest was concern for safety and
protection of electric grids, and that use of the word "attack"
was apparently not meant in the military or cyberwarfare sense.
Should we worry about other countries assessing our vulnerabilities
and publishing them? I suppose. But this is really no different than
papers published at military schools analyzing the Russian Air Force
or the Chinese Navy.
Now here is something our country must worry about, a
vulnerability that directly impacts our national security:
% of college graduates with science or engineering degrees:
U.S.: 6%
European: 12%
Asian: 40%
Worried? As military and law enforcement professionals, I
think we should be for obvious reasons. As a country, this
should be shocking.
This data was gleaned from an outstanding document:
55 Trends Now Shaping the Future of Terrorism produced by
Proteus USA in 2007 and here is the section of interest:
THE UNITED STATES IS CEDING ITS SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL
LEADERSHIP TO OTHER COUNTRIES.
(TREND 30)
Ever hear of Proteus? The National Intelligence University,
Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the
Center for Strategic Leadership, U.S. Army War College,
established Proteus USA as an international consortium
and “think tank”. Looking at their homepage, I can't tell if
they are still in business. I hope they weren't a victim of our
national financial crisis, which has indirectly led to the
closure of NGOs and small think tanks, all of which were
doing important work for our country.
Anyhow, back to Trends. I love this document because it
harnesses the brain wattage of those in the soft sciences
like Demography, Sociology, and Psychology. It looks at
global trends and ties them to terrorism. I truly believe we
need to expand our discussion to a broader slate of experts
to come up with solutions - military power will only go so far
when the radical Islamist ideology is the actual enemy.
Economic sanctions don't work when the enemy is scattered
around the globe in sovereign countries. Diplomatic efforts
may help uproot terrorists from a particular region, but as we
see, they merely set up shop elsewhere, in another country
in decline with weak rule of law and government susceptible
to corruption.
So where did I first learn of this document? From one of my
students in Norway (thanks, Eric!) Wish I could say that
I picked it up at one of the many conferences I've attended or
stumbled on it while surfing the hundreds sites I regularly
visit for data. Basically, it was published and put on a shelf
somewhere.
Time to dust this "soft" stuff off, read it, and factor it
into our planning.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Terrorists on Trial in Spain for Plot to Blow Up Department Store Also Sought "Red Mercury" For Dirty Bomb
Five Algerian men are on trial this week in Spain for their role in a 2005 plot to bomb a busy department store in Madrid. The men lived in Alicante, on the East Coast of Spain. This area is a growing haven for radical Islamists from Algeria, just a ferry ride away.
The plot was unraveled due to a confidential informant cultivated by Spanish law enforcement. The men used a restaurant in Alicante as a front to sell stolen goods, raising funds for their plot and for recruitment efforts back in Algeria. They also were in communication with an active Islamist terrorist cell in France.
The most interesting part of this story is not being widely reported in the news - the men attempted to obtain "red mercury" to use in a dirty bomb. There are many theories about red mercury and whether the compound actually exists. The following is an excerpt from the 1,100 page "bible" of WMD printed in 2005, Weapons of Mass Destruction: An Encyclopedia of Worldwide Policy, Technology, and History by Croddy, Wirtz and Larsen:
(page 313)
Obviously, the point is that the terrorists were attempting to obtain red mercury, not whether the substance is mythical or legitimate.
As reports continue to surface about al Qaeda's ongoing interest in obtaining WMD, and cases like these with references to intent to purchase components of related weapons, we must stay vigilant and prepare - this is a fight we can't afford to lose.
CNN article regarding trial
The plot was unraveled due to a confidential informant cultivated by Spanish law enforcement. The men used a restaurant in Alicante as a front to sell stolen goods, raising funds for their plot and for recruitment efforts back in Algeria. They also were in communication with an active Islamist terrorist cell in France.
The most interesting part of this story is not being widely reported in the news - the men attempted to obtain "red mercury" to use in a dirty bomb. There are many theories about red mercury and whether the compound actually exists. The following is an excerpt from the 1,100 page "bible" of WMD printed in 2005, Weapons of Mass Destruction: An Encyclopedia of Worldwide Policy, Technology, and History by Croddy, Wirtz and Larsen:
(page 313)
Obviously, the point is that the terrorists were attempting to obtain red mercury, not whether the substance is mythical or legitimate.
As reports continue to surface about al Qaeda's ongoing interest in obtaining WMD, and cases like these with references to intent to purchase components of related weapons, we must stay vigilant and prepare - this is a fight we can't afford to lose.
CNN article regarding trial
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Use of Human Shields by Terror Groups on the Rise
2009 was a year of many battles, in which at least two included the use of human shields. Law enforcement personnel should prepare for the possible use of children, women and the elderly by terrorists (international or domestic) on our soil. Reviewing case studies yields valuable data for use here at home.
