“Hackers stole data belonging to multiple electric utilities in an October
ransomware attack on a US government contractor that handles critical
infrastructure projects across the country, according to a memo describing the
hack obtained by CNN. Federal officials have closely monitored the incident for
any potential broader impact on the US power sector while private investigators
have combed the dark web for the stolen data, according to the memo sent this
month to power company executives by the North American grid regulator’s
cyberthreat sharing center. The previously unreported incident is a window into
how ransomware attacks on critical US companies are handled behind the scenes
as lawyers and federal investigators quietly spring into action to determine
the extent of the damage. The ransomware attack hit Chicago-based Sargent &
Lundy, an engineering firm that has designed more than 900 power stations and
thousands of miles of power systems and that holds sensitive data on those
projects. The firm also handles nuclear security issues, working with the
departments of Defense, Energy and other agencies “to strengthen nuclear
deterrence” and keep weapons of mass destruction out of terrorists’ hands,
according to its website. Two people familiar with the investigation of the
Sargent & Lundy hack told CNN that the incident was contained and remediated,
and didn’t appear to have a broader impact on other power-sector firms.”











<[link removed]>
<[link removed]>



Eye on Extremism


December 28, 2022



**NOTE: CEP’s Eye On Extremism will be suspended December 29 thru January 2 in
observance of the holidays. It will resume Tuesday, January 3.**



CNN: Hackers Stole Data From Multiple Electric Utilities In Recent Ransomware
Attack
<[link removed]>



“Hackers stole data belonging to multiple electric utilities in an October
ransomware attack on a US government contractor that handles critical
infrastructure projects across the country, according to a memo describing the
hack obtained by CNN. Federal officials have closely monitored the incident for
any potential broader impact on the US power sector while private investigators
have combed the dark web for the stolen data, according to the memo sent this
month to power company executives by the North American grid regulator’s
cyberthreat sharing center. The previously unreported incident is a window into
how ransomware attacks on critical US companies are handled behind the scenes
as lawyers and federal investigators quietly spring into action to determine
the extent of the damage. The ransomware attack hit Chicago-based Sargent &
Lundy, an engineering firm that has designed more than 900 power stations and
thousands of miles of power systems and that holds sensitive data on those
projects. The firm also handles nuclear security issues, working with the
departments of Defense, Energy and other agencies “to strengthen nuclear
deterrence” and keep weapons of mass destruction out of terrorists’ hands,
according to its website. Two people familiar with the investigation of the
Sargent & Lundy hack told CNN that the incident was contained and remediated,
and didn’t appear to have a broader impact on other power-sector firms.”



Fox News: Israel Police Announced Arrest Of ISIS-Linked Suspect In Bus Station
Terror Bombings
<[link removed]>



“Israeli Police on Tuesday announced the arrest of a suspect believed to be
responsible for two bus station bombings that killed two people and injured
more than 20 others last month, including two Americans. A joint investigation
by Israeli Police, security forces, and the Israeli Defense Forces led to the
arrest of 26-year-old Aslam Faruch, a Palestinian resident of East Jerusalem.
Police said the suspect harbors a Salafi-jihadist ideology that is linked to
the terrorist organization ISIS. Faruch, a mechanical engineer by training, is
accused of orchestrating the attacks that occurred on Nov. 23, when bags laced
with explosives were detonated remotely at two bus stations, according to
Israeli Police. The bombings were condemned by global leaders, and U.S.
Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides called the explosions "cowardly terrorist
attacks." Two Israeli citizens, Tadasa Tashume Ben Ma’ada and Arye Shechopek,
were killed in the blasts.”



