Team: Crime Team
Week of: April 19, 2021
Students protesting gun violence at the White House, February 19, 2018[1]
Throughout the week of April 19, 2021, CTG’s Crime Team detected numerous shootings that caused physical injuries and casualties to individuals at both an international level within the United States of America (USA). Domestic cases specifically confirm how the USA has been characterized by a pattern of increased shootings happening throughout the country in these early months of 2021. Acknowledging this immense cause of concern, the Biden Administration has recently made moves to attempt to prevent said events from reoccurring by pushing for further state laws to allow authorities to temporarily disarm people considered as a threat to others or themselves. Additionally, Nigeria has seen a continuing trend of mass kidnappings, with at least 25 people abducted this week alone. Three Nigerian students who had been previously abducted were also found dead, indicating that kidnappings have escalated to murder and may be a new trend to keep watch over in these next few weeks.
DETECT
What threats has your Team detected this week? What level is the threat (Imminent, Critical, Ongoing, Developing, Concerning)? Finally, why is this entry significant (just write a sentence or two)?
Shootings/Attacks/Murders
An Albanian man with a knife attacked five people Monday at a mosque in the capital of Tirana, according to police. A police statement said Rudolf Nikolli, 34, entered the Dine Hoxha mosque in downtown Tirana at about 1430 and wounded five people with a knife. Police said they reacted immediately and took him into custody.[2] This entry is important because numerous individuals were attacked in a place of worship, denoting the high probability of a hate crime. (Concerning)
Five people were hospitalized after being shot and injured in Shreveport, Louisiana, CBS-affiliated television station KSLA reported late on Sunday, the third multiple shooting reported in the United States within 24 hours. In a briefing to local news outlets, police said they were in the first stages of investigating the incident, without confirming the number of people admitted to the hospital nor their condition. Police officers were responding to traffic congestion reports when shots were heard, a police spokesman told reporters.[3] This entry is significant because the mass shootings are increasing dramatically day by day within the USA. (Concerning)
At least 10 alleged guerrillas and one soldier were killed, and 250 locals were displaced in an escalation of armed conflict in southwest Colombia. Seven soldiers were injured in the fighting with the Carlos Patiño Front in Argelia, a rural municipality in the Cauca province, the army said Saturday. The Carlos Patiño Front is one of the multiple groups formed by dissident former members of the guerrilla group FARC, which demobilized and disarmed in 2017.[4] This entry is important because soldiers have been killed and guerrilla groups have endured the long-running arm conflict that affects the daily lives of Columbians. (Ongoing)
At least 300 rebels in the northern part of Chad were killed by the national army, the Central African country’s military declared late on Sunday 18, 2021. The military said in a press statement that the militants were from The Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT). Army spokesperson Gen. Azem Bermandoa Agouna revealed that "more than 300 terrorists have been neutralized and 150 were taken prisoner, including three senior officials during the clashes in the Kanem province on Saturday".[5] This entry is important because Chad rebels have threatened the peace and security of the civilians, while rebels had to face military intervention to maintain the peacekeeping of Chadists. (Ongoing)
A manhunt for a former Texas sheriff’s deputy suspected in the fatal shooting of three people in Austin ended Monday when authorities said he was arrested without incident about 20 miles (32 kilometers) from the scene of the weekend attack. Officers found Stephen Broderick, 41, along a rural road around 0730 in Manor, an Austin suburb, after receiving reports of a suspicious person matching the description of the suspect in Sunday’s shooting, Manor Police Chief Ryan Phipps said.[6] This entry is important because it shows how shootings are on the rise in the USA. (Ongoing)
At least three people were killed and two were injured in a shooting in Kenosha, Wisconsin, early Sunday, continuing the long string of similar incidents that preceded it. Since March 16, when eight people were killed and one wounded at three Atlanta-area spas, the United States has had at least 50 mass shootings, according to CNN reporting and analysis of data from the Gun Violence Archive (GVA), local media, and police reports. The United States has seen at least 150 mass shootings in 2021, according to data from the GVA, a non-profit based in Washington.[7] This entry is important because mass shootings have become an even greater concern lately. (Concerning)
At least eight policemen were killed on Monday night in a Taliban group attack in Badakhshan province, officials said. Abdullah Naji Nazari, a member of the Badakhshan Provincial Council, said the police were killed in a Taliban attack in Zebak district. The Taliban attacked and set fire to the police base and stole all the equipment, Nazari added.[8] This entry is important because the Taliban attack has raised concerns about peace and security in the country. (Ongoing)
Two members of public uprising forces were killed and several more were wounded in a Taliban attack in Herat province early hours of Tuesday morning, provincial governor Sayed Waheed Qatali said. The attack took place at around 0200 in Ghorian district in Herat province following a car bomb explosion close to police HQ and a public uprising force outpost, Qatali said. “The security forces targeted the Taliban’s explosive-laden vehicle before reaching its target,” he said, adding that “the clashes continued for several hours but after the arrival of the reinforcements, the Taliban were pushed back from the area”.[9] This entry is important because it has a significant number of wounded people as well as 2 deaths. (Ongoing)
Multiple people were shot at a supermarket on Long Island Tuesday, according to police. Nassau County police say three people were shot at the Stop & Shop in the Cherry Valley shopping center in West Hempstead.[10] The incident was reported at 1119 local time. This entry is important because it emphasizes an increase in mass shootings in the last past few months which also has driven gun control regulations. (Concerning)