Screenshot from video in the Jerusalem Post
http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=171009
Hamas: A new Israeli report has detailed evidence that Hamas used hospitals, school, homes and mosques to hide weapons and soldiers during Israel's Operation Cast Lead -- also called the Gaza Massacre (Arab press), The War in the South (Israeli press) and the War on Gaza (al Jazeera).
The military offensive against Hamas took place on the Gaza Strip during a 3 week period, from Dec 2008 to Jan 2009. As an interesting side note, the Gaza Strip is 25 miles long and 6 miles wide with a population of 1.5M, making it the 6th most densely populated places on earth.
The assault by Israel was very controversial since hospitals, farms, residential homes and water wells were targeted. Don't want to get into all of that here - you can read the UN report which accuses both sides of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity.
Of the 1,444 Palestinians killed in the offensive, approximately 340 were children. The UN report mentions the possible use of children, women and the elderly as human shields by Hamas but found no proof. Enter Malam, the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, an Israeli intelligence think tank which produced the report. It is well documented, using declassified material such as videotapes, maps and operational plans recovered on the ground by IDF troops. Hamas hid IEDs in and around civilian homes and hospitals and video clearly shows the use of children and the elderly as human shields.
LTTE: The Tamil Tigers (LTTE) were defeated by the Sri Lankan government last year in a final, bloody offensive on a northern beach. Tens of thousands of citizens were herded and then cornered on the beach by LTTE and then used as human shields. There has been no final accounting of the innocent lives lost in this battle, some estimates are 10-15,000. Interestingly, there was international outcry but little from the people of Sri Lanka. For them, it seemed to be an acceptable way to end over 30 years of brutalities wreaked by the terrorist group on their country.
U.S. NPIC satellite photo of human shields used by LTTE during Sri Lanka's final offensive. Intelligence officers estimated this shows 25,000 tents in an 8 mile square radius.
Although it seems inconceivable to us that a group would use human shields, the enemy is coming at us asymmetrically and this would certainly catch us off guard. We must prepare to engage in even the most horrific of scenarios, including this one.
Screenshot from video in the Jerusalem Posthttp://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=171009
Hamas: A new Israeli report has detailed evidence that Hamas used hospitals, school, homes and mosques to hide weapons and soldiers during Israel's Operation Cast Lead -- also called the Gaza Massacre (Arab press), The War in the South (Israeli press) and the War on Gaza (al Jazeera).
The military offensive against Hamas took place on the Gaza Strip during a 3 week period, from Dec 2008 to Jan 2009. As an interesting side note, the Gaza Strip is 25 miles long and 6 miles wide with a population of 1.5M, making it the 6th most densely populated places on earth.
The assault by Israel was very controversial since hospitals, farms, residential homes and water wells were targeted. Don't want to get into all of that here - you can read the UN report which accuses both sides of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity.
Of the 1,444 Palestinians killed in the offensive, approximately 340 were children. The UN report mentions the possible use of children, women and the elderly as human shields by Hamas but found no proof. Enter Malam, the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, an Israeli intelligence think tank which produced the report. It is well documented, using declassified material such as videotapes, maps and operational plans recovered on the ground by IDF troops. Hamas hid IEDs in and around civilian homes and hospitals and video clearly shows the use of children and the elderly as human shields.
LTTE: The Tamil Tigers (LTTE) were defeated by the Sri Lankan government last year in a final, bloody offensive on a northern beach. Tens of thousands of citizens were herded and then cornered on the beach by LTTE and then used as human shields. There has been no final accounting of the innocent lives lost in this battle, some estimates are 10-15,000. Interestingly, there was international outcry but little from the people of Sri Lanka. For them, it seemed to be an acceptable way to end over 30 years of brutalities wreaked by the terrorist group on their country.
U.S. NPIC satellite photo of human shields used by LTTE during Sri Lanka's final offensive. Intelligence officers estimated this shows 25,000 tents in an 8 mile square radius.
Although it seems inconceivable to us that a group would use human shields, the enemy is coming at us asymmetrically and this would certainly catch us off guard. We must prepare to engage in even the most horrific of scenarios, including this one.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Only Surviving Mumbai Terrorist Is Lying - FBI Analyzes His GPS
The Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists apparently didn't think they would survive their 2008 attack on Mumbai and they didn't seem to care what evidence they left behind. Gunman Aimal Kasab is surely regretting their sloppiness, as he is the lone terrorist to survive and is facing trial for the murder of 166 people and waging war against India. His charge sheet was 11,000 pages long. He recently told the court he entered Pakistan legally, on a tourist visa.
A GPS instrument recovered by police from the boat used by the terrorists to enter the harbor just prior their attack on the city showed Kasab's route from Karachi to Mumbai. At the court's request, the GPS was sent to the U.S. for analysis and an FBI agent provided sworn deposition saying that he had deciphered the data, which proved that attackers had all come from Pakistan.
