Page 409 - War Conflict
Russian intel agency GRU accused of 'brazen' cybercrimes
Western nations accused Russia's secretive military intelligence unit of new cybercrimes on Thursday, with Dutch and British officials labeling the GRU "brazen" for allegedly targeting the international chemical weapons watchdog and the investigation into the 2014 downing of a Malaysian Airlines flight over eastern Ukraine. The GRU's alleged hacking attempts on the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons took place in April and were disrupted by authorities, Dutch Defense Minister Ank Bijleveld said. Four Russian intelligence officers were immediately expelled from the Netherlands, she said. Speaking about Russia's hacking attempts into the MH17 crash investigation, she said: "We have been aware of the interest of Russian intelligence services in this investigation and have taken appropriate measures." The cascade of condemnation from the Australian, British and Dutch governments does more than just point the finger at Moscow. It also ties together a series of ...
US indicts seven Russian military intel agents in global hacking conspiracy
The US Justice Department Thursday indicted seven agents of Russia's GRU military intelligence agency as part of a joint crackdown with Britain and the Netherlands on a series of major hacking plots attributed to Russia. John Demers, US Assistant Attorney General for National Security, said the hacking targets included the Organisation for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), global sports bodies as well as the US nuclear energy company Westinghouse. "Nations like Russia and others that engage in malicious and norm-shattering cyber and influence activities should understand the continuing and steadfast resolve of the United States and its allies to prevent, disrupt and deter such unaccountable conduct," Demers told a news conference.
UK accuses Russia of trying to hack its Foreign Office
The UK on Thursday accused Russian cyber intelligence officers of trying to hack into its Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) network, as the European Union revealed that Dutch military intelligence had foiled a Kremlin cyber attack on the global chemical weapons watchdog. As part of the joint set of revelations in the Netherlands, Peter Wilson, the UK ambassador at The Hague, said intelligence officers from Russia's GRU tried to compromise Foreign Office systems with an attack in March. He revealed that the online phishing attack took place soon after the deadly Novichok nerve agent poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the English town of Salisbury. "In March, straight after the Salisbury attack, the GRU attempted to compromise UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office computer systems via a spear phishing attack, Wilson said in a statement. The GRU can only succeed in the shadows. We are all agreed that where we see their malign activities, we must ...
Russia claims US running biological weapons lab in Georgia
Russia's Defence Ministry says the United States appears to be running a clandestine biological weapons lab in the country of Georgia, allegedly flouting international rules and posing a direct security threat to Russia. The exceptional accusations made Thursday came the same day British and Dutch officials accused Russian military intelligence of new cyberattacks. The Defence Ministry alleged in a statement that the lab in Georgia is part of a network of US labs near the borders of Russia and China. The statement was based largely on materials from former Georgian State Security Minister Igor Giorgadze. He says the Georgian lab is run out of the US-funded Lugar Center for Public Health Research. US and Georgian officials rejected Giorgadze's claims last month. The US Embassy in Georgia did not immediately comment Thursday.
US to make cyber capabilities available to NATO: Mattis
The United States will make its cyber warfare capabilities available to NATO, Defence Secretary James Mattis said Thursday, as allies denounced an alleged Russian bid to hack the international chemical weapons watchdog. Mattis said the attempted attack on the Organisation for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) showed how cyber attacks were becoming "more frequent, more complex and... more destructive". "This is why the United States, like the United Kingdom, Denmark, the Netherlands, Estonia will provide national cyber contributions to help NATO fight in this important domain," Mattis told reporters at a meeting of NATO defence ministers. The Netherlands revealed extraordinary details of the plot by Russia's GRU military intelligence agency against the OPCW in The Hague, including photos of the alleged agents and their equipment. Mattis refused to be drawn on what kind of response the OPCW plot should be met with, saying "tit for tat on cyber" was not necessarily appropriate, but .
54,000 Afghan soldiers to ensure poll security
At least 54,000 Afghan security force members will be deployed to ensure security of upcoming parliamentary and district councils elections scheduled to be held later this month, officials said on Thursday.