Benue State Government has handed four persons over to security operatives to assist in unraveling those linked with the killing of 12 soldiers in Bonta, Konshisha Local Council of Benue. Those handed over included the Vice-Chairman of Konshisha, Sam Kaave; Councillor representing Mbagusa/ Mbatsev Ward, Solomon Tersoo; Head of Mbator Kindred, Chief Emmanuel Achirgbenda; and Head of Iwarnyam District, Chief Unaha Koko. The security men took them away from the Government House, Makurdi, after a security meeting with the people of Konshisha.[11] This entry is important because the bureaucratic system links the officials to abuse their authority. (Ongoing)
Chad’s longtime President Idriss Deby has died of wounds suffered on the front line in the country’s north, where he had gone to visit soldiers battling rebels, the armed forces said. The exact circumstances of Deby’s death were not immediately clear. A curfew has been imposed and the country’s borders have been shut in the wake of the president’s death.[12] This entry is important because the president lost his life in the battle with rebels. (Ongoing)
Gunmen have reportedly ambushed the Divisional Police Headquarters, Adani in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State. Two of the police officers on duty were reportedly killed and several others injured, while the police station was burnt. Source confirmed that the attack on the police station started at about 0230 and lasted for about one hour.[13] This entry is significant because there has recently been an increase in protests by Nigerians against police and police brutality. (Ongoing)
Two police officers were injured in the western state of Michoacán on Tuesday when explosive devices were dropped onto them by drones. Officials think the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) is behind the attack. In August, two rigged drones were found in the car of suspected CJNG members. The drones are thought to be the latest weapons in a deadly war between the drugs cartel and the security forces and vigilantes opposed to them.[14] This entry is significant because drones are increasingly being used to carry out attacks or crimes. This attack on law enforcement is an example of how drones are utilized for malicious acts. (Ongoing)
It began on Route 22 in Upper Macungie Township, when two motorists, a man, and a woman, had some sort of encounter in the predawn darkness Wednesday. Whatever transpired between them — authorities have not offered details — didn’t seem to unduly bother the woman, who heard a loud noise but exited the highway to get something to eat at the Wawa at Route 100 and Schantz Road. Not until she returned to her car with her sandwich did she notice a bullet hole in the vehicle.[15] This entry is significant because there has been an increase in mass shootings in the USA. This attack on innocent bystanders shows that the shootings can be premeditated or random. (Ongoing)
Two people were killed after two separate shootings that happened less than a mile from each other in West Pullman, Chicago. The first shooting happened just before 2200 Wednesday on the 12200 block of South Harvard Avenue. Police said they responded to a ShotSpotter alert of gunfire and found a 20-year-old man, identified as Darius Fairley, shot multiple times.[16] This entry is significant because two shootings transpired within proximity to each other. It is another example of the increased shooting in the USA and one of the victims was a transgender woman who may have been specifically targeted. (Ongoing)
Seattle police are investigating a shooting that left two people injured Thursday morning at an encampment in South Seattle. The shooting happened in the 6900 blocks of 2nd Avenue Southwest at about 0830. When officers arrived at the scene, they found a man and woman injured.[17] This entry is significant because it serves as another example of one of the increased shootings in the USA. (Ongoing)
At least 31 indigenous people were wounded in southeast Colombia on Thursday after an illegal armed group opened fire on them while they destroyed crops of coca, the chief ingredient in cocaine, an organization representing the community said. The attack took place in the rural municipality of Caldono, in Colombia’s Cauca province. The region is strategically important for drug trafficking and is disputed by armed groups including dissidents of the demobilized Farc guerrilla group, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and other criminal organizations made up of former right-wing paramilitaries.[18] This entry is significant because a criminal group targeted a large number of people who were removing crops associated with the illicit drug market. It was not the first attack by the criminal groups towards those who are in favor of eradicating these crops. (Ongoing)
The French authorities opened a terrorism investigation on Friday after a knife-wielding assailant killed a police officer at a station about 25 miles southwest of Paris before being shot dead. Jean-François Ricard, France’s top anti-terrorism prosecutor, told reporters at the scene that his office had opened an investigation but provided few details, saying only that the assailant appeared to have scouted the area beforehand.[19] This entry is important as it underlines how France is still a target in terrorists’ minds. (Ongoing)
Scores of people have been injured in clashes in East Jerusalem between far-right Jewish activists, Palestinians, and Israeli police. The violence erupted as police tried to keep Palestinians and ultra-nationalist Jewish protesters apart. It follows nights of confrontations in the Israeli-occupied sector amid rising nationalist and religious tensions.[20] This entry is important because it emphasizes how, despite the COVID-19 pandemic essentially taking over the world for over a year, other issues such as Arab-Israeli tensions are still present and need to be addressed. (Ongoing)
Three students abducted from their university in northwestern Nigeria earlier this week have been found dead, according to a local official. The killings announced on Friday were an escalation in the mass kidnappings across northern Nigeria carried out by criminal gangs known locally as bandits.[21] This entry is important as it brings attention to the mass kidnappings that have been lately plaguing Nigeria and to the cruel reality that not all victims survive long enough to be rescued. (Ongoing)