Another GPS was recovered from Hotel Taj from the terrorists' backpacks. It showed the route from Karachi to Mumbai, and mentioned Taj hotel and Leopold Cafe, two of the terror sites.
Recall my earlier blog regarding Mumbai and lessons learned, the attackers were in constant communication with their handlers in Pakistan. Now it has come to light that an account had been opened by LeT members with Callphonex, a Voice Over Internet Provider from New Jersey. Calls were made from Pakistan using VOIP to a the terrorists' satellite phone (also recovered on the trawler) to avoid location of the originating calls.
The trial of Kasab continues to yield important lessons from this attack. If you haven't already, please take a look at my original blog on Mumbai:
http://jennihesterman.blogspot.com/2009/11/one-year-after-mumbai-what-weve-learned.html
A GPS instrument recovered by police from the boat used by the terrorists to enter the harbor just prior their attack on the city showed Kasab's route from Karachi to Mumbai. At the court's request, the GPS was sent to the U.S. for analysis and an FBI agent provided sworn deposition saying that he had deciphered the data, which proved that attackers had all come from Pakistan.
Another GPS was recovered from Hotel Taj from the terrorists' backpacks. It showed the route from Karachi to Mumbai, and mentioned Taj hotel and Leopold Cafe, two of the terror sites.
Recall my earlier blog regarding Mumbai and lessons learned, the attackers were in constant communication with their handlers in Pakistan. Now it has come to light that an account had been opened by LeT members with Callphonex, a Voice Over Internet Provider from New Jersey. Calls were made from Pakistan using VOIP to a the terrorists' satellite phone (also recovered on the trawler) to avoid location of the originating calls.
The trial of Kasab continues to yield important lessons from this attack. If you haven't already, please take a look at my original blog on Mumbai:
http://jennihesterman.blogspot.com/2009/11/one-year-after-mumbai-what-weve-learned.html
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Largest Pharmaceautical Heist In History: $75 Million Of Stolen Drugs Headed For The Black Market Via Unknown Actors
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/video/robbers-prescription-drug-heist-10122843
(video of warehouse)
I found this incredible - an unmarked Eli Lilly warehouse, filled with pharmaceuticals like Prozac, with no fence around it. An absolutely easy mark for thieves, who obviously did some preplanning - they cut a hole in the roof, rappelled inside, disabled the security system and stole $75M worth of antidepressants and other prescription drugs, probably loading the pallets directly inside of a tractor trailer and simply driving away. This vehicle is probably thousands of miles away from the crime scene by now. Possibly even north or south of our border.
The counterfeit drug market is worth $55B this year - yes, $55 Billion. Market resale of the drugs from this heist alone (which are not counterfeit, but actual Eli Lilly marked pharmaceuticals) will net $20 million to $25 million.
Terrorist groups are engaged in counterfeit drug peddling. Around 2005, Hezbollah shifted tactics from cigarette smuggling and started pushing counterfeited Viagra to "hungry" Americans to fund their operations abroad. Hezbollah also was involved with Sudafed theft and counterfeiting, transporting goods across the US/Canada border. This led to their interaction with Mexican drug cartels - at a warehouse in the Arizona desert where the Sudafed was used as a component to manufacture methamphetamine .
The online counterfeiters are slick. I just went to Google and typed in viagra+Hamas and ended up at http://curingin.com/search.php?q=viagra%2Bhamas
Tried it again and ended up at https://securetabs.net
Globalization and use of the internet is helping the criminals with their trade - in 2004 Pfizer investigated a Canadian online pharmacy 00 the domain name was hosted in Korea but registered in St Kitts. Orders placed on the web were dispatched in a plain envelope from Oklahoma City with a non-existent return address.
I have a feeling these drugs have disappeared into the ether, and we'll never know who will reap the profit and how the money will be used in ways that will impact our national security - directly or indirectly.
(video of warehouse)
I found this incredible - an unmarked Eli Lilly warehouse, filled with pharmaceuticals like Prozac, with no fence around it. An absolutely easy mark for thieves, who obviously did some preplanning - they cut a hole in the roof, rappelled inside, disabled the security system and stole $75M worth of antidepressants and other prescription drugs, probably loading the pallets directly inside of a tractor trailer and simply driving away. This vehicle is probably thousands of miles away from the crime scene by now. Possibly even north or south of our border.
The counterfeit drug market is worth $55B this year - yes, $55 Billion. Market resale of the drugs from this heist alone (which are not counterfeit, but actual Eli Lilly marked pharmaceuticals) will net $20 million to $25 million.
Terrorist groups are engaged in counterfeit drug peddling. Around 2005, Hezbollah shifted tactics from cigarette smuggling and started pushing counterfeited Viagra to "hungry" Americans to fund their operations abroad. Hezbollah also was involved with Sudafed theft and counterfeiting, transporting goods across the US/Canada border. This led to their interaction with Mexican drug cartels - at a warehouse in the Arizona desert where the Sudafed was used as a component to manufacture methamphetamine .
