British Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary convicted of directing terrorism
British radical Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary faces life in prison after being convicted of directing terrorism on Tuesday, July 23. The landmark case, which resulted from an international investigation, centers on al-Muhajiroun (ALM), a group that was outlawed by the British government in 2010 for being involved in committing, preparing for or promoting terrorism.
Choudary, previously known for his extremist views in British media, was found guilty of directing al-Muhajiroun and gathering support for the group after a trial at Woolwich Crown Court in London.
Prosecutor Tom Little said Choudary stepped in to lead ALM after Omar Bakri Muhammad, the group’s founder, was imprisoned in Lebanon between 2014 and March 2023.
Prosecutors demonstrated that Choudary had been orchestrating terrorist activities since 2014, using platforms like the Islamic Thinkers Society (ITS).
“ALM’s tentacles have spread across the world and have had a massive impact on public safety and security,” Cmdr. Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Police’s counter-terrorism command, said.
Prosecutors identified the New York-based ITS as ALM’s U.S. branch. The investigation involved coordinated efforts between the Metropolitan Police, the New York Police Department and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Choudary was arrested in east London on July 17, 2023. Khaled Hussein, a 29-year-old Canadian national who prosecutors described as a “follower” of Choudary, was detained at Heathrow Airport on the same day police arrested Choudary.
Hussein stood trial with Choudary and was found guilty of membership of a proscribed, or banned, organization.
Choudary’s shift to using online platforms to spread his ideology enabled him to extend his influence globally despite the proscription of ALM.
“There are individuals that have conducted terrorist attacks or traveled for terrorist purposes as a result of Anjem Choudary’s radicalizing impact upon them,” Murphy said.
After his license conditions expired in July 2021 following his 2018 release from prison, Choudary moved online, hosting approximately 40 lectures for ITS between June 2022 and April 2023.
Without Choudary’s knowledge, undercover U.S. law enforcement officers infiltrated ITS and attended virtual lectures on the Element messenger platform throughout 2022 and 2023.
Senior security officials described the verdict as a “significant moment” in combating radicalization and terrorism support.
“It is usually the foot soldiers who are brought to justice. And it’s rarely the leader, which is what makes this a particularly important moment,” NYPD Deputy Commissioner Rebecca Weiner said.
Sentencing for both of the men is scheduled for July 30.
US military bases in Europe on alert amid possible terror threat
U.S. military bases across Europe are on a heightened terror alert. They’ve been put on alert level “Charlie” — the second highest state of alert. The specific nature of the threat has not been disclosed, but officials said it is not related to the French elections. U.S. European Command states they are constantly assessing security and remain vigilant.
According to the Army, Charlie “applies when an incident occurs or intelligence is received indicating some form of terrorist action or targeting against personnel or facilities is likely.”
One U.S. official told Fox News that intelligence points to an attack on U.S. bases “over the next week or so.”
Supreme Court to issue ruling on Trump’s immunity claim
The Supreme Court will deliver its long-awaited ruling on whether former President Donald Trump is immune from being prosecuted. And after his debate performance last week, President Joe Biden’s future as the Democratic nominee remains a topic of discussion within his party. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Monday, July 1, 2024.
Supreme Court to issue ruling on Trump’s immunity claim
There will be a ruling on whether former President Donald Trump has immunity from criminal prosecution today, Monday, July 1. That is one of the opinions left as the Supreme Court wraps up its current term, extending its rulings into July.
Chief Justice John Roberts announced on Friday, June 28, the highly anticipated decision concerning the former president and all remaining opinions will come down starting at 10 a.m. EST Monday.
The court will decide if the former president is immune from being prosecuted in the federal election interference case where he’s accused of conspiring to obstruct the 2020 presidential election. Trump has argued he should be immune from any official acts taken while in office, saying future presidents would not be able to function without immunity.
Without Presidential Immunity, a President of the United States literally could not function! It should be a STRONG IMMUNITY, where proper decisions can be made, where our Country can be POWERFUL and THRIVE, and where Opponents cannot hold up and extort a Future President for… pic.twitter.com/QurlpNbBoK
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) June 30, 2024
A federal appeals court rejected Trump’s claim in February. The Supreme Court agreed to hear the case a few weeks later. During arguments in April, the court focused in on deciding which acts are private and which are considered part of the role of president.
