CIB Weekly Intelligence Brief | Vol. 01 | Iss. 01
CIB Weekly Intelligence Brief | Vol. 01 | Iss. 01 | 18 October 2017
CIB Weekly Intelligence Brief | Vol. 01 | Iss. 01 | 18 October 2017
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<strong>Vol</strong>ume 1 | <strong>Iss</strong>ue 1 October 18, 2<strong>01</strong>7<br />
WEEKLY INTELLIGENCE BRIEF<br />
Published by the Chanticleer <strong>Intelligence</strong> <strong>Brief</strong> at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, South Carolina, USA<br />
IMAGE CREDIT: GEOPOLITICAL INTELLIGENCE SERVICES INC.<br />
AMERICAN AND NIGERIEN TROOPS<br />
KILLED AT NIGER AND MALI BORDER<br />
Allison Reilly, Head, Africa Desk | October 11, 2<strong>01</strong>7<br />
On October 4, four US soldiers and four Nigerien soldiers were<br />
killed in an ambush near the Mali border. It is unclear as to who<br />
is responsible for the attack, but militant groups Al-Qaeda in the<br />
Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Boko Haram are active in the region.<br />
The United States Africa Command released a statement that reports<br />
two additional US soldiers in stable condition after sustaining injuries<br />
during the attack.<br />
The US soldiers were the first Americans killed in Niger from an attack<br />
since the beginning of the US Africa Command deployment, according<br />
to The New York Times.<br />
BBC reports that the US Special Forces soldiers and Niger’s counterterrorism<br />
unit were conducting a training mission when they came under<br />
hostile fire.<br />
While US President Donald Trump has not released an official statement,<br />
White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders confirmed that the<br />
President was briefed about the attack.<br />
The Nigerien and US military personnel continue to monitor the country<br />
and take measures to prevent the operations of AQIM and Boko<br />
Haram in the area.<br />
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The <strong>Weekly</strong> <strong>Intelligence</strong> <strong>Brief</strong> is a publication<br />
of the Chanticleer <strong>Intelligence</strong> <strong>Brief</strong> (<strong>CIB</strong>), a<br />
student-run initiative supported by the Department<br />
of Politics at Coastal Carolina University.<br />
It operates as an ancillary practicum<br />
for students in the <strong>Intelligence</strong> and National<br />
Security Studies program who wish to cultivate<br />
and refine their ability to gather, analyze<br />
and present information in accordance with<br />
techniques used in the intelligence profession<br />
LINDSEY HAMILTON, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF<br />
LOGAN JARRELL, ASSOCIATE EDITOR<br />
The <strong>Weekly</strong> <strong>Intelligence</strong> <strong>Brief</strong> is supported by<br />
the members of the <strong>CIB</strong> and through a generous<br />
grant by the Edwards College Experiential<br />
Learning Project at Coastal Carolina University
AL-QAEDA RECRUITER<br />
ARRESTED IN INDIA<br />
Jake Lewis, Member, Africa Desk<br />
September 27, 2<strong>01</strong>7<br />
Samiun Rahman, a British national, was<br />
arrested by authorities in New Delhi, India,<br />
on September 17, reportedly while trying<br />
to recruit new members for al-Qaeda.<br />
The Hindu newspaper reports that Rahman<br />
was radicalized in 2<strong>01</strong>2, was recruited by<br />
Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and<br />
fought alongside Jabhat al-Nursa. According<br />
to Daily News and Analysis, Rahman<br />
had been arrested in Bangladesh in 2<strong>01</strong>4 for<br />
terrorism-related activities and released in<br />
2<strong>01</strong>7. In July of this year, Rahman relocated<br />
to India to set up militant bases in<br />
Mizoram and Manipur, according to India<br />
Today. The Times of India states that Rahman<br />
was tasked with recruiting Rohingya<br />
Muslims in hopes waging attacks on India<br />
and Myanmar. With Al-Qaeda speaking<br />