The online counterfeiters are slick. I just went to Google and typed in viagra+Hamas and ended up at http://curingin.com/search.php?q=viagra%2Bhamas
Tried it again and ended up at https://securetabs.net
Globalization and use of the internet is helping the criminals with their trade - in 2004 Pfizer investigated a Canadian online pharmacy 00 the domain name was hosted in Korea but registered in St Kitts. Orders placed on the web were dispatched in a plain envelope from Oklahoma City with a non-existent return address.
I have a feeling these drugs have disappeared into the ether, and we'll never know who will reap the profit and how the money will be used in ways that will impact our national security - directly or indirectly.
Monday, March 15, 2010
War At The Border: Cartel Violence Spikes - Are We Paying Attention?
I will put my bottom line up front here: the brand of violence unleashed by the Mexican drug cartels is like none ever seen in the United States. Our citizens are not ready for what is perched on our borders, ready to spill over into our cities and neighborhoods. These criminals do not fear the law - they step up and confront law enforcement. They have no respect for the rule of law and have no moral restraint and willfully kill innocent people every day in the name of securing control of drug routes.
We can not hyperfocus on the Middle East and forget the war on our doorstep.
There have been 18,000 cartel related deaths in Mexico in the last 3 years. Many were gruesome murders - beheadings, death by gasoline-induced fire, dismemberment and acid baths. Politicians and policemen hung in effigy from bridges in major cities with signs threatening those who are battling the cartels. Bombs exploding in front of policestations and at city hall.
Yesterday, 2 US consulate members were killed in their car at the border. A husband and wife - and the woman was pregnant with their second child. Their first child, a baby, was in the car and miraculously escaped the shooting unharmed.
Over the weekend, 17 people were killed in Acapulco during the first week of the spring break season. Two were beheaded. Another 5 were found riddled with bullets and dismembered. Six police officers on patrol in the city were gunned down. Four more bodies found shot to death, one dumped in a canal.
The murders are often carried out by the "enforcement arms" of the cartels - paramilitary groups that have the training and equipment of small armies. As I stated in the cover story for the June 2009 CT magazine, imagine if one of our elite special operations groups turned on our government, employing their specialized training, skills and equipment. Meet the Los Zetas.
The Zetas were actually trained by the Mexican government to fight the cartels - but the lure of drugs, money and corruption turned them from good guys to bad. Scary stuff. And coming to a neighborhood near you.
Phoenix is now the kidnapping capital of the U.S. - and #2 in the world for kidnappings, behind Mexico City.
The governors of Arizona and New Mexico declared a state of emergency along their borders a few years ago to get the attention of the federal government.
Some cartel members now live in the U.S. and travel back and forth. And they don't just live on the border - one high profile cartel member lived in Houston until he was run out of a suburban neighborhood last year.
President Calderone has deployed 50,000 Army troops to assist law enforcement in fighting the cartels in a mini civil war within the country. However corruption is rampant in law enforcement and within the military - hampering efforts to regain control. This is one fight we can't afford for Mexico to lose - we must stay engaged on all levels - economic, diplomatic and by using our law enforcement agencies on the ground in Mexico to assist in this battle.
We can not hyperfocus on the Middle East and forget the war on our doorstep.
There have been 18,000 cartel related deaths in Mexico in the last 3 years. Many were gruesome murders - beheadings, death by gasoline-induced fire, dismemberment and acid baths. Politicians and policemen hung in effigy from bridges in major cities with signs threatening those who are battling the cartels. Bombs exploding in front of policestations and at city hall.
Yesterday, 2 US consulate members were killed in their car at the border. A husband and wife - and the woman was pregnant with their second child. Their first child, a baby, was in the car and miraculously escaped the shooting unharmed.
Over the weekend, 17 people were killed in Acapulco during the first week of the spring break season. Two were beheaded. Another 5 were found riddled with bullets and dismembered. Six police officers on patrol in the city were gunned down. Four more bodies found shot to death, one dumped in a canal.
The murders are often carried out by the "enforcement arms" of the cartels - paramilitary groups that have the training and equipment of small armies. As I stated in the cover story for the June 2009 CT magazine, imagine if one of our elite special operations groups turned on our government, employing their specialized training, skills and equipment. Meet the Los Zetas.
The Zetas were actually trained by the Mexican government to fight the cartels - but the lure of drugs, money and corruption turned them from good guys to bad. Scary stuff. And coming to a neighborhood near you.
Phoenix is now the kidnapping capital of the U.S. - and #2 in the world for kidnappings, behind Mexico City.
The governors of Arizona and New Mexico declared a state of emergency along their borders a few years ago to get the attention of the federal government.