In a decision on Friday, the Supreme Court limited obstruction charges that have been brought against Jan. 6 rioters. Former President Trump is also charged with obstruction in this federal case.
The justices will also issue a ruling on when it comes to states passing laws to regulate how social media companies moderate content on their platforms.
Biden’s future as candidate being discussed after debate performance
The fallout from last week’s presidential debate continued to make headlines over the weekend, with President Joe Biden’s future as a candidate being questioned following his debate performance. NBC News released a report on Saturday, June 29, that said the Biden family would discuss the future of the president’s reelection campaign during a previously planned weekend family gathering at Camp David.
Biden’s campaign said the report was false, calling it “100% media-fabricated” and said Biden will be the Democratic nominee.
Biden advisers told CNN the president’s family at Camp David, including the first lady and son Hunter, encouraged him to stay in the race.
Those advisers said there were talks about whether the aides who helped prepare the president should be fired, after some Democrats blamed Biden’s performance on his prep for the event.
Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., said it was a case of “preparation overload” and the president should continue to run on his record.
Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., meanwhile, has admitted there are ongoing serious conversations in the party following the debate.
“I mean, this is what a real political party looks like, and this is what a real political party does,” Raskin told ABC News. “Obviously, there was a big problem with Joe Biden’s debate performance, and there is also just a tremendous reservoir of love for Joe Biden in our party. So, this makes it a difficult situation for everybody, but there are very honest and serious and rigorous conversations happening at every level of our party, because it is a political party, and we have differences in point of view.”
Raskin said whatever Biden decides, the Democratic party will be unified.
Biden himself has spoken out about his debate performance. At a rally in North Carolina on Friday, June 28, he said he doesn’t debate as well as he used to but knows how to get the job done. And then he told supporters during a campaign fundraiser in New Jersey over the weekend, “I understand the concern after the debate. I get it. I didn’t have a great night, but I’m going to be fighting harder.”
DOJ offers Boeing plea deal in connection with 2 deadly plane crashes
The Justice Department is giving Boeing the chance to avoid trial in connection with two 737 Max crashes that left a total of nearly 350 people dead. The DOJ has offered Boeing a deal that would include three years’ probation, a fine and a corporate monitor to ensure safety compliance in exchange for a guilty plea to criminal charges.
Families of the victims of two fatal Boeing crashes are tonight furious at the prospect of a "plea deal", between the U-S Justice Department and the aviation giant. #9Newspic.twitter.com/yYG6cPTdcM
The potential plea deal comes after repeated safety failures at Boeing that have resulted in multiple federal investigations. The DOJ said in June the safety failures were a breach of the terms of a 2021 agreement in which the company avoided criminal charges for two fatal crashes.
If Boeing agrees to plead guilty, a judge will have to sign off on the deal.
The lawyer who represents 15 families of those killed in the plane crashes called this a “sweetheart deal” and said they will object to it.
U.S. military bases in Europe on alert amid possible terror threat
— Stars and Stripes (@starsandstripes) July 1, 2024
According to the Army, Charlie “applies when an incident occurs or intelligence is received indicating some form of terrorist action or targeting against personnel or facilities is likely.”
One U.S. Official told Fox News that intelligence points to an attack on U.S. bases over the next week or so.
Hurricane Beryl barrels through Caribbean
Hurricane Beryl is now a major Category 3 storm after it picked up power and speed on Sunday, June 30, over the Caribbean. It was previously a Category 4 hurricane, becoming the earlier Cat 4 in the Atlantic on record.
The storm is expected to make landfall in the Windward Islands Monday, July 1, morning. The hurricane’s eye is forecast to track just south of Barbados with 130 mph winds, bringing up to six inches of rain.
And while it’s too soon to know for sure — Beryl, or remnants of the storm, could reach southern Texas by the weekend, bringing heavy rain to the area.