Syria



The National: West Warned Of Potential ISIS Return Next Year
<[link removed]>



“ISIS continues to pose a significant threat almost four years after its last
holdouts in Syria were defeated, according to experts. They also warned the
terror cell is far from extinct and will seek to bring 10,000 of its fighters
from Syrian prisons and detention camps next year. At its strongest point, the
terror group controlled a third of Syria and 40 per cent of Iraq, following its
rise in mid-2014. But the success of the US coalition in ousting the group from
towns and cities, including its capital Raqqa in Syria, meant that by March
2019 its physical caliphate had fallen. Dr Shiraz Maher, director of the
International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and a member of the war
studies department at King's College London, said such a plot would pose the
“single greatest security threat to the West”. “Blink and you'll miss it and
suddenly ISIS will be back,” he told Sky News. There are fears that a possible
ground offensive by Turkey in Syria could provide the perfect environment for
ISIS to once again take control of vast swathes of territory. Matthew Henman, a
terror expert at intelligence firm Janes, told Sky News that ISIS “has
maintained a steady tempo of insurgent violence” since being stripped of its
land. The Islamic State in Khorasan Province, an affiliate of ISIS, has
increased its attacks since the Taliban regained power in summer 2021.”



Reuters: Islamic State Attack In Syria's Raqqa Kills 6 Kurdish Security Forces
– Official
<[link removed]>



“Six Kurdish-led security force members were killed in an Islamic State
suicide attack on Monday on a security forces centre in Syria's Raqqa, the
chief of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, Mazloum Abdi, wrote on
Twitter. One suicide bomber was killed and another detained, Farhad Shami, head
of the SDF's media centre, said. Islamic State took over vast swathes of Iraq
and Syria in 2014, including Raqqa which was its main seat of power, but since
losing its last significant piece of territory in Syria in 2019 it has resorted
to guerrilla attacks. Its remaining thousands of militants have in recent years
mostly hid out in remote hinterlands though they are still capable of carrying
out insurgent-style attacks. A major IS attack on the SDF-run al-Sina'a prison
in the northeastern Syrian city of Hasaka in January left some 500 people dead,
including 374 people linked to ISIS and dozens of SDF fighters and prison
staff, the SDF said.”



Afghanistan



Radio Free Europe: Islamic State Claims Attack That Killed Taliban Police
Chief In Badakhshan
<[link removed]>



“The Islamic State (IS) militant group has claimed responsibility for an
attack that killed a key Taliban security official on December 26 in the
northern Afghan province of Badakhshan. Regional security chief Abdulhaq Abu
Omar and two others were killed in a car-bomb attack that took place near the
regional police headquarters in Faizabad, the province's capital and largest
city, according to the Taliban's acting Interior Ministry. Badakhshan Province
is bordered by Tajikistan to the north, China to the east, and Pakistan in the
southeast. The ministry's spokesman, Abdul Nafi Takur, told RFE/RL that four
suspects had been arrested in connection with the incident, which he said was
carried out using a vehicle fitted with a mine in a high-speed attack.
According to a statement released by the IS mouthpiece Amaq, militants had
closely monitored Omar's movements before carrying out the attack. Omar is
believed to be the highest-ranking Taliban security official slain since the
hard-line Islamist group returned to power in August 2021 following the
withdrawal of the U.S.-led international forces from Afghanistan. The
Taliban-led government has dealt with a constant stream of violence since
returning to power. Some attacks, including in Afghanistan's north, have been
attributed to the IS affiliate Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K).”



Reuters: U.N. Security Council Denounces Taliban Bans On Women In Afghanistan
<[link removed]>



“The U.N. Security Council on Tuesday called for the full, equal and
meaningful participation of women and girls in Afghanistan, denouncing a ban by
the Taliban-led administration on women attending universities or working for
humanitarian aid groups. In a statement agreed by consensus, the 15-member
council said the ban on women and girls attending high school and universities
in Afghanistan "represents an increasing erosion for the respect of human
rights and fundamental freedoms." U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said
on Twitter on Tuesday that the restrictions were "unjustifiable human rights
violations and must be revoked." He added: "Actions to exclude and silence
women and girls continue to cause immense suffering and major setbacks to the
potential of the Afghan people." The university ban on women was announced as
the Security Council in New York met on Afghanistan last week. Girls have been
banned from high school since March.”