Some cartel members now live in the U.S. and travel back and forth. And they don't just live on the border - one high profile cartel member lived in Houston until he was run out of a suburban neighborhood last year.
President Calderone has deployed 50,000 Army troops to assist law enforcement in fighting the cartels in a mini civil war within the country. However corruption is rampant in law enforcement and within the military - hampering efforts to regain control. This is one fight we can't afford for Mexico to lose - we must stay engaged on all levels - economic, diplomatic and by using our law enforcement agencies on the ground in Mexico to assist in this battle.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
American Seized in Yemen AQ Raid Worked at 6 U.S. Nuclear Power Plants
Mobley at a barbecue in his hometown of Buena, New Jersey, undated.Sharif Mobley, 26, is a U.S. citizen of Somali decent who was raised in New Jersey. He was on his high school wrestling team and earned a black belt in karate. After his graduation in 2002, his friends noticed that he became more radical in his views on Islam. He organized trips to the Middle East for other Muslims, the trips had radical overtones. In 2005, he turned his back on an old high school friend who served in the Army, calling him a "Muslim killer". Mobley eventually left the U.S. to live in Yemen, and was one of 11 al Qaeda affiliated terrorists rounded up there a few weeks ago.
On Saturday, he was taken to a hospital in Yemen by authorities after complaining of health problems. He attacked a security guard, killed him with his own weapon, wounded another guard, and attempted to escape from the hospital. Thankfully he was captured and is back in captivity.
Now we learn Mobley worked for contractors at the Salem and Hope Creek nuclear plants in New Jersey from 2002 to 2008; the Peach Bottom, Limerick and Three Mile Island plants in Pennsylvania from 2003 to 2007; and Calvert Cliffs in Maryland for two weeks in 2006.
Although the nature of his work wasn't technical, he obviously could glean much while passing through security checkpoints, looking at the layout of the plant, etc. If what his friends say is true, and he radicalized back in 2002, then he quite possibly could have been working in behalf of a terrorist group, or a sole handler, during his time at the power plants.
The phenomena of U.S. citizens radicalizing is worrisome, but almost impossible to address and counter. Consider this: it is difficult for most Judeo-Christians to get to church one a week. Muslims stop everything and pray 5 times a day. They make the difficult pilgrimage to mecca at least once in their lifetime. The religion is a huge part of their identity.
The call to jihad is powerful and all consuming for a Muslim when "heard". Countering it through deprogramming is proving difficult, even for the Saudis who have a deradicalization program in place for several years.
Please pick up a copy of the Apr/May issue of The Counter Terrorist magazine, either at Books-a-Million or on line: www.counterterroristmag.com and read my cover story on jihadist recidivism. I dug into deradicalization efforts and how they can work, but sometimes fail. Our country must improve our efforts to recognize, isolate, then rehabilitate those who have taken up the cause of jihad. In short, we need a program in place and we need it NOW.
For instance, what will we do with Jihad Jane after her trial? How about the Christmas Day bomber Abdulmullatab? Putting them into our prison system will certainly lead to recruiting and radicalization within. We need a rehabilitation program staffed by respected clerics, psychologists, sociologists and the like to interact with radicalized individuals. They must have a strict rehabilitation program and we need to make sure they are "healthy" again before being released to the public - similar to the program in place for sex offenders.
For every individual arrested, there are surely more in the shadows. We need to wake up and realize the enemy is among us and take the appropriate steps before one of them is successful in their efforts to attack innocent people.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Patriot Hacker Jester Releases New Video
The Jester has improved his one-of-a-kind XerXeS program and a new video reveals a bit more of its effectiveness against jihadi websites.
https://www.infosecisland.com/blogview/3258-Hacker-Releases-Second-Video-of-Enhanced-XerXeS-DoS-Attack-on-Apache-Vulnerability-.html
Jester also answers more questions regarding his one-of-a-kind weapon and why he is using it against jihadi websites. I can't help but imagine if XerXeS fell into the wrong hands and was used for nefarious purposes. The result would be catastrophic.
Through my interactions with Jester, I know his intentions are good and he is a patriot with a strong operational background. And I think we need to get this rare talent and his product into the right hands soonest, to protect him and fully leverage this weapon.
The debate continues as to whether his one-man attack is a help or hindrance to the intelligence world. Would be interested to hear your opinion!
https://www.infosecisland.com/blogview/3258-Hacker-Releases-Second-Video-of-Enhanced-XerXeS-DoS-Attack-on-Apache-Vulnerability-.html
Jester also answers more questions regarding his one-of-a-kind weapon and why he is using it against jihadi websites. I can't help but imagine if XerXeS fell into the wrong hands and was used for nefarious purposes. The result would be catastrophic.
Through my interactions with Jester, I know his intentions are good and he is a patriot with a strong operational background. And I think we need to get this rare talent and his product into the right hands soonest, to protect him and fully leverage this weapon.