7 Turkish soldiers killed in blast blamed on Kurdish rebels
Kurdish rebels detonated an explosive device on a road in southeast Turkey, killing at least seven soldiers on Thursday, officials said. Two other soldiers were wounded in the attack. The explosion occurred on a road near the town of Gercus in the majority-Kurdish province of Batman. The soldiers, who were inside an armoured military vehicle, were on their way to protect a construction site in the region, said Numan Kurtulmus, a deputy chairman of Turkey's ruling party. Earlier, the state-run Anadolu agency said they were travelling to carry out operations against the rebel group. Four of the soldiers were killed at the site while three others died of their wounds while hospitalised. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the attack and said Turkey wouldn't be deterred from its fight against the rebels. "The blood of our martyrs and our veterans will be avenged," Erdogan said. "We want them to know that this incident intensifies our anger and our hatred." Anadolu said the military ..
PDP MLA alleges harassment by police
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) legislator, from whose residence eight weapons were stolen by a Special Police Officer (SPO) last Friday, alleged on Thursday that he is being harassed by the police.
Russia accused of targeting chemical weapons watchdog
The Dutch defence minister on Thursday accused Russia's military intelligence unit of attempted cybercrimes targeting the international chemical weapons watchdog and the investigation into the 2014 Malaysian Airlines crash over Ukraine. The Dutch allegations came as British officials blamed Russia's GRU for allegedly "brazen" activities worldwide the globe and for trying to cover up its alleged participation in the nerve agent poisoning of an ex-spy and the downing of a Malaysia Airlines plane over Ukraine. MH17. Russia has consistently denied involvement in the events. Dutch Defense Minister Ank Bijleveld said that the GRU's alleged hacking attempts on the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons took place in April and were disrupted by authorities. Four Russian intelligence officers were immediately expelled from the Netherlands, she said. Speaking about Russia's hacking attempts into the MH17 crash investigation, she said: "We have been aware of the interest of Russian
Germany must remember Holocaust crimes, says Merkel in Jerusalem
Germany has a responsibility to remember the crimes of the Holocaust, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday during her visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial here.
Dutch thwart Russian cyber attack on chemical weapons watchdog: intel agency
Dutch intelligence thwarted a Russian cyber attack targeting the global chemical weapons watchdog in April and expelled four Russian agents, the government said Thursday. The Russians set up a car full of electronic equipment in the car park of a hotel next to the Organisation for the Prohibition for Chemical Weapons in The Hague in a bid to hack its computer system, it said. "The Dutch government finds the involvement of these intelligence operatives extremely worrisome," Dutch Defence Minister Ank Bijleveld told a news conference. "Normally we don't reveal this type of counter-intelligence operation." The Netherlands publicly identified the alleged Russian agents and said the operation was carried out by Russia's GRU military intelligence agency, Dutch officials said. Britain helped the Netherlands with the operation, they added. A laptop belonging to one of the four was linked to Brazil, Switzerland and Malaysia. The activities in Malaysia were related to the investigation into ...
Police busts Hizb module in north Kashmir, nabs two
Police on Thursday said it has busted a module of overground workers of Hizbul Mujahideen militant outfit by arresting its two members in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district. "Police busted an OGW module of banned terror outfit HM that was operating in the Lolab area of Kupwara," a police spokesman said. Acting on a specific input, police detained two persons -- Shakir Ahmad Wani and Ghulam Mustafa Sheikh, both residents of Tekipora in Lolab -- for questioning, he said. "The module was engaged in providing logistics support to terrorists apart from luring youth into the path of terrorism," the spokesman said, adding that "after sustained questioning of the duo, a pistol was recovered on their disclosure". A case has been registered and investigations are on, he said.
Sri Lankan President to visit Seychelles
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena will undertake his first state visit to Seychelles next week to strengthen diplomatic and tourism ties between the two countries, it was announced here on Thursday.
Dutch expelled four Russians over operation targeting chemical weapons watchdog: intel agency
Dutch intelligence thwarted a Russian plot targeting global chemical weapons watchdog the OPCW in April and expelled four Russian agents, the defence minister said Thursday. A laptop belonging to one of the four was linked to Brazil, Switzerland and Malaysia, with the activities in Malaysia related to the investigation into the 2014 shooting down of flight MH17 over Ukraine, Defence Minister Ank Bijleveld told a news conference.
