Counterterrorism

PERSPECTIVE: Growing Threat of Sovereign Citizen Extremism Spans Borders and Ideologies

Sovereign citizens are anti-government, loosely affiliated extremists who deny the legitimacy of their respective governments. Illegitimate governments, according to sovereign citizens, cannot produce legitimate laws and thus they claim they are immune from all laws and…

Iran concerned about extremism spillover from Afghan war - analysis

A recent stabbing attack in eastern Iran has led authorities to express concern over whether worse is yet to come. According to Tasnim News, there was an attack two weeks ago that targeted clerics at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad. Iran blamed extremists and later…

Military & Defense

Nigeria probes crash of military aircraft with two fatalities

Nigeria’s air force has said it has ordered an inquiry after a military training aircraft crashed in the northwestern state of Kaduna, claiming two lives. At least four Nigerian military aircraft have been involved in deadly crashes since last year, including one that killed the…

UK Says Russian Military Presence on Ukraine's Eastern Border Continues to Build

Russia's military presence on Ukraine's eastern border continues to build, a British military update said on Wednesday, adding that fighting in the Donbas region is intensifying as Russian forces seek to break through Ukrainian defences. "Russian air activity in northern…

Cybersecurity

U.N. panel coordinator urges stepped up focus on North Korea cyber crime

The coordinator for the U.N. body monitoring enforcement of sanctions on North Korea said on Wednesday a stepped up focus was needed on cybercrime, which had become fundamental to Pyongyang's ability to finance its banned weapons programs. Eric Penton-Voak, of the…

Israeli charged in global hacker-for-hire scheme pleads guilty

An Israeli private detective detained in New York since 2019 on charges of involvement in a hacker-for-hire scheme pleaded guilty to wire fraud, conspiracy to commit hacking and aggravated identity theft on Wednesday. Federal prosecutors say the detective, Aviram Azari…

Counterintelligence & Espionage

British Judge Orders Julian Assange Extradited to U.S. on Espionage Charges

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was ordered to be extradited to the U.S. by a London Court on Wednesday morning. The order was issued by Judge Vanessa Baraitser of the Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London, where the United States had sought an order for Assange to…

Iran arrests three Mossad spies, does not specify their nationalities -Fars news agency

Iran’s intelligence ministry said it had arrested three Mossad spies, according to a statement published by the semi-official Fars news agency. The statement did not specify the nationalities of the Israeli Intelligence agency's spies but it mentioned they were arrested in…

Transnational Organized Crime

Organized Crime Gangs Earn Big Bucks in Shift to Fraud

Smelling huge profits in targeting older Americans, organized gangs —the underworld syndicates that once focused on drug trafficking, gambling and other high-profile crimes —are increasingly entering the consumer fraud business, according to interviews with several law…

Former Slovak PM, allies charged with organized crime

Two men who have dominated Slovakia’s politics for the past 15 years — former three-time Prime Minister Róbert Fico and former Interior Minister Róbert Kaliňák — were charged Wednesday with organized crime offenses. Kaliňák was arrested by police on Wednesday…