Manhattan explosion injures dozens of people

An explosion was reported in Manhattan at approximately 8:30 pm (local time), which injured at least 25 people. FDNY stated that the explosion occurred at 135 West 23rd Street in the Chelsea area of Manhattan. The NYPD Counter Terrorism unit is investigating the explosion and the injured have been taken to area hospitals.  Initial reports indicate that the explosion may […]

NYPD’s Intelligence Division: answering the terrorism challenge post 9/11

The Deep Undercover Program

The Intelligence Division Undercover [UC] Program is arguably the most unique in the world. It consisted of young officers – typically 22-26 years old – almost all born abroad or first generation Americans, all U.S. citizens, and all with native fluency in languages ranging from Bengali to Urdu. Over time, the cadre consisted of men and women with roots in over a dozen countries, mostly South Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. Instead of using experienced detectives who couldn’t blend in with investigative subjects, these rookies entered the Department via the Intelligence Division rather than the Police Academy. Hand chosen, they were smart, highly motivated, and fully understanding of the complexity of what they were about to do as professionals.

Explosion in Seaside Park, NJ near a Marine Corps charity 5K race route

A pipe bomb exploded in Seaside Park, NJ just prior to the start of the Semper Five 5K Charity Run. The pipe bomb detonated inside a trashcan near the race route. Police reportedly found another pipe bomb that did not explode. No one was injured in the incident. Al Della Fave, a spokesman for the Ocean County prosecutor’s office, […]

Polygraph panic: CIA director fretted his vote for communist

So if back in 1980, John Brennan was allowed to say, ‘I voted for the Communist Party with Gus Hall’ … and still got through, rest assured that your rights and your expressions and your freedom of speech as Americans is something that’s not going to be disqualifying of you as you pursue a career in government.

U.S. intelligence challenges for our next Commander-in-Chief

Why is this important? The intelligence community deals with such a large amount of data, you can’t always assume people who have the “need to know,” and who should have access to the data, have seen all of the available information on any topic. The challenge of the intelligence professional is to rapidly sort through all of the data in order to develop usable intelligence analysis, enabling decision makers and warfighters to make informed decisions. Depending on the scenario, these decisions sometimes have to be made within minutes. Sometimes seconds.

Think of someone shoving you into a room filled with thousands of puzzle pieces, and then telling you to put it together in a few hours.

Lawmaker wants to force Congress to use VA health care

An Ohio congressman wants to force all Capitol Hill lawmakers and their staff to receive health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure they have incentive to improve the system. But the top Democrat on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee is blasting the idea as little more than a publicity stunt. On Tuesday, […]

Extremists are getting younger: Canadian counter-terrorist police investigated minors as young as 13

One of the extremists who had communicated online with Aaron Driver, the would-be suicide bomber killed by police in Strathroy, Ont., on Aug. 10, was a British 15-year-old, he said. The youth has since been convicted for his role in a terror plot in Australia.

Juvenile terrorists are not new. Four members of the Toronto 18 terrorist group, arrested in 2006 for plotting bomb and gun attacks in Ontario, were minors. But Cabana said the trend has worsened over the past two to three years.

White House to increase number of refugees to 110k in 2017

The White House is planning to increase the number of refugees accepted into the United States from around the world to at least 110,000 in 2017, a senior administration official told CNN. Secretary of State John Kerry briefed Congress on Tuesday about the administration’s decision and has stated over the past year that the United […]

Watch: Veteran fights to get life back after maddening false allegations

“Our country says you’re innocent until proven guilty but the reality is if your brought up on charges we automatically assume you’re guilty,” Sabino said.

The day after Smith learned of the indictment, he claims UT suspended him without pay, eventually ending his career as a “termination.”

Racism in the ranks? Sailor broadcasts flag protest, cites Kaepernick, faces NJP

Wherein she broadcasted an act of dissent across social media, on base; for every foreign intelligence service, opportunists, and terrorist from here to Kandahar to see and seek to exploit. Above all else, and as a service member, she should have known the security risk involved in such a selfish act. Similarly, the apparent violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, breach of oath, and total dereliction of duty . After all, who wants to be shoulder to shoulder in defense of the nation with a seditious service member? A service member who has not only taken action without regard of her own integrity and a disregard of duty, but has also failed to conduct any independent research.