All articles tagged with #counterterrorism
A newly formed group calling itself HAYI claimed a string of attacks on Jewish and American interests across Europe, but analysts say its online footprint aligns with the pro-Iranian ecosystem and may be a facade or proxy operation, reflecting a hybrid-warfare pattern as authorities monitor investigations in multiple countries.
French police arrested a man after he placed a homemade explosive device in front of a Bank of America building in Paris; the device reportedly contained five litres of liquid fuel and 650g of explosive powder, and the probe is being led by the counterterrorism prosecutor with involvement from DGSI and judicial police.
Fox News First highlights a broad slate of morning headlines, led by news that former counterterrorism chief Joe Kent is under FBI investigation. Other top items include a University of Alabama student reported missing in Barcelona, Trump warning of violence against Iran’s gas field, a NYC council staffer ordered deported, and the arrest of Joseph Duggar for alleged molestation, among broader political, immigration, Epstein-file, and entertainment coverage.
Joe Kent, the former Trump-era counterterrorism official, resigned, arguing that Iran posed no imminent threat and criticising the administration’s Iran war stance.
Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center and a Trump ally, resigned, arguing the Iran war was sparked by pressure from Israel and a pro-war media echo chamber rather than an imminent threat, and criticizing the administration for abandoning a prior America-First posture; Trump dismissed Kent as weak on security after reading his resignation letter.
Two NYPD officers rushed toward two suspects who lit homemade bombs during a protest near Gracie Mansion. Officer Aaron Edwards leaped a barrier with the goal of catching the bad guy, while Sgt. Luis Navarro said their actions reflected culmination of counterterrorism training to save lives. The ISIS-inspired suspects, Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi, face terrorism charges; Edwards, with nearly 23 years on the force, was promoted to Manhattan North borough chief.
Two teenagers from Pennsylvania, Emir Balat (18) and Ibrahim Kayumi (19), were arrested after allegedly throwing two improvised explosive devices during an anti-Islam protest near New York City Mayor Mamdani’s Gracie Mansion. Investigators say the attackers were inspired by ISIS; one device ignited and landed near the crowd while a second device was lit and dropped (not exploding), and a third device was later found in a car. The devices tested positive for TATP. The pair face federal charges including providing material support to a terrorist organization and using a weapon of mass destruction and are held without bail as investigators probe their ISIS ties and broader counterterrorism activity in NYC.
US officials say an encrypted Iranian message intercepted after the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei contains a possible 'operational trigger' to activate sleeper assets abroad. Authorities detected a new international broadcasting station and warned law enforcement to stay vigilant for potential attacks, though there are no specific public threats yet.
London police said four men—one Iranian and three dual British-Iranian nationals—were arrested on suspicion of aiding Iran by spying on the Jewish community, with searches at addresses in and around north London and six other men arrested for assisting an offender; the arrests come amid heightened UK counterterrorism activity over Iran-related threats and ongoing regional tensions.
In the wake of weekend strikes on Iran, federal counterterrorism teams were mobilized and major U.S. cities—D.C., New York, and Los Angeles—tightened security with increased patrols and heightened measures around sensitive sites, with local agencies coordinating with federal partners amid ongoing Middle East operations and a linked Austin shooting investigation.
Pakistan’s military says a weeklong operation in Balochistan degraded BLA networks, reporting 216 militants killed, a substantial weapons cache recovered, and casualties among civilians and security personnel, as authorities say the campaign disrupted leadership and operational capabilities amid ongoing violence in the resource-rich province.
Britain plans to unify national investigations under a single FBI-style police force to coordinate counterterrorism and criminal-gang probes.
The United States conducted a retaliatory airstrike in Syria that killed a leader linked to the Islamic State who was tied to a deadly ambush, signaling ongoing U.S. efforts against ISIS in the region.
The Intercept argues that under a Trump-era shift toward the Western Hemisphere, the Pentagon plans to consolidate and shrink U.S. combatant commands (merging Africa with Europe/Central into a single International Command and Northern/Southern into AMERICOM), aiming to reduce long-term American presence in Africa. Experts warn this reorganization could repeat Africa-focused counterterrorism failures that have coincided with rising militant violence and humanitarian costs, suggesting that simply reshuffling commands may not address root causes or yield lasting security benefits.
U.S. and partner forces in Syria killed or captured nearly 25 ISIS operatives following a large-scale strike on Dec. 19, targeting ISIS infrastructure and weapons caches, as part of ongoing efforts to eliminate ISIS threats and prevent resurgence.