openly about the current situation involving<br />
Myanmar and Rohingya Muslims, it is<br />
likely that more recruiting attempts will be<br />
made to capitalize on the influx of Rohingya<br />
refugees fleeing Myanmar.<br />
USE OF ENCRYPTION<br />
BY TERRORISTS, CRIM-<br />
INALS, GROWING<br />
Eric Winter, Head, Cyber Desk<br />
October 11, 2<strong>01</strong>7<br />
FBI Director Christopher Wray gave his<br />
first testimony before a senate committee<br />
and said the two biggest concerns<br />
are the “growing danger of drone and<br />
cyber terror”, with cyber encryption capabilities<br />
increasing.<br />
In the first 10 months of the year the FBI<br />
was unable to access the content of more<br />
than 6,000 mobile devices according to Director<br />
Wray’s testimony. FBI used “appropriate<br />
and available technical tools”, he<br />
said, and had legal authority to conduct<br />
searches of the mobile devices. These<br />
were devices that are usually easily accessed<br />
by the FBI. I believe that ISIS and<br />
other terrorist organizations’ cyber capabilities<br />
will continue to increase, along with<br />
their encryption techniques. Director Wray<br />
stressed that the FBI will adapt to and overcome<br />
the increasing technological sophistication<br />
of terrorist and cyber-criminals.<br />
PHILIPPINE-BASED ISIS MEMBERS<br />
PLOTTED ATTACK ON NEW YORK<br />
Fabio Molano, Member, Asia Desk | October 11, 2<strong>01</strong>7<br />
An undercover FBI agent in the Philippines intercepted money<br />
and messages from members of the Islamic State detailing plans<br />
to bomb Times Square and multiple subway stations in New York.<br />
Three conspirators were arrested in three different countries.<br />
ISIS leadership in Syria has direct lines of contact with ISIS militants<br />
in the Philippines and have been funding them with thousands of dollars<br />
according to a report by the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict.<br />
According to Newsweek, Russell Salic, a Philippine citizen, was arrested<br />
for his involvement in funding the plot with hundreds of dollars<br />
that were used to purchase explosive material.<br />
The Daily Caller reports the Salic refused to name other conspirators,<br />
however two more have been arrested in connection, Abdulrahman El<br />
Bahnasawy, a Pakistani-American, and Talha Haroon, a Canadian.<br />
According to CNN, the US is seeking to extradite Salic and Haroon<br />
from the Philippines and Pakistan.<br />
The Philippine National Bureau of Investigation is currently working to<br />
identify and apprehend other conspirators but only these three men<br />
have been arrested and charged as of 10/10/17.<br />
CUBAN-US RELATIONS CONTINUE TO<br />
DETERIORATE AFTER SONIC ATTACKS<br />
Joseph Cain, Member, Americas Desk | October 10, 2<strong>01</strong>7<br />
In a speech delivered on October 9, Miguel Diaz-Canel, First Vice<br />
President of Cuba, rejected United States President Donald Trump’s<br />
demand for “democracy and capitalism” in Cuba, saying that the<br />
island country will never trust imperialistic motives. The speech<br />
was comes after the recent alleged sonic attacks on US embassy<br />
staffers.<br />
Time reports that since November 2<strong>01</strong>6 at least 22 American embassy<br />
staffers have been targeted in unexplained attacks in Havana.<br />
The US State Department responded on September 29 by pulling all<br />
non-essential staffers until Cuba takes proper measures to ensure<br />
safety.<br />
On October 3, the US announced that 15 Cuban diplomats would be<br />
expelled from America but not deemed persona non-grata.<br />
US Senator Patrick Leahy commented on the American response stating,<br />
"whoever is doing this obviously is trying to disrupt the normalization<br />
process between the US and Cuba."<br />
The comments by Diaz-Canel, who is the most likely to succeed Raul<br />
Castro as leader of Cuba, mark a stark turn in US Cuba relations that<br />
seemed to be improving until the time of the attacks.