Polls: Centre sends 25,000 paramilitary, police personnel for CG, MP and Rajasthan
Putting in place security arrangements for the upcoming polls in three states, the Union Home Ministry has ordered for the deployment of about 25,000 troops for election duties in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, a latest directive said. These paramilitary and state police personnel, part of the additional 250 companies to be sent in for the polls, have been asked to take position by October 15 in states assigned to them. While 50 fresh companies each have been marked to be sent to Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, an order accessed by PTI said, the highest of 150 such teams have been earmarked by the ministry to be sent to Chhattisgarh that has its southern part affected by a high-level threat of Maoist violence. A single state police or Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) company has about 100 personnel. While dates for Assembly polls in these states are yet to be declared by the Election Commission (EC), the Home Ministry has asked the forces and respective state governments ..
Hizbul module busted in J&K's Kupwara
Two Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) operatives have been detained in north Kashmir's Kupwara district for providing logistics support to militants and luring youth to join militant ranks, police said on Thursday.
History-sheeter arrested after dramatic escape bid
A criminal, who shot at a GRO and fled the premises of Contai sub-divisional court with the help of two of his accomplices on Thursday, was arrested again after an hour-long drama, police said. At around 12 noon, when four history-sheeters including Karna Bera were taken to the court, two bike-borne youths armed with bombs and a revolver, tried to snatch Bera away from police, they said. When the General Register Officer (GRO) resisted them, Bera fired at him twice from a close range, police said. The miscreants then hurled bombs to disperse the locals who tried to stop them from fleeing, they added.
Govt slaps fresh ban on two insurgent groups of Tripura
The government has imposed a fresh ban on two insurgent groups in Tripura for their violent and subversive activities, which aim at establishment of an independent nation. In a notification, the Home Ministry said the central government is of the opinion that the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and the All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) have been engaging in subversive and violent activities, undermining the authority of the government and spreading terror and violence among people for achieving their objectives. The ministry said the NLFT and the ATTF have, as their professed aim, establishment of an independent nation by secession of Tripura from India through armed struggle in alliance with other armed secessionist organisations of Tripura and to incite indigenous people of Tripura for such secession. "In exercise of powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 3 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967), the central government hereby declares that ...
CRPF changes old training regime with over 21,000 fresh jawans to be recruited
Concerned over its fresh recruits suffering injuries which have a lifelong impact, the CRPF has decided to "redesign" its old physical training regime to prepare tougher and agile soldiers who have to render hard duties in states hit by Naxal violence and militancy, the forces' chief has said. The over three-lakh personnel strong force is one of the biggest recruiters of young personnel in the ranks of constabulary and officers in the Assistant Commandant (AC) ranks and thousands of cadets get trained in its various academies round the year. The decision assumes significance as the government a few months back had announced a mega recruitment drive in the constabulary ranks of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) like the CRPF, BSF and ITBP with a hiring of a total 54,953 personnel. Out of these, the maximum at 21,566, will be recruited by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). CRPF Director General (DG) R R Bhatnagar told PTI after witnessing a "substantial" number of personnel .
UK minister: Russia cyberattacks actions of a 'pariah state'
British Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson on Thursday branded a series of global cyberattacks blamed on Russia as the reckless actions of a "pariah state" and said that the UK and its NATO allies would uncover such activities in the future. "Where Russia acts in an indiscriminate and reckless way, where they have done in terms of these cyberattacks, we will be exposing them," Williamson told reporters in Brussels at talks with US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis and their NATO counterparts. His remarks came after British and Australian officials said the Russian military intelligence unit GRU is behind a wave of global cyberattacks. Britain's National Cyber Security Center says four new attacks are associated with the GRU as well as earlier cyberattacks. It cites attacks on the World Anti-Doping agency, Ukrainian transport systems, the 2016 US presidential race and others as very likely the work of the GRU. British officials have blamed the GRU for the March nerve agent attack on Russian