EFTA00149018.pdf

From: To: Subject: [EXTERNAL EMAIL] - FBI Public Affairs News Briefing Monday, November 09, 2020 Date: Mon, 09 Nov 2020 11:25:43 +0000 Importanc Normal e: Mobile version and searchable archives available at fbi.bulletinintelligence.com. ';:jFBI News Briefing TO: THE DIRECTOR AND SENIOR STAFF DATE: MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2020 6:30 AM EST TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS LEADING THE NEWS • US Intelligence Agencies See No Evidence Of Foreign Interference In Mail Ballots, Though Misinformation, Software Concerns Linger. PROTESTS • Emails: Park Police Did Not Know Which Agencies Were Assisting Government Response To Lafayette Demonstrations. • Philadelphia Police Detain Two Men Following Tip They Were Armed, Heading To Ballot-Counting Site. • Philadelphia Police Respond To Bomb Threat On Shopping Mall. • California Man Charged With Ramming BLM Protesters Freed On $10M Bond. • WSJournal Argues Riots After Floyd's Killing Were Politically Motivated. • Mourners Call For Peace At Wallace's Funeral In Philadelphia. • NYTimes Analysis Discusses How Voters Were Divided In Their Perceptions Of Racial Justice Protests. • NYTimes Analysis: Several GOP Candidates In New York "Appeared To Find Success By" Branding Swing-District Dems As Anti-Police. • Fairfax County Removes Three Civil War Monuments. • Nugent Disparages Floyd In Video Posted On Facebook. • New York City Security Escorts Seeing Greater Demand Due To Concern Regarding Crime, Potential Post-Election Unrest. • Alabama Police Captain Quits After Facebook Post In Which "He Mused About Killing" Biden Backers. • Judge Rejects Challenge By DC Police Union To Disciplinary Changes. • NYPD's Anti-Discrimination Head Being Investigated Over Racism Allegation. • Portland Demonstrators Vandalize City Commissioner's Residence, Start Fire At City Hall. • Blake Reaches Plea To Settle Sexual Assault Case. • Facebook Shuts Down Groups After Calls For Violence During Election. COUNTER-TERRORISM • LAPD Take Man Into Custody After Threat Of Mass Shooting Should Biden Win. • FBI: Tennessee Man Planned Attack On Fort Campbell. • Sixth Circuit Upholds Conviction Of Ohio Man Who Tried To Join ISIS. • US Adds Weapons Charges Against Two "Boogaloo Bois." EFTA00149018 • Administration Sanctions Pro-Hezbollah Lebanese Politician. • China Criticizes US for Removing Uighur Separatist Group From List Of Terrorist Organizations. • Intel Agencies Struggle To Prevent Terror Attacks In Age Of Online Radicalization. • Dutch Prime Minister Condemns Threats Against Teacher Forced Into Hiding Over Political Cartoon. • Austria Acknowledges Mistakes Preceding Terror Attack, Orders Vienna Mosque Closed. • Ivory Coast's State Prosecutor Accuses Opposition Leaders Of Terrorism. COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE • Election Security Funding More Likely To Come From Biden Administration. • Opinion: New OPM, ODNI Report Shows USAGM Needs A "Shakeup." • NNSA Administrator Resigns After Clash With Energy Secretary Brouillette. • DOD Launches Domestic Violence Training Course For Military First Responders. • Victims Sue Former Libyan Military Leader For Alleged War Crimes. • Lebanon Asks US To Offer Evidence Supporting Sanctions Against Former Minister • Suspected Chinese Spy's Life In Australia Under Examination. • Miami Judge Gives Venezuelan Businessmen Victory In Bid For Control Of Airline. CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS • MS-13 Gang Member Extradited, Arraigned In Federal Court For Alleged Murder Of Long Island Teen. • US Charges Former Missouri Officer With Assaulting Handcuffed Man. • Former Baltimore Police Detective Pleads Guilty To Lying About Drug Bust. • FBI Probing Discovery Of Tracking Devices On Two Missouri Officials' Cars. • US Charges Former Minnesota Officer With Extortion, Drug Theft. • Accused Killer Was Caught After Applying For Unemployment During Pandemic. • Family Members Sentenced For Texas Kidnapping, Robbery. • Alaska Man Pleads Guilty To Child Pornography Possession. • Georgia Woman Arrested For Impersonation Of FBI Agent. • Illinois Man Arrested For Impersonating FBI. • FBI Investigating Indiana Bank Robbery. • FBI Investigating Fatal Police Shooting In Arizona. • FBI Investigating Florida Murder. • FBI Searching For Serial Bank Robbery Suspect In Utah. • Colorado Gang Member Sentenced For Illegal Firearm Possession. • White Supremacist Group Distributes Flyers In San Antonio, Texas. • New Mexico Man Charged With Bank Robberies. • Missing Utah Child Found In Colorado. • FBI Identifies Skulls Found In Michigan. • FBI Investigating Ohio Bank Robbery. • Alabama Man Sentenced To 17 Years For Armed Robbery. • New York Man Charged With Murder • North Dakota Man Convicted Of Meth Trafficking Crimes. • Indiana Raid Operation Leads To Seizure Of Heroin, Fentanyl. • Eight Alleged Drug Traffickers Arrested In Nevada. • US Charges New York Man With Distributing Child Pornography. FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS • Growing Evidence Indicates Thousands Of Companies Received PPP Loans For Which They Were Ineligible. • Chicago Brothers Charged With Stimulus Check Fraud. • Former CEO Of California Medical Device Firm Sentenced For Fraud, Money Laundering. EFTA00149019 • Federal Prosecutors Seek Civil Forfeiture Of New York Developer's Assets. • Minnesota Couple Sentenced In Fraud Scheme Targeting Seniors. • US Charges Two Florida Men With Targeting Ohio Elderly In "Grandparent Scam." • California Couple Sentenced For Selling Donations Meant For Needy Californians. • DO) Suit Against Visa Could Impact Payment Sector's Future. CYBER DIVISION • FBI: Hackers Stole Source Code From Government Agencies, Private Firms. • University of Vermont Medical Center Working To Restore Systems After Cyberattack. • Campari Reports Data Encrypted, Stolen Following Hacking Attack. • Federal Agencies Warn Of Ransomware Targeting Healthcare Sector. • Cyber Criminals Targeting Linux Users For Ransomware Attacks. • NCPC Approves Plans For CISA Headquarters At St. Elizabeths Campus. • Microsoft Collaborating With UK's NCSC On Cyber Accelerator Program. • Huawei Launches Legal Challenge Against Sweden's 5G Ban. • Next US President Will Face Challenges In 5G Race With China. • GCHQ Begins Cyber-Operation Tackling Anti-Vaccine Propaganda. • Experts Expect Biden Administration To Ramp Up Sanctions For Cyberattacks. • DO) Moving To Have Thousands Of Seized Bitcoins Forfeited To The US Government. