Russian propaganda: Brussels Attacks “Europe’s fault. Or maybe staged”

The appalling March 22 terrorist attacks in Brussels attracted a lot of attention in pro-Kremlin media outlets. Sadly, most chose to spread confusion, fear and mistrust via disinformation stories about the tragic events, reads the DisinfoReview by EEAS East StratCom Task Force.

“A repeated accusation was that the bombing was Angela Merkel’s fault: because she invited refugees to Europe (although the attackers were not refugees); or because she held talks with President Erdogan, who supposedly founded Daesh. Many European outlets also multiplied disinformation, originating in Russia, that Chancellor Merkel had previously taken a selfie with one of the attackers,” according to the report.

Iran Threatens Suicide Bombings of U.S. Warships

Alireza Tangsiri, an IRGC lieutenant commander, said that suicide bombers are on stand by and ready to “blow up themselves” to “destroy the U.S. warships,” according to remarks made Monday in Iran’s state-controlled Fars News Agency.

Isis Expansion Along U.S. Borders

“Drug dealers have found a way to move money without it being followed,” said Tyrone Powers, Former FBI Agent. “They found a way to move people in and out and they found a way to move product.”

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But these tunnels could easily be an underground highway for ISIS to spawn its brutality here.

Isis Expansion Along U.S. Borders

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Our southern border is long and U.S. border patrol agents work to fight illegal activity like illegal immigration, drugs and now according to an FBI consultant, the border could be an attractive region for ISIS thanks in part to powerful drug lords.

“Drug dealers have found a way to move money without it being followed,” said Tyrone Powers, Former FBI Agent. “They found a way to move people in and out and they found a way to move product.”

Next 9/11 will be caused by hackers, not suicide bombers, cyber expert warns

Greater US-Israel cooperation urgently needed to counter threat of cyberterrorism infiltrating air traffic controls, says Dr. Gabi Siboni

An Israeli cyber expert warned Wednesday that “the next 9/11″ will be carried out by computer hackers infiltrating air traffic controls, rather than suicide bombers.

Col. (res.) Dr. Gabi Siboni said the US and Israel must increase cyber-defense cooperation in preparation of future terror attacks, and said distrust is preventing greater collaboration between the two allies.

Al Qaeda forms up to march on Baghdad, gathering up Iraqi Sunni rebels. Maliki cries treason

Under its commander, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, Al Qaeda’s Islamic State in Iraq and Levant – ISIS – formed up Wednesday night, June 6, to march on Baghdad in two columns – one from Tikrit, which fell a few hours earlier, to Taji, just 20 km from the capital; the second from Tuz Khormato, 55 km south of the northern oil center of Kirkuk.

The Shiite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki ordered the last two divisions and six mechanized brigades, totaling 50,000, still operational out of his million-strong army, to build a defensive line to save Baghdad and the seat of Iraqi government from the enemy.

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Al-Baghdadi has assigned the second column heading for Baghdad the additional task of wrapping up Islamist control of the eastern province of Diyala on the Iranian border.

The first column will approach the capital from the north; the second from the east. Suicide bombers have meanwhile fanned ahead of the columns to smash the roadblocks and military posts set up in their path to check their advance

Russia withholds information on Olympic threats, US lawmakers say

Washington: US intelligence officials are frustrated that the Russian government is withholding information about threats to Olympic venues coming from inside Russia, several lawmakers said on talk shows on Sunday.

“We aren’t getting the kind of cooperation that we’d like from the Russians in terms of their internal threats,” Representative Adam Schiff, a Democatic member of the House Intelligence Committee, said on Fox News Sunday.

“It means that we’re less effective in protecting our people, and that’s a frustration,” Mr Schiff said.

NATO Tests Electromagnetic Beam To Stop Suicide Bombers

NATO is developing a device that stops suicide bombers’ vehicles before they can reach their targets. In a video released today, NATO researchers in Norway demonstrate the effectiveness of the weapon against cars, a jet ski, and a drone.

Hamas continue rocket salvos into Israel following ceasefire

TEL AVIV — In the first two hours of the ceasefire between the Hamas regime in the Gaza Strip and Israel, Hamas was said to have launched more than 20 missiles and rockets into Israel.

Commentary: Geopolitical maelstrom

Iran can close the Strait of Hormuz, not just for a few hours, as the Israelis say, but long enough to drive oil prices into the stratosphere. An admiral with years of experience in the region at different times of his career said privately Iran can sow thousands of mines in an area that handles one-fifth of the world’s daily oil requirements. They are below the surface and can be detonated by remote control as a warship sails over them. Iran’s shore line, which covers the entire eastern side of the Persian Gulf, is pock-marked with concealed missile sites.

The Iranians would also use hundreds of small boats in a swarming configuration that U.S. warships are prepared to cope with — but one or two are bound to get through a curtain of fire and punch a hole in the hull of a U.S. or NATO minesweeper.

Such a small boat in Aden harbor in October 2000 punctured the hull of the USS Cole, a $1 billion Arleigh Burke class destroyer, killing 17 sailors, and putting the warship out of service for 18 months with a $220 million repair bill. Cost of the operation to al-Qaida: $10,000 plus three volunteer suicide bombers.

The response of Israeli naysayers is that such tactics would hurt Iran far more than any of its intended targets. U.S. generals and admirals respond that the Iranian leadership wouldn’t be averse to cutting off its nose to spite its face.

The Iranians can also absorb temporary belt-tightening far more readily than Western Europeans. And with gas at the pump suddenly selling at $10 to $15 a gallon, U.S. President Barack Obama’s updated resume wouldn’t look too appealing at the ballot box in November.

The arguments about whether Iran really wants a nuclear capability seem disconnected from reality. Pakistan’s nuclear black marketer A.Q. Khan sold the ayatollahs nuclear secrets two decades ago. By all accounts, Tehran is very close to achieving deliverable nuclear payloads.

U.S. Navy 5th Fleet headquarters in Bahrain is vulnerable; two-thirds of its population is Shiite Muslim and rooting for Tehran in the current conflict.

Full article: Commentary: Geopolitical maelstrom (Space War)