Pakistan



Associated Press: Pakistan Arrests Suspects Linked To Bombing In Islamabad
<[link removed]>



“Authorities arrested five people suspected of involvement in last week's
suicide car bombing that killed a police officer in the capital of Islamabad,
Pakistan's interior minister said Tuesday. Rana Sanaullah Khan made the
announcement on Twitter, saying the detainees included the suicide bomber's
handler. He said the attacker arrived in the garrison city of Rawalpindi from a
former tribal area of Kurram. Khan did not disclose the identity of the
detainees and no spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban, which had claimed
responsibility for the attack, was immediately available for comment.
Initially, police and the government said the slain driver of the weaponized
vehicle was also a suspect. But later, a probe into the attack concluded he was
innocent as he did not know that militants were traveling in his car. Several
civilians and three police were also wounded in Friday's bombing.
Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan leaders and fighters have been hiding in neighboring
Afghanistan. The Pakistani Taliban are separate but allied with the Afghan
Taliban, who seized power in neighboring Afghanistan last year as U.S. and NATO
troops withdrew after 20 years of war.”



The Independent: Potential Terror Threat In Pakistan Hotel Prompts Many
Countries To Issue Travel Warning
<[link removed]>



“The threat of a possible terror attack on Pakistan capital Islamabad’s
Marriott hotel has led to a number of countries issuing a warning to citizens
from travelling there. Saudi Arabia has joined the US, UK and Australia in
releasing a travel advisory warning citizens against going to Pakistan. The Joe
Biden administration had earlier on Sunday issued a red alert prohibiting US
government staff from visiting Islamabad’s Marriott Hotel and banned all public
gatherings. A statement by the US embassy in Pakistan said there was
information “that unknown individuals are possibly plotting to attack Americans
at the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad sometime during the holidays”. “Effective
immediately, the Embassy in Islamabad is prohibiting all American staff from
visiting Islamabad’s Marriott Hotel,” it said. The embassy also urged all
mission personnel to refrain from non-essential and unofficial travel in
Islamabad throughout the holiday season. A day later, Saudi Arabia’s embassy in
Islamabad tweeted a statement urging citizens residing and visiting Pakistan
“to take caution and not go out except for necessity, given that the
authorities in the capital, Islamabad, have raised the security alert to the
highest level”. Last week, a suicide bombing killed one policeman and injured
six people in Islamabad in an attack by Pakistan’s Taliban arm.”



Middle East



i24NEWS: West Bank: 16 Arrested By Israeli Forces During Anti-Terrorism
Operation
<[link removed]>



“The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Shin Bet internal security services and
Border Police soldiers arrested 16 wanted people across the West Bank during a
counterterrorism operation overnight Monday to Tuesday. The troops operated in
several places in the West Bank including, among others, the villages of
Almaniya and Ad-Dhahiriya. In the city of Nablus, six wanted persons suspected
of being involved in terrorist activities were arrested. During the operation,
gunmen fired on IDF forces, causing no casualties. During an operation in the
village of Jeva in the area of the regional division of Menasha, the fighters
arrested two other wanted people and confiscated two “Carlo” type weapons.
Additionally, IDF soldiers arrested six wanted men in the villages of Silwad,
A-Ram and Bitin in the Binyamin Regional Division area. At the same time, IDF
forces operated in the village of El Khader in the Etzion Brigade area, then
arrested two wanted people and confiscated explosives in the village of Bid
Faluh. An “Airsoft” pistol and an IDF uniform were also located. In addition,
the fighters operated in the village of Yatta in the area of the regional
division of Yehuda and confiscated ammunition. No casualties to Israeli forces
were reported during the overnight activities, which are part of the larger
“Break the Wave” operation which has featured nightly counterterrorism raids
throughout the year.”