Biles returned to competitive gymnastics last year after withdrawing from the team final and individual all-around at the 2020 Olympics. Biles said she was suffering from the “twisties” — a mental block that causes gymnasts to lose their body position — and taking an extended break to prioritize her mental health.
At 27 years old, the four-time Olympic gold medalist who’s also the most decorated gymnast ever, will be the oldest female American gymnast to compete at the Olympics in 72 years.
400 migrants brought to US by ISIS-affiliated network, 50 still at large: Report
An ISIS-affiliated human smuggling network has facilitated the entry of more than 400 immigrants from Central Asia into the United States, according to government officials who spoke with NBC News. The officials said over 50 of these immigrants are currently at large within the country and their whereabouts are unknown.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has classified these immigrants as “subjects of concern.” Recently, DHS has intensified its scrutiny of migrants originating from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Moldova, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan and Russia, citing ISIS-K’s activity in these countries.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) allowed the 400 immigrants into the country several months ago without realizing their ties to the ISIS-affiliated smuggling network. The migrants were not on the terror watch list upon entry.
More than 150 of the immigrants have been arrested, with some facing deportation. However, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continues to search for over four dozen individuals, intending to apprehend them on immigration charges once their locations are confirmed.
A senior Biden administration official informed NBC News that new evidence linking some of these immigrants to ISIS has prompted officials to exercise caution. The administration aims to mitigate potential risks by using its authority expansively and appropriately.
When asked about the initial report, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas called the reporting “incorrect.”
“We do not have identified 400 people with potential ISIS ties,” Mayorkas said. “And let me again assure you that individuals who are identified to have those ties would pose a concern to us from a public safety and security perspective, and they would be priorities for detention and removal.”
Earlier this month, Straight Arrow News reported that authorities detained eight suspected terrorists with possible ties to ISIS in major U.S. cities. Federal sources said that all eight individuals underwent thorough vetting and were subsequently released into the U.S. after crossing the southern border in 2023 and 2024.
FBI Director Christopher Wray issued a warning to Congress in March, emphasizing the escalating terrorist threats facing the nation.
“I believe the terrorist threat level we’re currently contending with is at a whole other level from the already heightened threat we were seeing even before Oct. 7,” Wray said. “We’ve witnessed a veritable rogue gallery of foreign terrorist organizations calling for attacks against the U.S. in ways we haven’t seen in a long time.”
Biden, Trump campaigns mark 2nd anniversary of Roe v. Wade being overturned
The Biden and Trump campaigns are marking the two-year anniversary of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade. And more than one thousand people are dead while making the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia amid dangerous high temperatures. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Monday, June 24, 2024.
Biden, Trump campaigns mark 2nd anniversary of Roe v. Wade being overturned
Monday, June 24, marks the second anniversary of the Supreme Court overturning the Roe v. Wade decision, ending the constitutional legal right to an abortion. Since that ruling, many states have taken a stance on the issue.
More than 20 states have restricted abortions while over 20 others have expanded access to abortion.
Now, just days away from the first presidential debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, both campaigns are making clear where they stand on the matter.
The Biden campaign is hosting more than 50 events to mark the second anniversary of the Dobbs decision, where the president and his supporters will speak out against the court’s ruling.
Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to participate in two campaign events Monday — one in Arizona and one in Maryland — while second gentleman Doug Emhoff will be part of a rally in Michigan.
Harris has been on the road since January on her “Fight for Reproductive Freedoms” tour in response to the high court’s ruling.
The campaign said the vice president on Monday, June 24, will “remind voters that Donald Trump is responsible for overturning Roe and the chaos that has followed.”
In an interview that on MSNBC, Harris spoke about freedom.
“Every person of whatever gender should understand that, if such a fundamental freedom such as the right to make decisions about your own body can be taken, be aware of what other freedoms may be at stake,” the vice president said.
Former President Trump, meanwhile, spoke on the topic during his keynote address at the Faith and Freedom Coalition’s conference in Washington on June 22. He thanked his nominees to the Supreme Court for showing “wisdom” and “courage” on their decision two years ago.
Trump reiterated his stance that the issue should be left for the states to decide.