A man with an untraceable, 9 mm "ghost gun" appeared to randomly open fire in the downtown nightlife district of San Diego, killing one person and injuring four other people, police said Friday. "It appears completely unprovoked," said San Diego police Chief David Nisleit at a news conference. The suspect in the Thursday night attacks was identified as 32-year-old Travis Sarreshteh, who lives near the two crime scenes, the chief said.[22] This entry is important as it confirms the enduring pattern of shootings in the USA. (Ongoing)
Three deadly massacres targeting impoverished neighborhoods in Haiti were carried out with Haitian government support and amount to crimes against humanity, according to a report titled "Killing with Impunity: State-Sanctioned Massacres in Haiti'' released Thursday, April 22, 2021, by Harvard Law School’s International Human Rights Clinic and the Observatoire Haïtien des Crimes contre l’humanité (OHCCH). The report points to evidence that the gang-led attacks were resourced and supported by state actors, ranging from high-ranking officials in the Moïse administration to the Haitian National Police.[23] This entry is important as it makes serious accusations against the Haitian government, which could be facing potential charges of crimes against humanity if further action is taken. (Developing)
Three United Nations peacekeepers have been seriously wounded in a rocket attack on a military base in northern Mali, UN and local officials said. Olivier Salgado, the spokesman for the UN peacekeeping mission in the West African country, MINUSMA, said Sunday’s attack took place on a base in Tessalit, which houses Malian soldiers, UN peacekeepers, and French troops, AFP news agency reported. Three peacekeepers were “gravely wounded” in the attack, he added.[24] This entry is significant as the attack may have purposely targeted UN personnel which has been seen before in this region. (Ongoing).
Armed militants opened fire on two pickup trucks killing three people in Thailand’s deep south Pattani Province on Saturday. Officials said that 3 family members were killed and two pickup trucks burned. The armed militants opened fire on the vehicles, which burst into flames, in Sai Buri district of Pattani, Province.[25] This entry is significant because militants targeted an unsuspecting family and violently killed them. The militant group is suspected to be part of a group that has been causing unrest for a while in Thailand. (Ongoing).
At least seven Afghan policemen who were part of a security force guarding copper mines were killed in an ambush by the Taliban on Sunday, officials said, as fighting continued in the violence-wracked country. The attack in the province of Logar came as the top US military commander in Afghanistan, General Scott Miller, said work had begun to withdraw the remaining foreign forces from the country as ordered by President Joe Biden earlier this month.[26] This entry is significant because as US forces are being drawn out of Afghanistan there has been an attack on important law enforcement officials. (Critical).
Cyber Attacks
McAfee released its new report, examining cybercriminal activity related to the malware and the evolution of cyber threats in the third and fourth quarters of 2020. In Q4, there was an average of 648 threats per minute, an increase of 60 threats per minute (10%) over Q3. The two quarters also saw COVID-19-related cyber-attack detections increase by 240% in Q3 and 114% in Q4, while Powershell threats again surged 208% due to continued increases in Donoff malware activity.[27] This is important because there is a potential threat in the future to cybersecurity since 99 % of operations during the covid era were on online platforms. (Ongoing)
The Indian cybersecurity watchdog, Cert-In, has issued a ‘high’ severity rating against WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business. According to the vulnerability note, the emergency response team has found ‘multiple’ vulnerabilities within the mobile apps. This is an issue solely for users still running an old version of WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business.[28] This is important because it raises awareness of cyber-attacks globally. (Ongoing)
At least two groups of China-linked hackers have spent months using a previously undisclosed vulnerability in American networking devices to spy on the USA defense industry, researchers and the devices' manufacturer said Tuesday. Utah-based IT company Ivanti said in a statement that the hackers took advantage of the flaw in its Pulse Connect Secure suite of virtual private networking devices to break into the systems of "a very limited number of customers".[29] This entry is important because the American system has been the target of spying from different nations. (Ongoing)
Organized Crime & Smuggling
The Indian Navy has seized narcotics worth ₹3,000 crore from a fishing vessel, suspected to be of foreign origin, in the Arabian sea, a Defence spokesman said here on Monday. He said that the Indian Naval Ship 'Suvarna’ whilst on surveillance patrol in the Arabian Sea, encountered the fishing vessel moving around suspiciously. “To investigate the vessel, the ship’s team conducted a boarding and search operation, which led to the seizure of more than 300 kg of narcotics substances”, he said.[30] This entry is important because it raises awareness of illegal operations. (Ongoing)
The owner of a window blinds company who flogged drugs on the side was rumbled after being caught by cops with £30,000 worth of high-purity cocaine and almost £2,400 in cash. Drug dealer Paul Duffy, 31, the owner of Perfect Window Blinds in Johnstone, was pulled over at the wheel of his black Range Rover following a tip-off to police.[31] This entry is important to understand that the Covid pandemic did not prevent the illicit flows of drug trafficking. (Ongoing)
The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) has seized drugs worth more than S$2.3 million, including about 23kg of cannabis and about 16kg of heroin, the agency said on Monday (Apr 19). The cannabis seizure is the CNB’s largest since 1996, while the heroin haul is its biggest since 2001.[32] This entry is important because the black market seems to operate without fear and it raises potential threats in the medicine industry. (Ongoing)
More than 25 people in Ontario have been charged in connection with the dismantling of an international drug trafficking network, which resulted in the seizure of 48 firearms, $730,000 in cash, and $2.5 million worth of drugs – including heroin found at a children’s indoor play center. York Regional Police say they launched an investigation, dubbed “Project Cheetah,” into the drug network in May 2020 in partnership with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Peel Regional Police, and the USA Drug Enforcement Administration. In a news release issued Monday, police said the “robust” international network extended to Western Canada, the United States, and India, and involved importing large quantities of cocaine, ketamine, heroin, and opium into Canada before distributing the drugs across the country “through a sophisticated system run by the traffickers”.[33] This entry is important because it leads to new hidden methods that are extremely dangerous such as hidden heroin in indoor children's places. (Ongoing)