The debate continues as to whether his one-man attack is a help or hindrance to the intelligence world. Would be interested to hear your opinion!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
PA Woman Arrested for Recruiting Jihadists Online
Her indictment was sealed, which is why we hadn't heard of it until now. Seven Muslims in Ireland were arrested today in connection to this case, which led to the news on LaRose.
I believe this is her My Space page -
http://74.125.113.132/search?q=cache:Vcf0_SU44_EJ:www.myspace.com/BeyondPrincessForEver+http://www.myspace.com/BeyondPrincessForEver&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a
The original page has been pulled by authorities, but I was able to find this cached version. You are able to click on her 110 friends and take a look - quite an interesting collection...
Some takeaways:
- LaRose is one of the few female US citizens arrested on terrorism-related charges
- Ireland has not been a hotbed of radical Islamist extremism until now
- The internet is being used (blatantly in this case) for jihadist recruitment, operational planning and fundraising
- Sources tell me there are more arrest coming; one of the articles on line indicated other US citizens were helping her raise money for this operation
Sunday, March 7, 2010
American al Qaeda Operative Adam Gadahn Possibly Captured by Pakistan's ISI in Karachi
Speculation of his death in a January, 2008 Predator strike in Waziristan may now be unarguably refuted: a man captured in Pakistan today has initially been identified as Adam Gadahn.He's been riding the FBI's Most Wanted List for 2 years, following indictment in the Central District of California for treason and material support to al Qaeda. The charges are related to Gadahn's alleged involvement in a number of terrorist activities, including providing aid, comfort and services to al Qaeda. The State Department's Rewards for Justice Program was offering up to $1 million for information leading to his arrest.
His latest video accused President Obama of "standing behind the killing of Muslims in Palestine, Afghanistan and Pakistan", and speaks directly to the citizens of Gaza and Pakistan asking them to "unsheathe the swords of Jihad and arise". Full transcript here at NEFA.
Adam Yahiye Gadahn was born in Oregon as Adam Perlman on September 1, 1978. His paternal grandfather was a prominent member of the Jewish community. At some point, Gadahn's father turned away from the Jewish faith, embracing Christianity, and the family changed their last name from Perlman to Gadahn (after the biblical warrior "Gideon"). Gadahn was raised and homeschooled on an isolated farm in Southern California, yet he became a fan of "Death Metal" music and even started his own heavy metal band. In 1994, worried about the negative influence of his friends, his parents sent him away, at age of 16, to live with his grandparents in Florida.
A year later, Gadahn became a vivid internet surfer. Always curious about religions, he accessed information on the Internet about the Islamic religion; he then became involved with a local group and eventually converted. He posted an essay to a University of Southern California website entitled "Becoming a Muslim" where he discusses his Jewish and Christian background and why he wanted to convert. In 1998, he moved to Pakistan and married an Afghan refugee.
It is not known exactly how he came to become involved with al Qaeda, where he is known as "Azzam the American"or "Azzam al-Amriki". It is known that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed recruited Gadahn for an AQ suicide attack in Maryland in 2003, but Gadahn's wife had just delivered his child, so he begged out of the operation. In 2005, the FBI warned that Gadahn was part of a group of 7 al Qaeda operatives planning an attack in the U.S. In the intervening years, Gadahn has been part of many al Qaeda videos, as either spokesperson or producer, and he worked with Osama bin Laden on his Oct 2007 video.
An al Qaeda video released last year featured Gadahn speaking (in American English) to several recruits, explaining life in the organization. The video was thought to target American youth. The date of Gadahn's talk couldn't exactly be determined, therefore speculation remained about his death in the Waziristan attack.
"Azzam the American" may finally be in custody.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Another Lone Wolf Attacks: The Pentagon Assailant and Lessons Learned
First of all, I wish a speedy recovery to the police officers of the Pentagon Force Protection Agency. Yesterday was a reminder to all of us to stay alert and to fight the complacency that comes with security jobs - long periods of inactivity can be unexpectedly punctuated by chaos, as happened yesterday at 6:30 PM during a time when things start to wind down at the Pentagon.
I've moved my last line up here to the front of the piece:
We can't write the shooter off as just a mentally unstable person who went on a shooting spree. Our enemies are watching and learning--so we must, as well.
John Patrick Bedell parked his car at the Pentagon City Fashion Center Mall and took the subway to the Pentagon. Dressed in a slacks, a white shirt and a blazer, 36-year old Bedell rode up the metro escalators, and approached the first checkpoint for visitors and those with Pentagon badges. The guards asked Bedell for his badge, unaware he had two concealed, loaded weapons under his jacket - a Sturm 9mm and a Taurus 9mm. He started firing, striking one officer in the thigh and another in the shoulder. Someone either returned fire or reports now indicate a third officer fired, shooting Bedell in the head and the tricep.
Bedell's family in California, who he lived off and on with, reported him missing and were concerned about his mental status. His employer was getting ready to fire him for "repeat visits to the East Coast", no further information.