“And we did something that was amazing,” Trump said. “The big problem was it was caught up in the federal government. But the people will decide and that’s the way it should be. The people are now deciding, and some states are a little bit more conservative, and some states are much more liberal.”
Also Monday, a three-day hearing continues in Florida as the federal judge presiding over Trump’s classified documents case will hear arguments on whether the former president should be barred from making public comments that prosecutors say pose a threat to FBI agents working the investigation.
Netanyahu says “intense fighting” in Gaza will soon end
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says “intense fighting” in Gaza could soon come to an end, but the war is far from over. In his first interview with Israeli media since the war with Hamas started on Oct. 7, Netanyahu said Sunday, June 23, he’s ready to make “a partial deal” with Hamas to return some hostages still being held captive in Gaza, but the war will not be over until Hamas is eliminated.
He also said that once the intense fighting in Gaza winds down, Israel will be able to focus more on its northern border with Lebanon, where fighting with the Iran-backed group Hezbollah is escalating.
Netanyahu’s interview came just as eight people were killed Sunday in an Israeli airstrike on a “training college” in Gaza City being used to distribute aid. It was formerly the headquarters for a United Nations agency.
The Israeli military said the site has been used by Hamas and Islamic jihad militants and precautionary measures were taken before the strike to reduce the risk of harming civilians.
Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant arrived in Washington Sunday, June 23, for meetings with officials as Netanyahu appeared to double down on recent claims the U.S. is withholding weapons meant to be delivered to Israel.
“Since the beginning of the war, the U.S. has supplied us with very important support both in spirit and materially, with defensive and offensive means,” Netanyahu said. “But since about four months ago, there has been a dramatic decline in arms supplies from the U.S. to Israel. Over long weeks we have turned to our American friends with a request to speed up deliveries. We did it time and again, we did it with higher officials and other ranking officials and I would like to emphasize — we did it behind closed doors. We got various explanations but one thing we did not get: the basic state of affairs did not change. Some items came dripping in, but the great mass of arms was left behind.”
The Biden administration has denied Netanyahu’s claims.
In May, the administration did pause a shipment of bombs over concerns about their impact if used in densely populated areas of Gaza, but Israel was still due to get billions of dollars’ worth of U.S. weaponry.
At least 19 killed in attacks on places of worship in Russia
A synagogue, an Orthodox church and police checkpoints were targeted by gunmen in a coordinated series of attacks in Russia’s southernmost Dagestan province on Sunday night. At least 15 police officers were killed, as well as four civilians, including an Orthodox priest.
Local officials said at least six “militants” were also killed following the attacks.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks yet, but they come three months after an ISIS affiliate said it carried out an attack at a music hall in Moscow that left more than 140 people dead.
Meanwhile, Russia is blaming the U.S. for a deadly Ukrainian strike on a strategic port in occupied Crimea on Sunday. The strike left at least four people dead and more than 150 injured in one of the biggest attacks on the Russian-annexed peninsula in recent months.
Russian officials say Ukraine used weapons provided by the U.S. to carry out the strike.
Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 and considers it part of the country, though it remains internationally recognized as Ukrainian territory.
1,300 people die during Hajj pilgrimage amid high temps
People are experiencing extreme weather across the globe — including dangerous heat, which is taking a major toll in the Middle East at a time millions are visiting for a sacred religious journey for Muslims known as “Hajj pilgrimage.” More than 1,000 people have died during this year’s pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia as temperatures reached 120 degrees.
Saudi officials said 83% of those who died were “unauthorized pilgrims” who walked long distances without adequate shelter. Egypt revoked the licenses of 16 travel agencies accused of helping the unauthorized visitors.
Among the 1.8 million people who were authorized was a couple from Maryland, who reportedly died on the journey from heat stroke. Their daughter told CNN her parents had saved up their life savings to make the pilgrimage.
In the U.S., a heat dome is impacting 100 million people across 27 states — with high temperature alerts from Los Angeles to New York City.
Washington D.C. and Baltimore hit the 100-degree mark this past weekend for the first time in over a decade.