Minister of Justice Tsai Ching-hsiang (蔡清祥) yesterday presented the results of a raid on an illegal cannabis farm in Hsinchu County, where police seized more than 1,600 cannabis plants with an estimated street value of NT$500 million (US$17.76 million). It was the largest cannabis seizure in Taiwan, officials said. Speaking at a news conference at the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau Taipei Field Station, Tsai reiterated his ministry’s tough stance against illegal drugs and said it would continue to crack down on cannabis.[34] This entry is important due to the high amount of cannabis plants seized and their immense street value. (Ongoing)
USA Customs and Border Protection officers seized hard narcotics in four separate unrelated incidents that totaled over $11,000,000 in street value. The first enforcement action occurred on April 19, 2021, at the World Trade Bridge in Texas after officers encountered a tractor manifesting a shipment of copolymer regrind arriving from Mexico. The 1995 Freightliner truck and shipment were referred for a canine and non-intrusive imaging system inspection, resulting in the discovery of 234 packages containing 360.23 pounds of methamphetamine within the shipment.[35] This entry is important as it confirms how drug traffickers attempt to smuggle drugs into the United States daily. (Ongoing)
On April 18, the Indian Navy seized over 300 kilograms of narcotics from a fishing boat off India's southern coast. According to the Indian Navy, the value of the seized narcotics is roughly 30 billion rupees ($400 million) on the international market. While on a surveillance patrol in the Arabian Sea, INS Suvarna intercepted a fishing boat with suspicious movements.[36] This entry is significant due to the high value of the narcotics retrieved. (Ongoing)
Hate Crimes
Cincinnati police are asking the public for help identifying a man accused of punching a man in the back of the head and robbing him in Pendleton. The victim fell to the ground and suffered minor cuts after being assaulted in the 1400 block of Sycamore Street at about 1700 on April 14, police said in news releases and reports. Police do not say what was taken from the victim. Video of the attack on the victim, whom police say is of Asian descent, is circulating on social media, following reports of increased violence against members of that community nationwide.[37]This entry is important because there is a rise in hate crime against Asians and it helps raise awareness on the subject. (Concerning)
A Connecticut man admitted to throwing a cup of bleach in the face of an NYPD officer during a Saturday morning traffic stop in Brooklyn, and then tossed a lit Molotov cocktail at a pursuing NYPD cruiser to "hurt the police," knowing it would "spark a fire." Five additional Molotov cocktails and a red jerry can (a portable gas canister) were recovered in Lionel Virgile's grey 2000 Lincoln Town Car. Virgile admitted that, for at least two weeks, he had been driving around with six Molotov cocktails -- ready to attack police.[38] This is an important entry because it explicitly targets police officials and this raises the tension between policing and civilians. (Concerning)
The NYPD's Hate Crimes Unit is leading the investigation into a brutal, unprovoked assault against an Asian American man in Manhattan. A Chinese immigrant who was collecting cans on Friday night in East Harlem was attacked from behind and repeatedly stomped on as he lay helpless. A bus driver called the police after seeing him unconscious on the ground.[39] This entry is important as it emphasizes how hate crimes targeting Asian individuals in the USA are still occurring and need to be addressed. (Ongoing)
Bombing
Bhubaneswar, Apr 19 (UNI) Two people were killed, and three were admitted to hospital with critical injury in an explosion at a house in Kukudakhandi village under Sadar Police station of Berhampur in Odisha Ganjam district today. Police sources said while one died at the explosion site the other died at the MKCG Hospital Berhampur.[40] This entry is important as it is unclear what caused the explosion and whether it was the result of a targeted attack or simply an accident. (Ongoing)
A roadside blast targeted a vehicle carrying Somali government officials, witnesses confirm. The blast in the Daarul Salaam neighborhood on the outskirts of Mogadishu killed the deputy commissioner for political affairs of the Dayniile district administration. The slain official, Abdi Mohamed Mohamud, died of serious injuries sustained from the blast.[41] This entry is important because it deals with a serious crime by targeting the deputy commissioner. (Ongoing)
A suicide bombing in the Afghan capital injured four people, the government said, hours before Turkey announced the delay of a conference at which it had been hoped Afghanistan’s warring sides would reach a peace pact to end decades of war. Turkey announced the delay of the conference until after the Islamic holy month of Ramadan and the Eid-al-Fitr holiday. The suicide bomber struck as an Afghan security convoy was passing.[42] This entry is significant because it was a politically motivated and strategic attack on an important location and event. (Ongoing)
At least four people have been killed and 11 others wounded in a powerful explosion in the parking area of an upscale hotel in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta, according to authorities. Police said rescuers were transporting the victims of Wednesday’s blast at Serena Hotel to nearby hospitals. Footage on local news channels showed cars in flames.[43] This entry is significant because China’s ambassador to Pakistan was a guest at the hotel that was targeted. This attack may have been politically motivated. (Developing)
A US coalition logistics convoy was targeted by a roadside bomb in the western Iraqi province of Al-Anbar today. There has been no report on the amount of damage to the US convoy so far and no group has yet claimed responsibility. In recent months, convoys carrying logistics equipment for US troops stationed at various military bases in Iraq have been targeted by roadside bombs.[44] This entry is significant because another US convoy has been targeted by an unknown group. (Critical).