I always find it fascinating to dig into the mind of the lone wolf, in the hopes it might yield some valuable piece of information for profiling. Or perhaps help educate the community at large to become force multipliers and help identify a potential assailant and thwart an attack.
Here are some of Bedell's internet postings:
http://www.youtube.com/user/jpbedell2006#p/f (watch the video)
http://www.archive.org/details/JPatrickBedellDirectionstoFreedom20November2006
http://www.linkedin.com/in/jpbedell
http://rothbardix.blogspot.com/
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4031/4408406069_ab871e021c_o.jpg
Not sure what can be learned here, but worth a look. I think he is neither a left wing or right wing player, he actually supports issues on both ends of the spectrum. He was a conspiracy theorist and marijuana user, and I have to admit the video of him didn't show the picture of the man I painted in my mind's eye. He probably looked harmless when approaching security.
A few initial thoughts on this incident. First of all, I've spent a few military assignments working in the Pentagon - in the early 90s, and in the years just prior to 9/11, returning in 2002. In my first tour, anyone could get off of the subway and ride the metro escalator right up into the Pentagon. The visitor area was inside the building.
After 9/11, a new Pentagon visitor's center was constructed outside the building itself, and the Metro escalators repositioned to deposit riders outside. There are several layers of security before you enter the visitor's hall, then several more before you are permitted to ride the escalator up and walk into the building itself. The trained eye will see the many types of security "baked in" to the infrastructure outside and inside of the new facility.
This incident proved the Pentagon visitor's center redesign was brilliant. It kept the shooter far away from the building, which he could have entered and easily disappeared in the maze of hallways. If this had been a suicide bomber, the loss of life isn't nearly what it would have been if the assailant was in the visitor's center.
I am interested to know if he performed surveillance at the location. It sounds like he made at least one prior trip to the East Coast. The Lone Wolf typically knows the target and does some advance planning, as in the case of the pilot who flew into the IRS building a few weeks back. When they search his belongings, it will be of interest if he had any drawings, internet maps, etc of the Pentagon.
I would like to know how and where he obtained these weapons and ammunition. Sounds like he wasn't a good shot, which is fantastic news for the injured police officers--treated and released with superficial wounds after being shot at point-blank range.
I've moved my last line up here to the front of the piece:
We can't write the shooter off as just a mentally unstable person who went on a shooting spree. Our enemies are watching and learning--so we must, as well.
John Patrick Bedell parked his car at the Pentagon City Fashion Center Mall and took the subway to the Pentagon. Dressed in a slacks, a white shirt and a blazer, 36-year old Bedell rode up the metro escalators, and approached the first checkpoint for visitors and those with Pentagon badges. The guards asked Bedell for his badge, unaware he had two concealed, loaded weapons under his jacket - a Sturm 9mm and a Taurus 9mm. He started firing, striking one officer in the thigh and another in the shoulder. Someone either returned fire or reports now indicate a third officer fired, shooting Bedell in the head and the tricep.
Bedell's family in California, who he lived off and on with, reported him missing and were concerned about his mental status. His employer was getting ready to fire him for "repeat visits to the East Coast", no further information.
I always find it fascinating to dig into the mind of the lone wolf, in the hopes it might yield some valuable piece of information for profiling. Or perhaps help educate the community at large to become force multipliers and help identify a potential assailant and thwart an attack.
Here are some of Bedell's internet postings:
http://www.youtube.com/user/jpbedell2006#p/f (watch the video)
http://www.archive.org/details/JPatrickBedellDirectionstoFreedom20November2006
http://www.linkedin.com/in/jpbedell
http://rothbardix.blogspot.com/
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4031/4408406069_ab871e021c_o.jpg
Not sure what can be learned here, but worth a look. I think he is neither a left wing or right wing player, he actually supports issues on both ends of the spectrum. He was a conspiracy theorist and marijuana user, and I have to admit the video of him didn't show the picture of the man I painted in my mind's eye. He probably looked harmless when approaching security.
A few initial thoughts on this incident. First of all, I've spent a few military assignments working in the Pentagon - in the early 90s, and in the years just prior to 9/11, returning in 2002. In my first tour, anyone could get off of the subway and ride the metro escalator right up into the Pentagon. The visitor area was inside the building.
After 9/11, a new Pentagon visitor's center was constructed outside the building itself, and the Metro escalators repositioned to deposit riders outside. There are several layers of security before you enter the visitor's hall, then several more before you are permitted to ride the escalator up and walk into the building itself. The trained eye will see the many types of security "baked in" to the infrastructure outside and inside of the new facility.
This incident proved the Pentagon visitor's center redesign was brilliant. It kept the shooter far away from the building, which he could have entered and easily disappeared in the maze of hallways. If this had been a suicide bomber, the loss of life isn't nearly what it would have been if the assailant was in the visitor's center.
