Counterterrorism

Calgary terrorist who fought as ISIS sniper in Syria sentenced to 12 years in prison

A Calgary man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for terrorism offences, including kidnapping, committed during a year-long stint fighting as a trained sniper with ISIS in Syria. Last month, Hussein Sobhe Borhot, 36, pleaded guilty to participating in terrorist activities…

New ISIS Leader Reportedly Captured in Turkey

The new leader of ISIS has been captured in a police operation in Turkey after just 2 months in the job, according to local media. Abu al-Hassan al-Qurayshi was confirmed as the new "caliph" in a voice note put out by ISIS in early March, after his predecessor was killed in a…

Military & Defense

Lukashenko creates new command near Ukraine and accepts possibility of war

Self–proclaimed president of the Republic of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, has said the Armed Forces of Belarus are creating a new operational command – Yuzhnoye, while he started talking about a possible war on the territory of the country…

Israeli Soldier Behind Killing Of Al Jazeera Journalist, Palestinian Attorney General Says

The Palestinian Authority's attorney general said on Thursday that its investigation proves an Israeli soldier shot Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in the head in a targeted killing. The bullet that killed Abu Akleh is a 5.56 mm round with a steel component, which according…

Cybersecurity

Darknet Market ‘Versus’ Shutting Down After Critical Exploit Leak

Versus, a notorious English-language cybercrime darknet market, shut down after a hacker disclosed a high-severity Proof-of-Concept (PoC) exploit last week. The vulnerability could’ve been used to access the market’s database and expose its servers’ IP addresses. The hacker…

Ransomware attack disrupts a range of services in a New Jersey county

A county in New Jersey is still dealing with the aftermath of a ransomware attack that began on Tuesday, highlighting the disruptions that cyberattacks can wreak on local governments. Officials in Somerset County — which has a population of about 350,000 and is just north…

Counterintelligence & Espionage

Jail Time Extended for Spanish Journalist Said to Be Russian Spy

A Spanish war reporter who is accused of spying for Russia must stay for three more months in pre-trial detention without access to his family or a lawyer, a Polish court ruled this week. Pablo González, who has joint Spanish-Russian nationality, has been held in a Polish prison…

Lebanese spy chief says U.S. wants his help freeing Americans in Syria

Lebanon’s intelligence chief said Thursday that he met with Biden administration officials this week to discuss ways he could help secure the release of six Americans who are being held prisoner or are missing in Syria, including Austin Tice, a freelance journalist who contributed…

Transnational Organized Crime

Gun supplier used 3D printer to make weapons for organised crime groups

A gun supplier from Birmingham who used a 3D printer and ammunition press to make viable weapons from parts ordered on the dark web has been jailed for 27 months. Haroon Iqbal, 32, from Bramble Dell in Birmingham, made two orders for parts to be sent from the US…

Colombian police kill fugitive drug kingpin

A fugitive member of Colombia's Gulf Clan drug cartel wanted by the United States has been killed by police in the South American country, the government said Thursday. President Ivan Duque announced on Twitter that Juan Larinson Castro Estupinan, alias "Matamba"…