Nigeria



All Africa: Nigeria: Terrorists Kill 32 Persons, Release 200 Others Kidnapped
From Zamfara Community - Traditional Ruler
<[link removed]>



“At least 32 out of the over 200 people kidnapped from the Randa Community in
Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State have been killed by their
abductors. A traditional leader in Mutumji Community, Abdulkadir Abdullahi,
disclosed this to PREMIUM TIMES Monday evening. Mr Abdullahi also said about
200 others hostages were released after a ransom was paid. PREMIUM TIMES
reported how terrorists loyal to notorious terror kingpin, Lawalli Damina,
kidnapped the entire male residents of the Randa community over missing rifles.
They were abducted after they denied knowledge of the whereabouts of two rifles
that allegedly went missing in the community. The rifles were said to belong to
two fighters of the terror kingpin who were killed by another gang member after
they clashed over a girl in the community. Randa, which is under Mutumji ward,
is in the Dansadau Emirate and sits at the edge of Kuyanbana forest in the
ungoverned boundaries with Katsina, Kaduna, Kebbi and Niger states. A
traditional leader in Mutumji, Abdulkadir Abdullahi, told PREMIUM TIMES late
Monday that the residents were released late Sunday after they agreed to pay
N30 million as ransom to the terrorist groups. However, Mr Abdullahi said N6
million was paid to the terrorists while the N24 million outstanding balance
would be paid later following the release of the hostages as agreed by both
parties.”



Africa



Al Jazeera: Ten Civilians Killed In Burkina Faso After Bus Hits Landmine
<[link removed]>



“Ten people have been killed and several injured when their bus hit a
roadside bomb in eastern Burkina Faso, the country’s government said on Monday.
The bus was travelling from the market town of Fada N’Gourma, about 220km (136
miles) from the capital Ouagadougou, to the border town of Kantchari near
neighbouring Niger. The vehicle was travelling near the village of Bougui on
Sunday afternoon when it hit a mine, Colonel Hubert Yameogo, the regional
governor, said in a statement. The injured were taken to the hospital in Fada
N’Gourma, the main town in the east, and the rest of the passengers on the bus
disappeared, Yameogo said. The government is restoring security to the area and
trying to locate the missing passengers. No one has claimed responsibility, but
the attack occurred in an area where the government is battling fighters linked
to al-Qaeda in North Africa, and ISIL (ISIS). Violence linked to al-Qaeda and
ISIL has racked the country for more than six years, killing thousands and
displacing nearly two million people. The government’s inability to stem the
attacks led to two coups this year with each military leader promising to make
security a priority. However, attacks are continuing and swaths of land are
being cut off by armed groups. The east and Sahel regions have been some of the
hardest hit parts of the country, with towns besieged by rebels who prevent
civilians from moving freely.”



France



AFP: Paris Attack Puts Spotlight On The Kurdish Question
<[link removed]>



“The deadly attack on Kurds in Paris last week has highlighted the long
plight of the non-Arab ethnic group of between 25 and 35 million people who
remain stateless. The Kurds inhabit largely mountainous regions across
southeastern Turkey through northern Syria and Iraq to central Iran. They are
often described as the world's largest people without a state. Many have been
internally displaced in the Middle East because of decades of bitter conflicts,
while others have been forced to flee persecution to the West, especially
Western Europe. After three Kurds were shot dead and three others injured on
Friday in the 10th district of Paris, home to a large Kurdish population, the
community is once again fearful. The shooting has deepened raw wounds, coming
less than 10 years after three Kurdish women activists were gunned down in the
same area. The community's anger has spilled over with protests and tribute
rallies to the victims where demonstrators have chanted: “Our martyrs do not
die” in Kurdish and demanded “truth and justice”. The community wants justice
for the 2013 unsolved murder of three activists who belonged to the Kurdistan
Workers' Party (PKK), proscribed by Turkey and its Western allies as a
“terrorist” organisation.”



The Counter Extremism Project depends on the generosity of its supporters. If
you value what we do, please consider making a donation.

DONATE NOW
<[link removed]>




Click here to unsubscribe.
<[link removed]>