I am interested to know if he performed surveillance at the location. It sounds like he made at least one prior trip to the East Coast. The Lone Wolf typically knows the target and does some advance planning, as in the case of the pilot who flew into the IRS building a few weeks back. When they search his belongings, it will be of interest if he had any drawings, internet maps, etc of the Pentagon.
I would like to know how and where he obtained these weapons and ammunition. Sounds like he wasn't a good shot, which is fantastic news for the injured police officers--treated and released with superficial wounds after being shot at point-blank range.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Chavez Claims No Ties to FARC and ETA...What About Hezbollah?
Today, the President of Venezuela claimed no relationship with FARC and ETA, and that his "administration does not support terrorist groups". With a plethora of open source data showing quite the opposite, the fact checkers won't have to work very hard to disprove those statements.Turns out another one of his relationships might actually be of more of a U.S. national security threat: his partnership with Hezbollah.
Some facts:
- He publicly supported a Hezbollah candidate for the Lebanese government
- He was a supporter of Hezbollah during the 2006 war in Lebanon; afterward, the group placed signs in Lebanon proclaiming "Gracias, Chavez!"
- He has openly invited Hezbollah members to live in Venezuela
- Signs like the one on the right appear throughout Lebanon; the verse is from the Quran and means ""In the name of God, most Gracious, most Compassionate"
- Venezuela's embassies in the Middle East have been used to launder Hezbollah's dirty money, per investigation by the U.S. Treasury Dept
- In January, Israeli intelligence released information that Chavez shipped heavy arms to Hezbollah last year; the ship originated in Venezuela, stopped in Iran and docked in Lebanon.
http://www.israeltoday.co.il/default.aspx?tabid=178&nid=20408
- Chavez has a close relationship with Iran's President Ahmedinejad...and Iran is the biggest supporter of Hezbollah. The two leaders regularly visit each other. In 2007, they instituted weekly flights between Tehran and Caracas. Interestingly, the aircraft stops one place - Damascus, Syria. Journalists and others have tried to book a seat on the aircraft and have been denied. The passenger and cargo manifests are kept secret.
- A fascinating article last year in Forbes Magazine discussed how an attack by Israel against Gaza could be fought asymmetrically by Hezbollah - with help from Venezuela and Chavez.
http://www.forbes.com/2009/01/21/venezuela-iran-terror-oped-cx_mr_des_0121rowanschoen.html
- Hezbollah has already shown the will to carry out an attack in South America - the targeting of a Jewish center in Buenos Aires that killed 85 and injured over 300.
It is worrisome to think of the deadly alliance between groups like Hezbollah, ETA and FARC. The narco-trafficking business is booming - FARC made at least $1B alone last year selling cocaine to Mexican cartels. And billions more pushing cocaine through Venezuela to the west coast of Africa and into Europe. If other groups can tap these vast resources, the implications could be dire.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Why is LeT in Afghanistan?
From AP today: an intelligence official in Afghanistan is blaming Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) for last week's car bombing that killed 16 people in Kabul. An attacker was heard speaking Urdu, a language unique to Pakistan and India. The intelligence official further said the Taliban had no knowledge of the attack in Kabul even up to 5 hours after the attack began. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_AFGHANISTAN?SITE=SCGRE&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
LeT was a militant group formed by Pakistan's intelligence arm in the 1980s with the original mission to engage India in the Kashmir region. LeT is terrorist group responsible for the 2008 attacks in Mumbai that killed 168. Please see my blog with lessons learned from those attacks - many valuable take aways for our major cities in terms of preparedness. http://jennihesterman.blogspot.com/2009/11/one-year-after-mumbai-what-weve-learned.html
If true, this is a dangerous development. Although any faction that seeks to destabilize Afghanistan is viewed as the enemy on the ground, forces there are focused on the Taliban and al Qaeda. LeT joining the fight could complicate the mission--tactically, strategically and diplomatically. The only rationale for Pakistan sending LeT to either join the Taliban or work parallel to their efforts is to add more pressure on the U.S. to withdraw from the region.
LeT was a militant group formed by Pakistan's intelligence arm in the 1980s with the original mission to engage India in the Kashmir region. LeT is terrorist group responsible for the 2008 attacks in Mumbai that killed 168. Please see my blog with lessons learned from those attacks - many valuable take aways for our major cities in terms of preparedness. http://jennihesterman.blogspot.com/2009/11/one-year-after-mumbai-what-weve-learned.html
If true, this is a dangerous development. Although any faction that seeks to destabilize Afghanistan is viewed as the enemy on the ground, forces there are focused on the Taliban and al Qaeda. LeT joining the fight could complicate the mission--tactically, strategically and diplomatically. The only rationale for Pakistan sending LeT to either join the Taliban or work parallel to their efforts is to add more pressure on the U.S. to withdraw from the region.
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