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS • Canadian Teen Faces Child Pornography Charges After Joint Probe Including FBI. OTHER FBI NEWS • Twitter Permanently Bans Bannon For Urging Trump To Put Fauci And Wray's "Heads On Pikes." OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS • After Media Outlets Designate Biden As President-Elect, Trump Says Election "Far From Over." • US Nears 10M Coronavirus Cases. • Biden To Announce COVID Transition Task Force. • Meadows Tests Positive For Coronavirus. • Many Nursing Homes Not Utilizing COVID Rapid-Testing Devices. • Perna Touts Operation Warp Speed. • With Divided Government, Biden Could Use Executive Actions To Influence Economy. • Biden May Take Proactive Role In Stimulus Talks. • Biden Likely To Overturn Trump Order On Diversity Training. • Tropical Storm Eta Approaches South Florida. • Politico Analysis: Biden's "Immigration Plans Represent A Complete Reversal Of The Trump Administration's Policies." INTERNATIONAL NEWS • Global Coronavirus Cases Exceed 50M. • Scientists Concerned As Denmark Culls Mink Population Over Coronavirus Spread. • World Leaders Congratulate Biden While Others Remain Silent. • Administration Suspicious Of China's Effort To Expand Its Influence In Caribbean. • Turkey's Finance Minister Resigns. • Azerbaijan's President Says Forces Have Taken Control Of Shushi. • Police Spray Water Cannons At Protesters In Thailand. • Suu Kyi's Party Expected To Keep Its Strength In Burma's Parliament. • Ethiopia's PM Reshuffles Cabinet Amid Ongoing Tigray Conflict. • Socialist Party Returns To Power In Bolivia. EFTA00149020 THE BIG PICTURE • Headlines From Today's Front Pages. WASHINGTON'S SCHEDULE • Today's Events In Washington. LEADING THE NEWS US Intelligence Agencies See No Evidence Of Foreign Interference In Mail Ballots, Though Misinformation, Software Concerns Linger. Politico (11/7, Cheney, 4.29M) reports that while Trump in June alleged foreign countries "would surely print 'millions of mail-in ballots' to upend the U.S. election," US intelligence officials on Friday "reaffirmed" they saw no such evidence of such action. ODNI spokesperson Dean Boyd said, "Our assessments have not changed." FBI spokesperson Carol Cratty commented, "We have nothing new to add to our previous statements." In addition, the New York Times (11/7, Epstein, 18.61M) reports that despite "warnings of violence, threats of foreign interference, rampant disinformation, cuts to the Postal Service, President Trump's sowing of distrust and a pandemic that forced the relocation of thousands of polling places, the machinery of American democracy adapted and held up this past week. The result was a relatively smooth election free of the hourslong lines and vote-suppressing shenanigans that have characterized the voting experience in recent years, particularly during the primaries of the coronavirus era." In an editorial, the Washington Post (11/7, 14.2M) applauds the election officials and vote counters who continued counting "amid the chaos of anxiety, menace and misinformation surrounding the endgame of ballot counting." The Post says, "In defiance of every ploy, stratagem and invented accusation the president and his acolytes could throw at them, vote counters and election officials were undeterred, just as poll workers and voters themselves had been undeterred before them." The Post concludes this "spirit matched the staggering turnout Tuesday, in which more than 160 million Americans, or two-thirds of eligible voters, may have cast votes either by mail or at the polls - the biggest share in more than a century." However, Reuters (11/7, Bing, Culliford, Dave) reports Spanish-language misinformation "flourished online in the days surrounding the U.S. election, even as social media companies moved to stem falsehoods that could affect the vote or spark violence." In particular, social media posts in Spanish "from online celebrities, radio commentators and others have repeatedly questioned the reliability of mail-in voting and falsely described presidential candidate Joe Biden as a socialist, according to Spanish-language disinformation experts and posts seen by Reuters." Meanwhile, the Washington Times (11/7, Swoyer, 492K) says Republicans "are concerned about software that was blamed for changing thousands of Republican ballots to votes for Democrats in one Michigan county." Michigan Republican Party Chairwoman Laura Cox "told reporters Friday at a press conference that 6,000 votes were impacted." Cox asserted, "In Antrim County, ballots were counted for Democrats that were meant for Republicans, causing a 6,000 vote swing against our candidates. The county clerk came forward and said, 'tabulating software glitched and caused a miscalculation of the votes:" The Michigan Republican Party "notes that 47 other counties in the state used the same software." PROTESTS Emails: Park Police Did Not Know Which Agencies Were Assisting Government Response To Lafayette Demonstrations. The Hill (11/6, Beitsch, 2.98M) reports, "U.S. Park Police email traffic during the June protests at Lafayette Square shows that agency officials were unaware which law enforcement agencies EFTA00149021 were assisting with the heavily criticized government response as demonstrators were overwhelmed by chemical irritants." The redacted emails were disclosed on Friday "as part of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request from watchdog group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER)." The emails indicate that "even days into the protests," Park Police lacked a full "list of every law enforcement agency that had arrived to assist." The discussions additionally indicate that Park Police rapidly used up "its supply of chemical irritants in just days, even as the agency's communications wing appeared unaware of the use of pepper balls." Philadelphia Police Detain Two Men Following Tip They Were Armed, Heading To Ballot-Counting Site. The Washington Post (11/6, Armus, 14.2M) reports, "Police in Philadelphia detained two men late on Thursday night after receiving a tip that an armed group from out of state was headed to the city's vote-counting center, where final ballots in the presidential election are being tallied." NBC News (11/6, 6.14M) reports, "The two men were driving a silver Hummer truck from Virginia. Police said they found the car parked and unoccupied around 10:20 p.m. ET; about seven minutes later, two police officers on bicycles saw two men in possession of firearms. 