A powerful explosion at a suspected Taliban ammunition depot in Herat has killed 20 insurgents, local officials confirmed. Officials said the incident took place Sunday in the village of Marabad in the Pashtun Zarghun district. Herat Governor Wahid Qatali confirmed the incident and said the explosion happened while the Taliban were building suicide vests. The explosion is believed to have taken place in an area under Taliban control.[45] This entry is significant because many members of the Taliban were killed along with their weapons of suicide vests and other devices. (Ongoing).
Abduction/ Kidnapping
Federal authorities filed child exploitation and child abduction charges against leaders of an extremist Haredi Orthodox sect that has been accused of forcing girls as young as 12 years old into marriages with much older men within the sect. Five leaders of the Lev Tahor group were charged by the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York and FBI Monday with crimes related to an alleged forced marriage in 2017 and a 2018 kidnapping.[46] This entry is important because, aside from dealing with kidnapping, it also involves the violation of human rights and the abuse of children’s rights. (Ongoing)
At least 20 women have been kidnapped by armed bandits while attending a naming ceremony at Gidan Bido village, Dandume Local Government Area of Katsina State. According to Katsina Post, the incident occurred on Friday. The gunmen also attacked and kidnapped five men at Unguwar Bawa village of Dandume LGA on Saturday.[47] This entry is important as it sheds further light on the mass kidnappings occurring in Nigeria recently. (Ongoing)
Counterterrorism Efforts
Italian police have arrested a man suspected of supplying a weapon to the attacker who rammed a truck into a Bastille Day crowd in the southern French city of Nice in 2016, killing 86 people, media reported Wednesday. The man, identified only as Endri E, is a 28-year-old Albanian suspected of having supplied a gun to Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, the Tunisian who attacked on July 14 -- France's Bastille Day national holiday. Police arrested him at Sparanise, near the southern city of Naples, acting on a European arrest warrant issued by France, the AGI and ANSA news agencies reported.[48] This entry is significant because there is a development in who may have been involved in the terror attack. (Developing)
Audrey Strauss, the USA attorney for the Southern District of New York, John C. Demers, the Assistant Attorney General for National Security, William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Dermot Shea, Commissioner of the Police Department for the City of New York (“NYPD”), announced that AKAYED ULLAH was sentenced today in Manhattan federal court to life in prison for carrying out a terrorist bombing attack on behalf of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (“ISIS”) in a subway station under the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City on December 11, 2017. In November 2018, a jury convicted ULLAH after a one-week trial of all six counts in the Indictment. The sentence was imposed by the Honorable Richard J. Sullivan, who also presided over the trial.[49] This entry is significant because law enforcement has sentenced a terrorist to life in prison for an attack on behalf of ISIS. (Critical)
Boulder District Attorney Michael Dougherty on Wednesday announced his intention to file 43 additional charges against the man suspected of shooting and killing 10 people in a Colorado grocery store last month. Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa was previously charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder, one for each person who died in the March 22 shooting. Dougherty's office says it will file additional charges, including more than 20 counts of attempted murder of others who were in the store and parking lot and 10 counts of possessing a prohibited large capacity magazine during the commission of a felony.[50] This entry is significant because more charges are being brought against the mass shooter. (Developing)
A 34-year-old man has been arrested for his alleged involvement in online sales of suspected counterfeit respirators, said the police and the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) in a joint press release on Wednesday (Apr 21). The man was arrested during an operation led by the Criminal Investigation Department, supported by HSA officers. During the operation, more than 41,000 pieces of suspected trademark-infringing respirators with an estimated street value of more than S$201,000 were seized.[51] This entry is significant because there has been an increase in illicit activities associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. The products sold may have had a detrimental effect on the public’s health so the man must be arrested. (Developing)
Two members of the terrorist group Abu Sayyaf, including a brother of the suspected mastermind of the Jolo twin bombings last year, died in a clash with troops in Sulu Friday afternoon. Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Coleto Vinluan Jr. confirmed the deaths of Mujafal Sawadjaan and Muktihar Taha after a five-minute exchange of gunfire with security forces.[52] This entry is significant as two terrorists belonging to Abu Sayyaf have been neutralized. Moreover, one of them was the brother of the mind behind the Jolo twin bombings in August 2020. (Developing)