Meanwhile, severe flooding from heavy rainfall is the concern in the upper Midwest, with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, R, declaring a disaster emergency for over 20 counties. More than 300 water rescues have been reported and nearly 2,000 properties damaged. Reynolds said “the devastation is severe and widespread.”
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, R, also declared a statewide emergency and confirmed one person was killed in the floods. Noem said the worst of the flooding is expected to come Monday, June 24, and Tuesday, June 25.
Apple first company accused of breaking new European tech law
European Union regulators are accusing Apple of breaking new rules on digital competition by preventing app developers from pointing users to cheaper options than Apple’s app store. The European Commission said preliminary findings of its investigation show Apple breached the Digital Markets Act (DMA) — a law passed in 2022 that took effect in March.
Apple is the first company to be charged for violating the DMA.
Apple now has a chance to respond to the findings, which the commission will assess. It must make a final decision on Apple’s compliance by March 2025.
Apple could face fines worth up to 10% of its global revenue.
Climate activists spray smoke, powder at PGA tournament
Climate activists previously spray painted Taylor Swift’s private jets and Stonehenge to protest the use of fossil fuels. Now, another group of protesters set out to get their message heard by disrupting a golf tournament.
Climate activists stormed the 18th green at the PGA Tour’s Traveler Championship in Connecticut on Sunday.
Blumenthal, Graham introduce bill making Russia state sponsor of terrorism
Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., introduced a bill that would require the Biden administration to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terror. It is the duo’s second attempt at pushing this through Congress. The senators first tried in May 2022 with a resolution that urged the secretary of state to make the designation but did not mandate it.
“Russia deserves to be in this small, selective club of atrocity committing killers,” Blumenthal said.
The senators raised the stakes in the wake of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to North Korea. On that trip, Putin signed a military defense agreement with the country’s dictator Kim Jong Un.
”Signing a military partnership hostile to the United States, hostile to peace and liberty and justice around the world,” Blumenthal said, explaining why he believes the measure is so urgent.
If signed into law, the bill would restrict Russia’s sovereign immunity in the U.S. court system and increase penalties for evading sanctions. Countries on the list are also banned from defense exports and sales.
In addition, the list implements restrictions on dual-use items with civilian or military applications, like global positioning satellites, night vision technology and nuclear technology.
“I don’t think we’re being provocative by labeling Putin a state sponsor of terrorism, I think we’re being rational. I think the designation is earned,” Graham said. “It would matter.”
The senators do not have a timeline for getting this bill approved. They hope to get it through committee and the normal legislative process. However, they said they are prepared to ask for unanimous consent to get it passed on an expedited basis if necessary.
“I don’t even need to go into the classified briefings that we’ve received to tell you how frightening the idea is that Russia would be lending its nuclear expertise to North Korea,” Blumenthal said.
The senators said they do not know how much support the bill would receive in the House.
Graham likened a failure to stand up to Putin now to those who went along with Hitler’s expansion of German territory in the 1930s.
British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, French Premier Edouard Daladier, German Chancellor Adolf Hitler, Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini, and the Italian Foreign Minister, Count Galeazzo Ciano, meet in Munich in October 1938. Credit: Getty Images.
“If you give Russia a pass here, given all Putin has done, then we’ve lost deterrence,” Graham said.
The four countries currently designated as state sponsors of terror are Cuba, North Korea, Iran and Syria. The senators contend Russia deserves to join their ranks for the war crimes committed against Ukraine.
8 suspected terrorists with ties to ISIS detained after crossing US border
Authorities have detained eight suspected terrorists with possible ties to ISIS in a coordinated operation across major U.S. cities. Federal sources revealed that all eight individuals were “fully vetted and released into the U.S.” after crossing the southern border in 2023 and 2024.
Deportation efforts underway
Efforts are now underway to deport the detained suspects. However, authorities told ABC News that they currently lack sufficient evidence to bring terrorism charges against them.
Wiretap reveals bomb-related discussions
The investigation, jointly conducted by the FBI and ICE, featured a wiretap that captured one of the suspected terrorists discussing bombs. The New York Post first broke the story, and NBC reported that at least one of those arrested entered the U.S. using the CBP One App which allows migrants to make appointments for asylum-seeking purposes.