'The males acknowledged that the silver Hummer was their vehicle, and an additional firearm was recovered from inside the Hummer,' the police spokesperson said. The men told police that they did not have a valid Pennsylvania firearms license, so they were taken into custody. Police said firearms charges were pending Friday morning." WHYY-TV Philadelphia (11/6, 24K) and the Daily Beast (11/6, Montgemery, 1.39M) also report. Philadelphia Police Respond To Bomb Threat On Shopping Mall. The Washington Times (11/6, Mordock, 492K) reports, "Police in Philadelphia Friday afternoon responded to a bomb threat targeting a shopping mall near the Pennsylvania Convention Center, where election ballots are still being counted." California Man Charged With Ramming BLM Protesters Freed On $1OM Bond. The Los Angeles Times (11/6, Winton, 4.64M) reports that a San Marino, California man "accused of intentionally driving a truck into a crowd of Pasadena Black Lives Matter protesters and charged with conspiring to violate firearms laws will be released after his parents put up a $10-million property bond and he surrendered his stock of firearms, authorities said." US District Judge Stephen V. Wilson "signed an order that Benjamin Jong Ren Hung, who is accused of collecting weapons and building a training camp for civil disorder, will be placed on electronic monitoring and subject to drug testing after his release once federal authorities take control of the bond and an array of firearms discovered at his homes in San Marino and Lodi. Hung drove a Dodge Ram truck flying three large flags related to right-wing extremist groups...into the crowd of Black Lives Matter protesters in the Old Pasadena shopping district in May, prosecutors said." WS3ournal Argues Riots After Floyd's Killing Were Politically Motivated. In an editorial, the Wall Street Journal (11/8, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) argues the reaction to the election shows how the riots that grew out of protests over the death of George Floyd and police abuses were a politically motivated attempt to undermine President Trump's leadership. Mourners Call For Peace At Wallace's Funeral In Philadelphia. The AP (11/8) reports that several hundred people "gathered over the weekend to mourn [Walter Wallace Jr.) amid renewed calls for peace during the investigation into the Black man's shooting death last month by Philadelphia police." The AP adds a lawyer for his family "has said EFTA00149022 they do not want the officers charged with murder because they believe the officers lacked the proper training and equipment." NYTimes Analysis Discusses How Voters Were Divided In Their Perceptions Of Racial Justice Protests. A New York Times (11/7, Tavernise, Eligon, 18.61M) analysis says that "as the summer wore on and with it, sporadic looting and acts of vandalism, Americans became much more divided" with regard to their perceptions of the protests sparked by George Floyd's killing. However, as the country starts "sifting through the results" of the election, "one thing is clear: The protests this summer and what came after weighed heavily on Americans' minds." Preliminary data from the AP shows that roughly "nine of every 10 voters said the protests over police violence were a factor in their voting, with more than three-fourths calling it a major factor." The limes says that interviews with voters this week indicated that "there were strong differences that often ran along racial lines - with many Black voters viewing the protests through the lens of police violence threatening their lives, while many conservative white voters saw unrest encroaching on their communities." NYTimes Analysis: Several GOP Candidates In New York "Appeared To Find Success By" Branding Swing-District Dems As Anti-Police. A New York Times (11/6, Ferro-Sadumi, McKinley, 18.61M) analysis says, "While the suburbs in many parts of the country seemed to reject [President] Trump's brand of brash, hard-right rhetoric and policy, several Republican candidates in New York appeared to find success by characterizing moderate Democrats in swing districts as anti-law enforcement. That message was often conflated with calls from the left to `defund the police' and with occasionally violent clashes between authorities and Black Lives Matter protesters." Rep. Max Rose (D), who represents New York City's most conservative congressional district and who is on the verge of being ousted by GOP challenger Nicole Malliotakis, "was elected in a `blue wave' in 2018, beating the incumbent, Dan Donovan, by running as an anti-establishment centrist." However, Malliotakis "easily found success linking Mr. Rose, a veteran, to the Black Lives Matter movement and the progressive factions of his party." Fairfax County Removes Three Civil War Monuments. The Washington Post (11/6, 14.2M) reports Fairfax County on Thursday "removed a trio of Civil War markers in front of the county's judicial complex, part of a broader effort in Virginia to turn a page on the state's Confederate legacy." Under a state law allotting localities discretion "over the fate of war monuments and memorials in their communities, the county's Board of Supervisors decided last month to donate a stone obelisk honoring John Quincy