The Justice Department has charged a Capitol rioter who was turned in by someone he matched with on the dating app Bumble, after he bragged about his exploits on January 6. According to court documents, one week after the attack, Robert Chapman of New York told one of his Bumble matches that "I did storm the Capitol" and said that he "made it all the way into Statuary Hall." He also claimed that he was interviewed by members of the media.[53] This entry is important as another individual who contributed to the Capitol Riots in January 2021, has been arrested. (Ongoing)
A former member of the pro-independence Hong Kong National Front has been jailed for 12 years after he admitted possessing explosives in an industrial unit in Tsuen Wan in 2019. Local media reported on Friday that Louis Lo, 29, was handed the lengthy jail term by High Court Justice Andrew Chan after the activist pleaded guilty to one count of keeping explosives with an intent to endanger life or property.[54] This entry is important as the subject of Hong Kong’s independence is very probably far from over and it is highly doubted that there will not be other cases of extremism such as the one mentioned in this entry. (Ongoing)
A suspected Maoist was shot dead by security forces in an exchange of fire that took place in Odisha’s Kalahandi district on Friday. According to the Odisha Police, security forces had launched an operation in a forest area under the Madanpur-Rampur Police Station limit of the Kalahandi district after being tipped off about the assembling of a group of left-wing extremists on Thursday. Teams composed of the Special Operation Group and District Voluntary Force personnel, while conducting search operations in the forest area, were confronted by Maoists on Monday.[55] This entry is important as Maoist extremists represent a recurring problem for individuals’ safety in the Indian state of Odisha. (Ongoing)
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Elvis Redzepagic pleaded guilty to attempting to provide material support and resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and the al-Nusra Front, both having been designated by the USA Secretary of State as foreign terrorist organizations. When sentenced, Redzepagic faces up to 20 years in prison. The guilty plea was entered before United States Magistrate Judge A. Kathleen Tomlinson.[56] This entry is significant as it emphasizes how there are still numerous ISIS supporters despite the lack of media coverage of the terrorist group. (Ongoing)
An alleged co-founder of a banned far-right group from Swindon has been charged under the Terrorism Act. Ben Raymond is accused of being a member of a proscribed organization and of possessing material likely to be useful for terrorism. The 31-year-old was interviewed under caution over three days this week at a Wiltshire police station and charged on Thursday by detectives from West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit.[57] This entry is important since it confirms how far-right extremism is a tangible threat in the European continent. (Ongoing)
Two people were arrested Friday in the Argentine province of Tucumán when they were reportedly planning to commit an undetermined attack against the local Jewish community, hours before the beginning of the Shabbat day of rest, the local La Gaceta newspaper reported. Firearms, Nazi literature, and objects that identified the suspects with hate groups were found in the possession of those now held in the custody of federal authorities.[58] This entry is important as it reminds how there is potential for hate crimes in all countries, not merely Western ones, which receive most of the media coverage for this kind of crime. (Ongoing)
French authorities detained a fifth person Sunday in an anti-terrorism investigation seeking to identify potential accomplices and motives after a police official was fatally stabbed at a police station outside Paris. French police killed the 37-year-old Tunisian attacker shortly after he stabbed the unarmed administrative employee on Friday at the entrance of her police station in the town of Rambouillet. In a news conference on Sunday, anti-terrorism prosecutor Jean-Francois Ricard said police are questioning a cousin of the suspect.[59] This entry is significant because the investigation of a terror attack is progressing quickly to determine if others may have been involved. (Developing).
Definitions
Imminent: This threat is credible and an event or attack will occur or is occurring. All necessary teams and leadership are on high alert.
Critical: This threat is credible and an event or attack may occur. All necessary teams are on high alert.
Ongoing: This threat is not new, but it is important to keep watching. Report any new findings to the necessary teams.
Developing: This is a new threat. We need to check all sources to make sure they are credible. Report the credible sources to the necessary teams.
Concerning: This might become a new or reemerging threat. We need to check all sources to make sure they are credible. Report the credible sources to the necessary teams.
________________________________________________________________________ The Counterterrorism Group (CTG)
[1] “Students protesting gun violence at the White House, February 19, 2018”, by Lorie Shaull, licensed under Public Domain.