Origin and ISIS connection
The eight arrested individuals are originally from Tajikistan. Notably, it was ISIS members from the same country who carried out a deadly attack on a concert hall in Russia last March, resulting in the loss of 145 lives.
FBI director’s concerns
FBI Director Christopher Wray has repeatedly emphasized the heightened threat of domestic terrorism in the U.S. He warned last year that a terror attack could occur on American soil. Recent events have only intensified these concerns.
“I touched on this earlier, but there was already a heightened risk of violence in the United States before Oct. 7,” Wray said. “Since then, we’ve seen a rogue’s gallery of foreign terrorist organizations call for attacks against Americans and our allies. And given those calls for action, our most immediate concern has been that individuals or small groups will draw twisted inspiration from the events in the Middle East to carry out attacks here at home. But now, on top of that, increasingly concerning is the potential for a coordinated attack here in the homeland, not unlike the ISIS-K attack we saw at the Russia concert hall back in March.”
With Gaza wrapping up, Israel prepares for fight with Hezbollah
Israel’s military campaign against Hamas in Gaza could be wrapped up in a matter of weeks. The Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) campaign against Hezbollah, however, may just be getting started.
Whenever people talk about conflict or wars in the Middle East, it’s always hard to boil down thousands of years of history into a news story. So, let’s just focus on some of the more recent events which have led to this moment.
On Oct. 8, 2023, a day after Hamas terrorists swarmed southern Israel, killing hundreds and kidnapping dozens, Hezbollah increased its daily barrage of rocket, missile and mortar strikes on northern Israel. Hezbollah stated this was a signal of solidarity with Hamas, its fellow Iranian-backed allies.
Thousands of people were evacuated from northern Israel due to these strikes, forced out of their homes for months. Hezbollah’s attacks also ignited wildfires, scorching fields and homes. Israel typically responds with targeted strikes against Hezbollah’s weapons caches, command posts and, when known, Hezbollah’s leadership.
“This is a dynamic that could ultimately result in a massive burst spinning out of control,” said Avi Melamed, a former Israeli intelligence officer and negotiator during the First and Second Intifadas.
Now a political adviser and author, Melamed noted that neither Israel nor Hezbollah wants an all-out war, but both sides are bracing for that outcome.
“The dynamic of this endless, never-ceasing, skirmish of punches almost every day since Oct. 8 — that all has its own dynamic, resulting in more and more escalation,” Melamed said. “There has been, clearly, red lines that both sides were very cautious, cautious and careful not to cross. But then on the other hand, you may find, for different reasons, you find yourself dragged into a whirlpool of dynamics that basically could result in a slippery-slope towards spinning out of control. A process that could result, at the end of the day, in all-out war.”
Melamed described Hezbollah as Iran’s favorite terrorist proxy, receiving hundreds of millions of dollars annually in financial and military support. This support has enabled Hezbollah to oust Lebanon’s internationally recognized government, turning the country into a failed state.
“The Lebanese themselves are saying openly, ‘We are kidnapped by Hezbollah and we are powerless to change the situation,’” Melamed said.
He explained that Iran needs a strong proxy in Lebanon for two main reasons. First, so Iran can tighten its grip on the country, securing a foothold along the Mediterranean coast and a staging ground to launch attacks against Israel.
“The other objective of Hezbollah is to be a counterpart of deterrence against any attempt of Israel, or the West, to attack Iran’s strategic interests,” Melamed added.
Hezbollah, Hamas and other Iranian proxies form the so-called Axis of Resistance. Melamed emphasized that this Axis is committed to the destruction of Israel, willing to put innocent people in harm’s way to achieve their goal.
“In the Western thought, you are not going to eliminate somebody else,” Melamed said. “You may have a dispute, but you don’t vow to eliminate somebody else. In the Western mindset the government’s role, first and foremost, is to take care of the well-being of its people. Not to sacrifice these people to the agenda, on the altar of whatever the agenda is. These are two things that the Western mind failed to understand. Because it’s totally alien to the mindset of the West. But it has to be said. It has to be understood,”
As of publication, both Israel and Hezbollah appear poised to engage in a major conflict, the scale of which hasn’t been seen in southern Lebanon since the 2006 Israeli invasion. Melamed warned that Iran and its Axis of Resistance are patient, committed, well-funded and increasingly well-armed. To defeat Iran and its Axis, he said, their notion of “resistance” must be defeated as well.