Marr - the first Confederate soldier to be killed in a land battle - to the Stuart Mosby Historical Society in Centreville." The Post adds, "A state historical marker commemorating the June 1, 1861, battle where Marr died - the first land confrontation in the war - will be given to the state Department of Historic Resources. A pair of Dahlgren howitzers that were also in front of the complex will go to the Manassas National Battlefield Park in nearby Prince William County." In a tweet announcing the removal of the monuments, Fairfax County board chair Jeff McKay said, "We started today with a Fairfax County that better reflects our values." Nugent Disparages Floyd In video Posted On Facebook. The Washington Times (11/7, Blake, 492K) reports Ted Nugent "maligned George Floyd, the Black man whose death in police custody in late May sparked nationwide protests, in a ranting video he posted Friday on Facebook." Nugent, "a rock guitarist and longtime National Rifle Association board member, repeatedly called Floyd a 'thug' throughout the video and said his death was a suicide and not a homicide as two autopsies determined." Nugent said, "Live it up and be positive," adding, "But call your mayor, call your senator, call your congressman, call EFTA00149023 your governor. Let them know you stand for law and order. And you might wanna mention that those cops in Minneapolis did not kill George Floyd." New York City Security Escorts Seeing Greater Demand Due To Concern Regarding Crime, Potential Post-Election Unrest. The Wall Street Journal (11/7, Yang, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports on how concern about increasing crime rates and the possibility of post-election unrest are spurring demand for New York City security escorts. Alabama Police Captain Quits After Facebook Post In Which "He Mused About Killing" Biden Backers. The Washington Times (11/7, Blake, 492K) reports Flomaton, Alabama Mayor Dewey Bondurant "confirmed that a captain on the town's police force resigned Friday after criticism for a Facebook post where he mused about killing supporters of Joseph R. Biden." Scott Walden, who shared the post in question on Thursday, "quit as captain of the police force the next day." The Times adds that the Flomaton Police Department "announced Thursday it was investigating a social media comment made by a member of its force, and the following day it said that person was no longer an employee." Judge Rejects Challenge By DC Police Union To Disciplinary Changes. The Washington Post (11/6, Hermann, 14.2M) reports US District Judge James Boasberg this week rejected "a challenge by the D.C. police union to a new law in the District that makes it easier for the police chief to discipline and fire officers by cutting out the role of the labor group." The Post adds that Boasberg "rejected arguments made by the union, including that the labor group was being unfairly stripped of its ability to help shape the disciplinary process through collective bargaining, as is afforded to nearly all other District workers." Police union chairman Greggory Pemberton said lawyers are going over the ruling and are going to "make a decision on how to proceed next week." NYPD's Anti-Discrimination Head Being Investigated Over Racism Allegation. Bloomberg (11/6, Goldman, Clukey, 4.73M) reports, "The New York Police Department's (NYPD) anti-discrimination chief faces a probe and possible ouster amid accusations he is the long-time publisher of racist rants on a pro-law-enforcement social media platform." James Kobel, who leads the NYPD's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity, "has been removed from that assignment while internal affairs conducts an investigation, Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said." Should it be determined that Kobel is the person "sending the posts under the name 'Clouseau,' he'll be fired, Shea said." Bloomberg adds that Kobel "has denied the allegations." Portland Demonstrators Vandalize City Commissioner's Residence, Start Fire At City Hall. The Washington Times (11/6, Mordock, 492K) reports, "The protests in Portland, Oregon, again turned violent overnight as demonstrators vandalized a city commissioner's home and set fire to city hall, the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office said Friday." An approximately 60-person group marched through Portland toward city commissioner Dan Ryan's residence. Upon getting there, the demonstrators "broke a window, threw burning flares and paint-filled balloons at the home, and broke potted plants, according to the sheriff's office." Police eventually dispersed the protestors. The Times also reports, "At 10 p.m., the Portland Fire and Rescue got a call that city hall was on fire, the sheriff's office said. The fire is believed to have started when a burning object was thrown or placed at the door." Police said that on-premises security put out the fire before it could grow, and the Times adds that police are searching for a suspect. Blake Reaches Plea To Settle Sexual Assault Case. EFTA00149024 The AP (11/6) reports, "A Black man paralyzed in a Wisconsin police shooting reached a plea deal Friday to settle a sexual assault case pending against him." According to online court records, prosecutors abandoned "a felony third-degree sexual assault charge and a misdemeanor criminal trespass charge against 29-year-old Jacob Blake." The AP adds that "in exchange, Blake pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct, and Judge Bruce Schroeder" gave him a two-year probation sentence. Facebook Shuts Down Groups After Calls For Violence During Election. Reuters (11/6, Paul) reports that Facebook has shut down a number of groups and chat forums, some of which featured, "calls for members to ready their weapons should President Donald Trump lose his bid to remain in the White House." After disabling the group following "coverage by Reuters and other news organizations, Facebook cited the forum's efforts to delegitimize the election process and 'worrying calls for violence from some members.'" Facebook "says it