[2] Albanian man with knife wounds 5 at mosque in Tirana, AP, April 2021 https://apnews.com/article/general-news-religion-albania-tirana-82fa2d351ae3042fa4b1579f306cea73
[3] Five people shot in Louisiana incident; 3rd U.S. multiple shooting in one day, Reuters, April 2021. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/five-people-injured-shooting-shreveport-louisiana-ksla-2021-04-19/
[4] At least 11 killed, hundreds displaced amid combat in southwest Colombia, Colombia Reports, 2021 https://colombiareports.com/at-least-11-killed-hundreds-displaced-amid-combat-in-southwest-colombia/
[5] “Chadian army kills more than 300 militants in N. region” MenaFN, April 2021 https://menafn.com/1101941860/Chadian-army-kills-more-than-300-militants-in-N-region&source=22
[6] “Ex-Texas deputy wanted in deaths of 3 is arrested” Associated Press, April 2021 https://apnews.com/article/arrests-shootings-austin-texas-b77143329fc96ca346215502ffd7963a
[7] “The US has reported at least 50 mass shootings since the Atlanta spa shootings” CNN, April 2021, https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/18/us/mass-shootings-since-march-16/index.html
[8] “Eight police killed in Taliban attack in Badakhshan” Ariana News, April 2021, https://ariananews.af/eight-police-killed-in-taliban-attack-in-badakhshan/
[9] “2 Public Uprising Force Members Killed in Taliban Attack in Herat” TOLO News, April 2021, https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-171571
[10] “3 shot at Stop & Shop supermarket in West Hempstead” ABC 7, April 2021, https://abc7ny.com/stop-and-shop-shooting-hempstead-long-island-supermarket/10531158/
[11] “Benue LG officials, others to assist in hunt for soldiers’ killers” The Guardian (Nigeria), April 2021 https://guardian.ng/news/benue-lg-officials-others-to-assist-in-hunt-for-soldiers-killers/
[12] “Chad President Idriss Deby dies visiting front-line troops: Army” Al-Jazeera, April 2021 https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/20/chads-president-deby-has-died-of-injuries
[13] Gunmen Attack Police Station In Enugu, Kill Two Officers, Nigerian Tribune, April 2021, https://tribuneonlineng.com/gunmen-attack-police-station-in-enugu-kill-two-officers/
[14] Mexico cartel used explosive drones to attack police, BBC News, April 2021, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-56814501
[15] Two dead, including shooter, in Upper Macungie incident that began on highway; trucker shot dead pumping gas at Wawa, The Morning Call, April 2021, https://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-nws-upper-macungie-active-shooter-route-100-20210421-kxr3wp42gva4ffc2vo6vnubwhi-story.html
[16] Trans woman dead after 2 separate West Pullman shootings less than a mile from each other, WGN9, April 2021, https://wgntv.com/news/chicagocrime/2-dead-after-two-separate-west-pullman-shootings/
[17] 2 injured in South Seattle encampment shooting, Kiro 7 News, April 2021 https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/shooting-investigation-underway-seattle-encampment/S5A6IUL5JNHQHCIJ7SYTT64U2M/
[18] At least 31 indigenous people hurt in Colombia following armed attack, KFGO, April 2021, https://kfgo.com/2021/04/22/at-least-31-indigenous-people-hurt-in-colombia-following-armed-attack/
[19] France Opens Terrorism Inquiry After Killing at Police Station, The New York Times, April 2021, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/23/world/europe/france-terrorism-police-station.html.
[20] East Jerusalem clashes leave over 100 injured, BBC, April 2021, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-56854275.
[21] Three students abducted from Nigeria university found shot dead, Al Jazeera, April 2021, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/23/nigerian-kidnappers-kill-3-abducted-students-in-rising-violence.
[22] 'Ghost gun' used in random San Diego shooting that killed 1, injured 4, police say, NBC News, April 2021, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/1-dead-4-injured-san-diego-shootings-suspect-arrested-n1265034.
[23] A report reveals the complicity of the Haitian Government in 3 massacres, Haiti Libre, April 2021, https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-33552-haiti-flash-a-report-reveals-the-complicity-of-the-haitian-government-in-3-massacres.html.
[24] Three UN peacekeepers wounded in northern Mali attack, Al Jazeera, April 2021, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/25/at-least-three-un-peacekeepers-injured-in-northern-mali-attack
[25] Armed Militants Kill Family in Fiery Attack in Thailand’s Deep South, CTN News, April 2021, https://www.chiangraitimes.com/thailand-national-news/southern-thailand/armed-militants-kill-family-in-fiery-attack-in-thailands-deep-south/
[26] Taliban ambush kills 7 Afghan cops, Pakistan Observer, April 2021, https://pakobserver.net/taliban-ambush-kills-7-afghan-cops/
[27] “COVID-19-themed cyberattack detections continue to surge” Help Net Security, April 2021 https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2021/04/19/covid-19-themed-cyberattack/
[28] “WhatsApp under threat- multiple vulnerabilities in older versions of the app and a new “Pink” malware on the prowl” Business Insider India, April 2021 https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/whatsapp-users-need-to-update-their-apps-and-report-malicious-links-as-new-malware-makes-the-round-and-cert-in-warns-of-multiple-vulnerabilities/articleshow/82140756.cms
[29] “China-linked hackers used Pulse Secure flaw to target U.S. defense industry - researchers” Reuters, April 2021 https://www.reuters.com/technology/china-linked-hackers-used-pulse-secure-flaw-target-us-defense-industry-2021-04-20/
[30] “Navy seizes narcotics worth ₹3,000 crore from fishing vessel” The Hindu, April 2021 https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/navy-seizes-narcotics-worth-3000-crore-from-fishing-vessel/article34358453.ece
[31] “Renfrewshire window blind company boss caught with 30K worth of cocaine” Daily Record, April 2021 https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/renfrewshire-window-blind-company-boss-23938493
[32] “CNB seizes drugs worth more than S$2.3 million; 16kg of heroin is largest haul since 2001” Channel News Asia, April 2021 https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/cnb-drugs-16kg-heroin-cannabis-ecstasy-ice-14651636
[33] “More than 25 people charged in Ontario after international drug trafficking network dismantled by police” CTV News, April 2021 https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/more-than-25-people-charged-in-ontario-after-international-drug-trafficking-network-dismantled-by-police-1.5393133
[34] Police seize over 1,600 cannabis plants, Taipei Times, April 2021, https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2021/04/22/2003756135.
[35] $11 MILLION WORTH OF METHAMPHETAMINE AND COCAINE DISCOVERED IN TEXAS, News Maven, April 2021, https://newsmaven.io/charlottealerts/drugs/11-million-worth-of-methamphetamine-and-cocaine-discovered-in-texas-sfm7KSlDMUKNM2tC-uMtjw.