“They are not going to compromise their ideology and understanding that they are working according to a long-term master plan,” Melamed said. “That master plan keeps, all the time, their eye on the target. It may have some diversions. It may have some slow-downs, but they have their eyes fixed on the target. Those who want to prevent this path, need to be willing to act proactively, decisively to totally change that path. Now, there are potentially two ways to do it. One is a non-violent way and the other one is violent. The non-violent way is not working.”
Argentina asks to join NATO as Milei looks to enhance security, strengthen ties
Argentina’s controversial populist President Javier Milei wants his country to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The move is an effort to enhance political and security cooperation. Milei’s government is looking to tighten relations with Western powers and attract investment in Argentina.
Argentina’s request came during talks on Thursday, April 18, in Brussels between NATO’s deputy secretary and the Argentine defense minister. The deputy defense secretary welcomed Argentina’s bid to become a global partner. He said that the cooperation could be mutually beneficial.
NATO only has 32 member countries but has relations with more than 40 non-member global partners. The partnership network enhances security outside of NATO territory. However, those 40 countries do not benefit from NATO’s core principle: “The commitment to collective defense.” Neither NATO nor Argentina would be obligated to militarily defend each other.
All 32 NATO members would still need to approve Argentina’s partnership. One holdup could be Argentina’s contentious relationship with Britain. Argentina’s strained relationship with key NATO ally Britain started during the Falklands War in 1982. Britain currently maintains control over the island.
The issue of sovereignty over the Falkland Islands poses a challenge for Milei. He is working to strike a balance between diplomacy and territorial claims as he seeks to boost trade with Britain.
If Argentina were to be accepted as a partner nation, it could use advanced technology, security systems and training offered by NATO.
In additions to joining NATO as a partner, Milei has adjusted his foreign policy to one of “almost unconditional support” for the United States. Milei is currently fighting to bring Argentina back to economic prominence and fix its national debt and overspending.
FBI: Idaho teen inspired by ISIS arrested, planned to target local churches
The Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested an Idaho teen on Saturday, April 6, who the agency said had been planning an ISIS-inspired terror attack on churches in his hometown in northern Idaho. Prosecutors said 18-year-old Alexander Mercurio detailed how he would kill churchgoers on Sunday, April 14.
The FBI said Mercurio told a confidential informant that he wanted to hit all 21 churches in the area using knives, guns and fire. Mercurio reportedly told the source that he pledged allegiance to ISIS and had provided material support to the terrorist organization.
To carry out his plot, investigators said Mercurio planned to first immobilize his father with a metal pipe then take his firearms and head to local church. Mercurio’s target date for the attack was reportedly on Sunday, April 7. According to investigators, Mercurio was timing the attack to coincide with the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Officers said they found an ISIS flag, butane canisters, handcuffs, a knife, a pipe, a machete and several guns belonging to Mercurio’s father at his house.
The FBI reports it first learned of Mercurio during an investigation into a fundraising network using cryptocurrency and other platforms to support ISIS in Syria and its Afghan affiliate, ISIS-K.
In addition, the FBI said that Mercurio along with three others, who were not identified, financially supported someone only known as “Individual 2” in Gaza.
FBI Director Christopher Wray called Mercurio’s plot “a truly horrific plan.” If convicted, Mercurio faces up to 20 years in prison.
The latest arrest comes after a joint intelligence bulletin warning of possible threats to public gatherings in the United States. It specifically mentioned “lone wolf extremists” inspired by ISIS-K’s attack at a Moscow concert hall, which killed at least 144 people.
An official statement from ISIS-K said that the group planned attacks similar to those in Moscow in the U.S. In March, Wray said that since the start of Israel’s war in Gaza on Oct. 7, the terrorism threat has reached a “whole other level” in the United States.