has removed 14,200 groups on the basis of those changes since August." COUNTER-TERRORISM LAPD Take Man Into Custody After Threat Of Mass Shooting Should Biden Win. The Los Angeles Times (11/6, Winton, 4.64M) reports, "A Los Angeles area man who took to social media to threaten a mass shooting if Vice President Joe Biden wins the presidential election has been taken into custody, law enforcement sources confirmed to The Times." The Hill (11/6, Polus, 2.98M) reports, "The man, who remains unidentified, is accused of taking to social media and threatening to commit a mass shooting in the event that Biden is victorious in this year's presidential election. In an Instagram video that has since been deleted, the man allegedly said, 'If Biden gets in, I'm just going to do like a school shooter, just take out all these Democrats.' While the man was taken into custody as local police and the FBI look into the case and search his home, he has not been charged or formally arrested, according to NBC. 'The FBI is aware of the reported threats, and we're working with our partners. The subject is being evaluated by state officials. The federal government has not made any arrest nor filed charges at this time,' FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said." The Daily Caller (11/6, 716K) also reports. FBI: Tennessee Man Planned Attack On Fort Campbell. The Clarksville (TN) Leaf Chronicle (11/6, Clark, 20K) reports, "A Clarksville man allegedly plotted online to attack Fort Campbell and local landmarks in support of the Islamic State group known as ISIS, according to court documents released this week detailing his arrest." Jason Solomon Stokes was arrested by the FBI on August 20 "after conversations with undercover agents led investigators to believe he was planning an attack in October, according to an affidavit from FBI Special Agent Angelo DeFeao. While Stokes was arrested in August, the federal court documents remained sealed until Monday. Stokes remains in federal custody on charges related to sending threatening communications between states, court documents show." the Leaf Chronicle adds, "In March 2018, a tipster alerted the FBI that Stokes pledged allegiance to ISIS via Facebook, according to court documents. In 2019, two FBI field officers reported Stokes appeared to be supportive of terrorism via his Facebook page and wished to join ISIS, court documents stated." Clarksville (TN) Now (11/6, Smith) reports, "Stokes never obtained weapons for such an attack, but documents indicate he coordinated over social media with operatives he believed to be ISIS members, trying to obtain weapons and planning an attack on CPD headquarters and the store at Fort Campbell." The FBI "first became involved with Stokes in March 2018, when they were tipped off that he had called himself an Islamic State warrior and said the United States was under the influence of Satan and the Ku Klux Klan, according to the FBI complaint. EFTA00149025 `This the KKK country I'm with Allah warrior of Allah Islamic State brother,' was part of his statement." Sixth Circuit Upholds Conviction Of Ohio Man Who Tried To Join ISIS. WKEF-TV Dayton, OH (11/6, Richardson) reports from Dayton, Ohio, "The conviction of a man living in Dayton accused of trying to join the terrorist organization ISIS was upheld on Thursday." US Attorney David M. DeVillers said on Friday "that Laith Waleed Alebbini, a 29- year-old Jordan citizen, was arrested in 2017 by FBI agents at the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport, as he was trying to travel to Syria. He was convicted in 2018 of conspiring and attempting to join ISIS. Devillers said that about an hour before Alebbini arrived at the airport, several relatives pleaded with Alebbini not to join ISIS. Alebbini reportedly responded in text messages: `Do you think I am a criminal,' `I am a terrorist' and `I am mujahid.' Alebbini is a U.S. legal permanent resident who was living in Dayton." WDTN-TV Dayton, OH (11/6, Williamson, 15K) reports, "The 29-year-old Jordan citizen was convicted of conspiring and attempting to join ISIS following a bench trial in Dayton in November and December 2018 before U.S. District Judge Walter H. Rice." Alebbini "was sentenced in June 2019 to 180 months in prison and 25 years of supervised release for attempting to and conspiring to join the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). He will likely face deportation following service of his prison term. In his appeal, Alebbini challenged the sufficiency of the evidence for both of his convictions," but the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals "ruled against Alebbini's arguments, stating in a precedent-setting published opinion that the government proved the elements of the crimes beyond a reasonable doubt." US Adds weapons Charges Against Two "Boogaloo Bois." The Minneapolis Star Tribune (11/7, Mannix, 1.04M) reports, "After trying to capitalize on the civil unrest in Minneapolis this summer, two members of anti-government Boogaloo Bois attempted to sell untraceable machine guns and unregistered silencers to Hamas, an international terrorist group, to be used in attacks against United States and Israeli soldiers overseas, according to a new indictment announced by federal prosecutors in Minnesota Friday." Michael Robert Solomon, 30, and Benjamin Ryan Teeter, 22, "met with an undercover FBI agent, who they believed to be a senior member of Hamas, on July 30, according to federal court documents. The two men delivered silencers and a `drop in auto sear' — a device that converts semi-automatic weapons into illegal machine guns — to the undercover agent. They said they could make untraceable weapons and gun parts, and negotiated to sell five more silencers for $1,800 apiece, according to court documents." KSTP-TV Minneapolis-St.Paul, MN (11/6, 249K) reports, "The two were charged back in September with one count of conspiring and attempting to provide material support to Hamas. A criminal complaint states the FBI began investigating the two men, two members of the `Boogaloo Bois' and a