[36] Indian Navy Seizes Drugs Worth $400 Million From Fishing Boat, The Maritime Executive, April 2021, https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/indian-navy-seizes-drugs-worth-400-million-from-fishing-boat.
[37] “Video shows Asian American man being attacked in Pendleton” The Enquirer, April 2021 https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2021/04/19/video-shows-asian-american-man-being-attacked-pendleton/7283078002/
[38]“Connecticut man admits to targeting police in Molotov cocktail, chemical attack on NYPD” WABC7 News, April 2021, https://abc7ny.com/brooklyn-molotov-cocktail-arrest-lionel-virgile-east-flatbush/10528539/
[39] 61-year-old Asian American man critically injured in brutal, unprovoked assault in Manhattan, ABC7 New York, April 2021, https://abc7ny.com/nyc-crime-hate-east-harlem-attack-asian/10543319/.
[40] “Odisha: Two killed, three injured in an explosion in a crusher unit” United News of India, April 2021 http://www.uniindia.com/odisha-two-killed-three-injured-in-an-explosion-in-a-crusher-unit/east/news/2374497.html
[41] “Roadside bomb kills Somali official” Somali Affairs, April 2021, https://www.somaliaffairs.com/news/somalia-roadside-bomb-kills-somali-official/
[42] US-backed Afghan peace meeting postponed as Taliban balk, The Titusville Herald, April 2021, https://www.titusvilleherald.com/news/article_38c5b344-e740-58e2-b38d-4f01f76883e5.html
[43] Pakistan: Several killed in explosion at Quetta hotel, Al Jazeera, April 2021, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/21/bombing-in-hotel-kills-at-least-3-in-pakistan
[44] US convoy targeted in Iraq's Al-Anbar province, Mehr News, April 2021, https://en.mehrnews.com/news/172573/US-convoy-targeted-in-Iraq-s-Al-Anbar-province
[45] 20 Taliban killed in own explosion: Officials, ATN News, April 2021, https://ariananews.af/20-taliban-killed-in-own-explosion-officials/
[46] “Feds charge extremist Orthodox sect Lev Tahor with exploiting, kidnapping children” Jewish Telegraphic Agency, April 2021 https://www.jta.org/2021/04/19/united-states/feds-charge-extremist-orthodox-sect-lev-tahor-with-exploiting-kidnapping-children
[47] BREAKING: Bandits Abduct 20 Women Attending Naming Ceremony In Katsina, Sahara Reports, April 2021, http://saharareporters.com/2021/04/24/breaking-bandits-abduct-20-women-attending-naming-ceremony-katsina.
[48] Italian police arrest man connected to 2016 Nice attack: reports, France 24, April 2021, https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210422-italian-police-arrest-man-connected-to-2016-nice-attack-reports
[49] Akayed Ullah Sentenced To Life In Prison For Bombing New York City Subway Station In 2017 On Behalf Of ISIS, United States Department of Justice, April 2021, https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/akayed-ullah-sentenced-life-prison-bombing-new-york-city-subway-station-2017-behalf
[50] Accused Colorado Grocery Store Shooter To Face 43 Additional Charges, News on 6, April 2021, https://www.newson6.com/story/6081423f0ea66f0bf564895d/accused-colorado-grocery-store-shooter-to-face-43-additional-charges
[51] Man arrested for selling suspected counterfeit respirators, including N95 masks, Channel News Asia, April 2021, https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/man-arrested-selling-suspected-counterfeit-respirators-n95-masks-14664142
[52] Brother of Abu Sayyaf leader killed in Sulu encounter, CNN Philippines, April 2021, https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/4/23/Brother-of-Abu-Sayyaf-leader-killed-in-Sulu-encounter.html.
[53] Capitol rioter arrested after being turned in by match on online dating app Bumble, CNN, April 2021, https://edition.cnn.com/2021/04/23/politics/bumble-capitol-riot-robert-chapman/index.html.
[54] Ex-member of Hong Kong separatist group gets 12-year jail term for possessing explosives, Hong Kong Free Press, April 2021, https://hongkongfp.com/2021/04/23/ex-member-of-hong-kong-separatist-group-gets-12-year-jail-term-for-possessing-explosives/.
[55] Suspected left wing extremist killed in Odisha, The Hindu, April 2021, https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/suspected-left-wing-extremist-killed-in-odisha/article34396007.ece.
[56] Long Island Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Provide Material Support to Terrorists, Department of Justice, April 2021, https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/long-island-man-pleads-guilty-attempting-provide-material-support-terrorists.
[57] Alleged National Action co-founder from Swindon charged under Terrorism Act, iTV, April 2021, https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2021-04-23/alleged-national-action-co-founder-from-swindon-charged-under-terrorism-act.
[58] Argentine Federal Police arrests two in Tucumán for planning attack against Jewish community, Meco Press, April 2021, https://en.mercopress.com/2021/04/23/argentine-federal-police-arrests-two-in-tucuman-for-planning-attack-against-jewish-community.
[59] Fifth person detained after fatal stabbing at French police station, France 24, April 2021, https://www.france24.com/en/france/20210425-fifth-person-detained-after-fatal-stabbing-at-french-police-station
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