Russia/Sinai/Islamic State – Russian officials say that an improvised explosive device (IED) brought down Metrojet Flight 9268 in the Sinai on the 31 Oct 15. The officials announced their conclusion during a meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin has posted a transcript of the meeting online on the 17 Nov 15. Investigators from the US, the UK and France have said it is increasingly likely that terrorists downed the jet. Still, Western counterterrorism and intelligence officials have not offered a definitive explanation, saying there is some uncertainty surrounding the crash. The Russian and Egyptian governments were also initially reticent to label it an act of terrorism. The Islamic State’s so-called Sinai “province” issued a claim of responsibility hours after the airliner crashed. The Islamic State and its Sinai “branch” have repeated that claim several times since then. Assuming the details provided by the Russian government are accurate, then authorities have confirmed that the jet was downed by terrorists.
Russia/Sinai/Islamic State – Just one day after Russian officials confirmed that an improvised explosive device (IED) brought down Metrojet Flight 9268 over the Egyptian Sinai on the 31 Oct 15 the Islamic State released an image of what it claims is the bomb that brought down the airliner it was reported on the 18 Nov 15. The Islamic State released a photograph of the bomb as well as what it claims are images of passports of Russians who were killed in the explosion and subsequent crash, in issue number 12 of its English language magazine, Dabiq. All 224 passengers and crew were killed in the attack.
The photograph of the IED is captioned “EXCLUSIVE: Image of the IED used to bring down the Russian airliner.” The Russian passports, which are superimposed on wreckage of the airliner, appears to have been taken from a news agency. It is unclear how the Islamic State would obtain passports from the crash scene, which was heavily guarded. The bomb appears simple in design: a soda can, presumably packed with explosives, a detonator, and an electronic trigger. The nature of the explosives and trigger device was not disclosed by the Islamic State. Alexander Bortnikov, the head of Russia’s Federal Security Service, said that the bomb had a “capacity” equivalent “of up to 1 kg [2.2. pounds] of TNT.” The Islamic State’s so-called Sinai “province” issued a claim of responsibility hours after the airliner crashed. The Islamic State and its Sinai “branch” have repeated that claim several times since then.
Afghanistan – KABUL: The US embassy said on the 30 Nov 15 it has received "credible reports of an imminent attack" in Kabul. A statement on the embassy's website urged US citizens to exercise "extreme caution" if moving around in Kabul during the next 48 hours. The statement said the embassy has no further information about the targets, timing or nature of the planned attack. The Taliban often carry out attacks in Kabul and elsewhere, mainly targeting Afghan security forces and foreigners. Supporters of the Islamic State group have a growing presence in Afghanistan.
This proves that Taliban is reduced but not finished completely. The US State Department has long warned against travel to Afghanistan, which has been mired in war for decades. In Washington, department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau told reporters that the US Embassy received the reports of a specific and credible imminent threat, but it wasn't against the embassy, US citizens or US interests. She would not elaborate on the nature of the threat or who was behind it, but said "it was sufficient enough that we did feel that an email and a message should go out to US citizens in Kabul."
Turkey/Morocco – Turkey's border police detained eight Moroccan "terror suspects" at Istanbul's main airport on the 19 Nov 15 a senior official said. The suspects taken into custody at Istanbul Ataturk Airport were on their way to Germany through Greece, according to documents found on them. "While some of the detainees have been deported, others remain in custody pending their interrogation," a senior Turkish stated. "Today's successful identification of Moroccan terror suspects attests to the fact that the most effective means to fight terrorism is for source countries to share intelligence with Syria's neighbours," the official added.
The detained Moroccans were reportedly suspected of having links to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). According to Turkish authorities, over the past two years 4,700 "terror suspects" were questioned and 20,500 individuals banned from entering Turkey based on intelligence received from allies. In the same period, about 1,300 people were denied entry to Turkey and more than 2,300 foreign nationals were deported. Most recently, 41 Moroccans were denied entry to Turkey on the 9 Nov 15 and deported the same day after being flagged as "terror suspects".
Russia/Sinai/Islamic State – Just one day after Russian officials confirmed that an improvised explosive device (IED) brought down Metrojet Flight 9268 over the Egyptian Sinai on the 31 Oct 15 the Islamic State released an image of what it claims is the bomb that brought down the airliner it was reported on the 18 Nov 15. The Islamic State released a photograph of the bomb as well as what it claims are images of passports of Russians who were killed in the explosion and subsequent crash, in issue number 12 of its English language magazine, Dabiq. All 224 passengers and crew were killed in the attack.
The photograph of the IED is captioned “EXCLUSIVE: Image of the IED used to bring down the Russian airliner.” The Russian passports, which are superimposed on wreckage of the airliner, appears to have been taken from a news agency. It is unclear how the Islamic State would obtain passports from the crash scene, which was heavily guarded. The bomb appears simple in design: a soda can, presumably packed with explosives, a detonator, and an electronic trigger. The nature of the explosives and trigger device was not disclosed by the Islamic State. Alexander Bortnikov, the head of Russia’s Federal Security Service, said that the bomb had a “capacity” equivalent “of up to 1 kg [2.2. pounds] of TNT.” The Islamic State’s so-called Sinai “province” issued a claim of responsibility hours after the airliner crashed. The Islamic State and its Sinai “branch” have repeated that claim several times since then.
Afghanistan – KABUL: The US embassy said on the 30 Nov 15 it has received "credible reports of an imminent attack" in Kabul. A statement on the embassy's website urged US citizens to exercise "extreme caution" if moving around in Kabul during the next 48 hours. The statement said the embassy has no further information about the targets, timing or nature of the planned attack. The Taliban often carry out attacks in Kabul and elsewhere, mainly targeting Afghan security forces and foreigners. Supporters of the Islamic State group have a growing presence in Afghanistan.
This proves that Taliban is reduced but not finished completely. The US State Department has long warned against travel to Afghanistan, which has been mired in war for decades. In Washington, department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau told reporters that the US Embassy received the reports of a specific and credible imminent threat, but it wasn't against the embassy, US citizens or US interests. She would not elaborate on the nature of the threat or who was behind it, but said "it was sufficient enough that we did feel that an email and a message should go out to US citizens in Kabul."
Turkey/Morocco – Turkey's border police detained eight Moroccan "terror suspects" at Istanbul's main airport on the 19 Nov 15 a senior official said. The suspects taken into custody at Istanbul Ataturk Airport were on their way to Germany through Greece, according to documents found on them. "While some of the detainees have been deported, others remain in custody pending their interrogation," a senior Turkish stated. "Today's successful identification of Moroccan terror suspects attests to the fact that the most effective means to fight terrorism is for source countries to share intelligence with Syria's neighbours," the official added.
The detained Moroccans were reportedly suspected of having links to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). According to Turkish authorities, over the past two years 4,700 "terror suspects" were questioned and 20,500 individuals banned from entering Turkey based on intelligence received from allies. In the same period, about 1,300 people were denied entry to Turkey and more than 2,300 foreign nationals were deported. Most recently, 41 Moroccans were denied entry to Turkey on the 9 Nov 15 and deported the same day after being flagged as "terror suspects".
RSS Feed