sub-group called the `Boojahideen; in May. The group is known to have violent anti-government sentiments, with the term `Boogaloo' referencing an impending second civil war in the U.S. The complaint states, during the civil unrest in the Twin Cities following George Floyd's death, Solomon was seen openly carrying a firearm in a residential neighborhood. The two men interacted with a witness over several days and the witness told FBI agents they had firearms and substantial quantities of ammunition. The witness also said the two men and other members of their groups discussed committing acts of violence against police officers and other targets to help further their mission of overthrowing the government and replacing its police forces." Administration Sanctions Pro-Hezbollah Lebanese Politician. The Wall Street Journal (11/6, Nissenbaum, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports the Administration on Friday imposed sanctions on pro-Hezbollah Lebanese Christian politician EFTA00149026 Gebran Bassil for alleged corruption while he was head of energy, foreign affairs and telecommunications ministries. China Criticizes US for Removing Uighur Separatist Group From List Of Terrorist Organizations. The Wall Street Journal (11/6, Hua, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports China criticized the State Department for removing a Uighur separatist group that is now largely defunct from the department's list of terrorist organizations. China has blamed the group for ethnic tensions in Xinjiang. Intel Agencies Struggle To Prevent Terror Attacks In Age Of Online Radicalization. CNN (11/8, 83.16M) reports on the challenges posed by radical Islamist terrorism in Europe. Security officials in Austria "warned their Austrian counterparts that the attacker had tried to buy ammunition in the neighboring country the July before, but, the Austrian interior minister said, a communication failure meant Austria clearly failed to act." MI5 chief Ken McCallum "warned last month that the adherents to ISIS ideology number in the tens of thousands, and they must find the few `who at any given moment might be mobilizing towards attacks." Though the "anti-French rhetoric fueled by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and former Malaysia PM Mahathir Mohamad can only further addle the febrile emotions of an imbalanced youth," the "internet, a wired interpretation of religion, boredom and mental health are a far more potent mix in a man who months earlier was legally a child." The New York Times (11/6, Onishi, Moheut, Foroudi, 18.61M) reports, "The three young men behind recent terrorist attacks that have shaken France present a difficult challenge to the French authorities." They were "isolated, self-radicalized individuals, rather than Islamist extremist networks." The attacks are "raising tough questions about whether the broad measures the government has taken in response are the right ones." Center for the Analysis of Terrorism Chairman Jean-Charles Brisard said extremist networks are "natural and logical intermediaries in the process that leads to violence," and France must widen its "intelligence- gathering capacity by involving the local police and officials, he added." Dutch Prime Minister Condemns Threats Against Teacher Forced Into Hiding Over Political Cartoon. The AP (11/6, Corder) reports Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte "said Friday that threats that forced a teacher in the port city of Rotterdam to go hiding after some students objected to a political cartoon displayed in his classroom must not be tolerated." Rutte said, "The fact that at this moment teachers are being threatened because they paid attention in their lessons to the discussion around cartoons is absurd and we must not tolerate it." Austria Acknowledges Mistakes Preceding Terror Attack, Orders Vienna Mosque Closed. Reuters (11/6, Murphy, Knolle, Grulovic) reports that on Friday, Austrian officials "admitted 'intolerable mistakes' in the handling of intelligence on the jihadist who killed four people in Vienna on Monday, saying it could have considered him a greater threat and monitored him more closely." According to Reuters, "Austria had already admitted fumbling intelligence from Slovakia that the 20-year-old gunman, who was shot dead by police during his rampage in the centre of the capital, had attempted to buy ammunition there." Reuters says Austria has "ordered the closure of a mosque and a prayer room in Vienna that the attacker visited frequently and which had contributed to his radicalisation." In addition, The Washington Post (11/6, Morris, 14.2M) reports Austrian Interior Minister Karl Nehammer "said Friday that there were `immediate personnel consequences,' as Austrian News Agency APA reported that Erich Zwettler, head of Vienna's local intelligence office, had resigned." EFTA00149027 Ivory Coast's State Prosecutor Accuses Opposition Leaders Of Terrorism. Bloomberg (11/6, Bassompierre, 4.73M) reports that Ivory Coast's state prosecutor Richard Adou "accused opposition leaders of terrorism and murder over their calls for a civil disobedience campaign and a transitional government." COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE Election Security Funding More Likely To Come From Biden Administration. The Washington Post (11/6, Marks, 14.2M) reports, "Election security advocates are pushing for up to $3 billion from Congress they say is vital to help protect election systems against hacking." As President-elect Biden "has described election security as a major challenge," that funding "will be far more likely to come through in a Biden administration." President Trump, on the other hand, "has paid little attention to the topic" and "repeatedly questioned intelligence agencies' conclusion that Russia interfered in the 2016 election and spread disinformation about the 2020 contest." Republicans have "consistently rebuffed Democratic efforts to deliver far more money and to couple it with cybersecurity mandates for states." Democrats have long sought mandating "that states make specific