Yesterday President Trump took heat from U.S. and international media for calling the attempted London bomber a terrorist, identifying the “loser” and saying he was “in the sights” of law enforcement:
The media went bonzo: […] “ Mr. Trump’s assertion that the assailants had been known to Scotland Yard angered Prime Minister Theresa May, who said it was not helpful for anyone to speculate while an investigation was underway.” (New York Times)
Well, today:
(Via Daily Mail) The suspected Parsons Green bomber was a ‘problematic foster child’ who was allegedly arrested two weeks ago near to where the attack took place before being freed.
Police are searching a house in Sunbury-on-Thames after the 18-year-old, who could have been an asylum seeker, was detained in the port of Dover earlier today while apparently attempting to leave the country.
NOTE: I am posting this for Sundance, who is very busy at the moment. He wrote this last year on September 11. (signed) Stella
I hope he will rejoin us at any moment!
To honor the memory of those lost on September 11th/12th 2012:
The Benghazi Brief
The “Benghazi Brief” remains the most controversial research report we have ever produced. The brief contains over two years of research and hundreds of very specific factual citations supporting it. Two years after it was originally written, and not a single aspect outlined within the brief has ever been identified as inaccurate. (more…)
Hypocrisy, thy name is…. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is facing an election challenge. In 2014 German Chancellor Angela Merkel told the world that German’s borders were open and welcoming to Islamic refugees from the Middle East. Hundreds of thousands of Muslim males aged 18 to 34 took her up on her offer.
Terrorism necessarily skyrocketed throughout Germany and Western Europe in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Today German Chancellor Angela Merkel is saying Germany’s borders must be protected.
(Via Irish Times) With a month to election day, German chancellor Angela Merkel has ramped up her refugee-critical rhetoric in a bid to pull back far-right voters, boost her Bavarian allies and win over a record number of undecideds.
The chancellor used weekend interviews and rallies to stand by her 2015 decision that saw almost one million asylum seekers arrive in the country. She said she would decide the same way again, but insisted that events of 2015 “must not be repeated”. Aware of huge public unease over the refugee crisis, and related terror attacks since, she signalled Germany would demand an extension of border checks on the border with Austria, a Schengen suspension requiring EU approval.
Tonight from Fort Myer, Virginia, President Trump is scheduled to address the nation and outline his administration’s national security policy toward the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan, and larger regional issues.
The national speech will be covered by most cable news outlets and is scheduled for 9:00pm EDT. RSBN Livestream link – Fox10 Livestream Link – Alternate Livestream Link
Breaking and Ongoing – In a second related terrorist incident approximately 70 miles south of Barcelona, another terrorist cell -or additional members from the originating cell- in the coastal town of Cambrils Spain has been confronted by police.
According to most recent reporting (See Reuters) at least six civillians have been injured and up to four jihadists shot and killed. Catalan police believe attackers killed in Spain’s Cambrils are linked to the earlier attack in Barcelona and an explosion in Alcanar Spain the prior evening.
(Via Daily Mail) […] The terrorists, who police say were attempting to carry out a fresh attack, were reported to have explosives strapped around their waists when they were gunned down. One of them has been arrested.
Reports suggested the group had attempted to carry out a similar attack to that in Barcelona by driving a van at pedestrians but their vehicle overturned and they were shot by officers.
Jihadists have used vehicles to mow down their victims in numerous terrorist attacks in Europe. The London Bridge Attack in the U.K, and the attack in Nice, France as well as the Berlin, Germany Christmas Market attack are three high-profile recent examples.
However, after today’s terrorist attack in Barcelona Spain using the same approach of vehicles as weapons, CNN has discovered the real source of inspiration for using cars and trucks for Islamic terrorism.
According to CNN reporter Jim Scuitto and CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer, the terrorist attack today in Barcelona was the result of a copy-cat from,… wait for it,… yep, Charlottesville Virginia. No, seriously; I’m.Not.Kidding. WATCH:
At least 13 people have been killed and dozens injured after a van in Barcelona Spain ploughed into pedestrians in a busy tourist street. The attack happened in the area around Las Ramblas, a busy shopping and business promenade in the center of the city. Local and national media are reporting that one suspect named Driss Oukabir, apparently from Morocco, has been arrested. A second suspect was been killed after a shootout on the outskirts of the city with police. It remains unclear how many attackers were involved in the incident, which is being treated by police as a terrorist attack.
Horrific footage recorded at the scene shows dozens of victims lying injured on the pavement. Police have confirmed that at least 64 people are hurt. Catalonia’s interior minister Joaquim Forn stated it is ‘very possible’ the number of dead will rise because of the ‘very serious’ wounds to victims. (more…)
UPDATE: After popular request, I finally received a copy of “the map” McGurk is using and added it to the transcript to make it easier. /SD
Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS Brett McGurk follows up on the “around the globe” update speech delivered by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. With this update McGurk explains the current status of the D-ISIS campaign in Syria and Iraq. (additional emphasis regionally) WATCH:
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[Transcript] MS NAUERT: Good to see you back. I know, it’s Friday late in the day, summertime. So you all get good camper awards for coming in today. Thank you so much for being here on this Friday. We have our Special Presidential Envoy to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, Brett McGurk, who’s here with us. I know you heard from Brett just a couple weeks ago at the end of the ISIS – D-ISIS coalition meeting here in Washington. And so Brett wanted to come in today to provide you all with an update as to where things stand in the campaign.
So without further ado, Brett’s here with that. MR MCGURK: Thank you. Okay, thanks everybody for coming. I thought what I’d do today – you heard from the Secretary for a kind of trip around the world six months in here since he arrived about everything going on in the world and the activity here at the State Department. And what I thought I’d do is drill in a little bit more on what he discussed about the very important – one of our key priorities here at the department, about the campaign against ISIS. (more…)
Dangerous/Sketchy – An Inspector General investigation into a military recruitment program for non-Americans with foreign language skills has resulted in a dangerous level of foreign infiltration by potential terrorists. Some of the dangerous recruits, potentially terrorists, are now “missing” and “unaccounted for”.
“The program has been replete with problems, to include foreign infiltration.”
(Via Fox News)Defense Department investigators have discovered “potential security risks” in a Pentagon program that has enrolled more than 10,000foreign-born individuals into the U.S. armed forces since 2009, Fox News has learned exclusively, with sources on Capitol Hill and at the Pentagon expressing alarm over “foreign infiltration” and enrollees now unaccounted for.
After more than a year of investigation, the Pentagon’s inspector general recently issued a report – its contents still classified but its existence disclosed here for the first time – identifying serious problems with Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest (MAVNI), a DOD program that provides immigrants and non-immigrant aliens with an expedited path to citizenship in exchange for military service.
Defense Department officials said the program is still active but acknowledged that new applications have been suspended. (more…)
Today Secretary of State Rex Tillerson highlighted events over the past six months. T-Rex takes another stroll around the globe discussing regional policy, specific state policy, and ongoing challenges. Secretary Tillerson then takes questions from the media at the conclusion of his remarks.
Very informative. Very well worth watching (T-Rex Begins at 03:40):
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[*Note* We’ll capture and share transcript as soon as possible.] (more…)