improvements such as using paper ballots and meeting minimum cybersecurity standards," measures which "Republicans have opposed." Opinion: New OPM, ODNI Report Shows USAGM Needs A "Shakeup." James S. Robbins, senior fellow for national security affairs at the American Foreign Policy Council, writes in an op-ed in The Hill (11/7, 2.98M) that OPM and the ODNI found "previous senior leaders knew about" the "severe shortcomings" at USAGM and "did little to nothing to fix them," according to a 2020 follow-up report. The agencies "identified glaring deficiencies in the agency's handling of personnel security and the safeguarding of classified documents" between 2010 and 2014. For instance, people "were given clearances who lied on forms, left required sections blank, and even used fake names." Robbins says the problems "long predated both the Trump administration and the confirmation of Michael Pack as the agency's CEO." USAGM is "a disorganized, moribund bureaucracy - one that has in fact long been in need of a shakeup." NNSA Administrator Resigns After Clash With Energy Secretary Brouillette. Bloomberg (11/7, Natter, Jacobs, 4.73M) reports that NNSA administrator and undersecretary of Energy for nuclear security Lisa E. Gordon-Hagerty "resigned Friday after clashing with Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette." Gordon-Hagerty "resigned after being told by Brouillette's office that President Donald Trump had lost faith in her ability to do her job," according to unnamed sources. NNSA said in a statement, "As administrator, Ms. Gordon-Hagerty oversaw the modernization of NNSA's infrastructure and the strengthening of its world-class workforce. ... She also made significant strides in improving NNSA governance." Reuters (11/6) reports, "William Bookless is now serving as acting administrator of NNSA, the department said in a release." The Hill (11/6, Castronuovo, 2.98M) reports that Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) said, "That the Secretary of Energy effectively demanded her resignation during this time of uncertainty demonstrates he doesn't know what he's doing in national security matters and shows a complete lack of respect for the semi-autonomous nature of NNSA." DOD Launches Domestic Violence Training Course For Military First Responders. MeriTalk (11/6) reports that DOD "has launched a new training course for military first responders that aims to ensure that domestic violence is effectively recognized as a crime in cases that involve abuse, harassment, and stalking perpetrated through the use of technology." Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Matthew P. Donovan said in a press EFTA00149028 release, "Our priority is to respect, support and defend domestic abuse victims." Donovan added the "'Technology Evidence in Domestic Abuse'...is a vital piece of our effort to ensure our military's law enforcement organizations understand that domestic violence perpetrated through technology is still a crime." DOD's Family Advocacy Program is being aided by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security's Law Enforcement Branch in "spearheading the program that will train military first responders to understand the role technology plays in abuse, and 'how a greater awareness of digital evidence can help with the prosecution of domestic violence cases." victims Sue Former Libyan Military Leader For Alleged War Crimes. The Wall Street Journal (11/8, Malsin, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports that Libyan military leader Khalifa Haftar faces lawsuits from the US accusing him of war crimes following that country's civil war. Haftar broke with Moammar Gadhafi in the 1980s, after which he led a CIA-supported operation against the Libyan regime. Haftar owns properties in the United States. Lawsuits filed in Virginia and Washington, DC accuse the military leader of war crimes, such as bombing civilian homes and torturing prisoners. The suits were filed in federal-district courts by three groups of citizens from the North African country seeking justice for the alleged war crimes. Lebanon Asks US To Offer Evidence Supporting Sanctions Against Former Minister. The AP (11/7, El Deeb) reports that Lebanese President Michel Aoun "on Saturday asked the United States to offer evidence to back up new sanctions against the former Lebanese foreign minister." Gebran Bassil "is an important political ally of the Iran-backed Hezbollah group." He also "leads the largest bloc in parliament and is also the president's son-in-law." Aoun "asked the Lebanese foreign ministry to make the necessary contacts to secure any evidence and documents that prompted the U.S. Treasury sanctions." US Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker "said it is possible to challenge the designation through the Treasury or the Office of Foreign Asset Control, but called the case solid." Schenker said, "As you know these things are very difficult to do because the case is so solid. These designations take months to prepare, are reviewed by the interagency, by lawyers and are based on facts." Suspected Chinese Spy's Life In Australia Under Examination. The Guardian (UK) (11/8, Bucci, 4.19M) reports on Chunsheng Chen's "attempted business dealings with GDT and Imunexus, a biotechnology company which shared an office building with the CSIRO, Australia's national science research agency." Chen, a suspected Chinese spy, also claimed to have been funding global projects "as part of the Belt and Road Initiative, his personal relationships, and his connections to a local network of Chinese Australian businesses which experts say could have unwittingly provided the interference for him to perform espionage work." Chen's life in Australia is under examination, "including his ability to buy property, operate companies and legally remain in the country." Chen is "alleged to have operated in plain sight in Australia since the mid-2000s, seemingly working in telecommunications, as a military technology salesman, a journalist and an expert in manufacturing within the painting industry." Miami Judge Gives Venezuelan Businessmen Victory In Bid For Control Of Airline. The AP (11/6, Goodman) reports, "Two Venezuelan businessmen once convicted in the U.S. as unregistered agents of the late Hugo Chavez have scored a major victory in a Miami courtroom in a bitter fight for control or the Avior Airlines. The private airline "has largely been grounded by U.S. sanctions and the coronavirus pandemic, the investors hope to recover at least some of its assets, including a regional airline in neighboring Colombia." A Miami circuit judge "found that Afiez had no authority to represent Avior, saying there was overwhelming evidence he EFTA00149029 cooked the company's books and formed an 'illegitimate board of friendlies' to seize the struggling airline." CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS MS-13 Gang Member Extradited, Arraigned In Federal Court For Alleged Murder Of Long Island Teen. The New York Post (11/6, Rosenberg, 4.57M) reports, "An MS-13 gang member was extradited from El Salvador and arraigned Friday in Central Islip federal court on murder charges for the machete slaying of a 15-year-old boy on Long Island in 2016, authorities said." The New York Daily News (11/6, Goldberg, 2.52M) reports, "A participant in the brutal 2016 machete murder of a 15-year-old boy was extradited from El Salvador to the United States Friday, according to federal prosecutors." Eduardo Portillo, 23, "an alleged member of the violent MS-13 gang, took part in the Oct. 10, 2016 killing of youngster Javier Castillo, whose hacked up remains weren't didscovered for more than a year after his murder. Castillo was a member of the 18th Street Gang, one of the rival gangs of MS-13, according to federal prosecutors." The Daily News adds, "Portillo and five other members of MS-13 convinced Castillo to join them to smoke weed, luring him to an isolated area in Cow Meadow Park in Freeport, L.I., prosecutors said. There, by the water, the crew attacked Castillo, each taking a turn cutting the kid up with a machete, the feds alleged in an indictment." US Charges Former Missouri Officer With Assaulting Handcuffed Man. The AP (11/6) reports from St. Louis, "A former St. Louis area police officer has been indicted on charges alleging that he assaulted a handcuffed man and then filed a false report claiming that the man was resisting arrest, the U.S. attorney's office announced Friday." According to the AP, "The indictment charging Jackie Matthews with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of making a false record was returned Thursday and unsealed Friday. The indictment alleges that Matthews, who is 63, deprived the handcuffed man of his right to be free from unreasonable force in March while working for the Ferguson police force. No details were released about what led up to the incident or the races of the officer and the alleged victim." The AP adds, "Richard Quinn, special agent in charge of the FBI St. Louis Division, praised Ferguson police for bringing the matter to the attention of the appropriate authorities." Former Baltimore Police Detective Pleads Guilty To Lying About Drug Bust. The AP (11/7) reported that No Louvado, a former Baltimore Police Department detective, "pleaded guilty Friday to lying to" FBI agents. The plea comes after federal authorities accused Louvado "of denying during a voluntary interview with FBI agents...that he and two police officers split the proceeds from" selling cocaine that was seized during a 2009 drug bust. Authorities "said Louvado's actions came to light as they investigated police misconduct following the arrests in 2017 of seven officers in a rogue police unit." Similar online coverage was run by WJZ-TV Baltimore (11/6, 74K), WMAR-TV Baltimore (11/6, Broderick), WBFF-TV Baltimore (11/6, Zumer, 114K), WBAL-TV Baltimore (11/6, 164K), and WBAL-AM Baltimore (11/6, Waldman, 25K). Former Detective's Admission Prompts New Trial Request For Reputed Gang Members. The Baltimore Sun (11/7, Fenton, 1.33M) reported that defense attorneys have formally requested a new trial for five reputed members of the "Murdaland Mafia Piru Bloods gang." The request comes after Dante Bailey, Corloyd Anderson, Randy Banks, Shakeen Davis and Jamal Lockley were "convicted of racketeering in April 2019," based in part on testimony given by No Louvado, who has admitted that "he lied to FBI agents pursuing leads in the fallout of the Baltimore Police Gun Trace Task Force corruption scandal." The Sun article said the EFTA00149030 defense attorneys argued in their new trial request that their clients should have been made aware of Louvado's admission. FBI Probing Discovery Of Tracking Devices On Two Missouri Officials' Cars. The AP (11/6) reports, "Missouri Gov. Mike Parson's office said law enforcement authorities are investigating after tracking devices were placed on the vehicles of two administration officials." According to the AP, "The devices were found on the vehicles of Drew Erdmann, Missouri's chief operating officer, and Sarah Steelman, commissioner of the Office of the Administration. The Office of Administration procures goods and services for the state, while the chief operating officer oversees the management and distribution of state resources. `Unfortunately, a governor staff member and cabinet member were victims of potential criminal activity that was tied to their roles as public servants,' Parson spokeswoman Kelli Jones said in a statement." The Kansas Star (11/6, 549K) reports, "A private investigator says he helped install tracking devices on the vehicles of two high-ranking officials in Missouri Gov. Mike Parson's administration at the behest of a man working for a private security firm, spurring an FBI investigation." The Star adds, "For several days in August, two GPS devices monitored the movements of vehicles used by" Steelman and Erdmann, "according to Mike Bland, a licensed private investigator in Missouri. Bland said he was hired by John Wall of Asymmetric Solutions, a security firm based in Farmington, Mo., to track Steelman and Erdmann. He said Wall wante