{"id":13554,"date":"2016-03-23T09:07:36","date_gmt":"2016-03-23T14:07:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hcstx.org\/?p=13554"},"modified":"2016-03-23T09:07:36","modified_gmt":"2016-03-23T14:07:36","slug":"crusader-corner-no-perfect-defense","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thetacticalhermit.com\/index.php\/2016\/03\/23\/crusader-corner-no-perfect-defense\/","title":{"rendered":"Crusader Corner: No Perfect Defense"},"content":{"rendered":"

With all of the “Noise” surrounding the Brussels Terror Attack, here is one interview with a Brit Spook that offers some useful intel and information. -SF<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\"brussels-stays-on-high-alert-for-terrorist-attack\"<\/p>\n

The Cipher Brief: First Paris, then San Bernardino, then Brussels.\u00a0 How widespread are Islamic State networks in Europe, and can we expect these kind of attacks to continue?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Quite clearly the recent history of attacks, certainly those in Paris and Brussels, shows a very substantial increase in threats linked more or less exclusively to the Islamic State (IS).\u00a0 The threats are linked to IS\u2019s control of resources and territory in Iraq and Syria and its clear, stated intention of developing an attack capability in Europe and the United States.\u00a0 Almost inevitably, therefore, there will be groups developing attack capabilities that are varied, linked into central planning in Syria, and carried out by adherents and sympathizers in European capitals and the United States.\u00a0 And these threats will be linked to the large scale movement of people, particularly around Europe. The Paris attacks showed that all of these factors applied.\u00a0\u00a0 What matters, then, is the real operational capability of each individual group, and knowing that is a matter of acquiring detailed information.\u00a0 There\u2019s been a marked increase, sadly, in the threat, and it has to be taken extremely seriously.<\/p>\n

TCB: What do you make of reports that these are sophisticated explosives using TAPT (triacetone triperodoxide) and showing all the hallmarks of the same bombmaker?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I would expect it to take some time for a clear definition of the explosives used and for the identity of the bomb maker to become clear.\u00a0 So it seems to me to be quite early on to be reaching a judgment on that.\u00a0 It\u2019s difficult to say more from the outside.<\/p>\n

TCB: Will attacks on this scale change the way of life in Europe in terms of conducting business, travel, personal security, and so forth?<\/strong><\/p>\n

On the one hand, one might think so.\u00a0 It has been the subject of quite a bit of comment.\u00a0 On the other hand, previous experience in previous years shows it doesn\u2019t necessarily have that effect.\u00a0 The key issues with attacks of this scale and regularity is the degree to which the security authorities are able to adapt to the new threat or changing threat, and whether they can gain some kind of control or show they can control the situation.\u00a0 What is damaging is when a feeling develops that a violent terrorist threat is not under control, and therefore, can occur at any time and take [a country or populace] by surprise.\u00a0 So it all comes back to the effectiveness of the security apparatus in the countries\u2019 concerned and the people\u2019s confidence in them.<\/p>\n

TCB: What would you tell your Prime Minister about the threat to the United Kingdom and Europe in the wake of the attacks, and what are the next steps in preventing attacks?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Well, sadly\u2014and I\u2019m not saying anything you don\u2019t already know\u2014there is a very serious threat, and attacks could come at any time.\u00a0 Nobody is in a position, or could hope to be in a position, to say anything else under the circumstances.\u00a0 And clearly, an effective response will depend upon good and insightful intelligence, both information obtained and analysis of data, that comes in various ways.\u00a0 An effective response will also require the most efficient, skillful sharing of relevant information in Europe and internationally with the governments and authorities concerned.\u00a0 Quite clearly, this is a multinational threat and has to be dealt with in that way.\u00a0 There is nothing fundamentally new about that, it\u2019s the experience we\u2019ve been having for many years.<\/p>\n

TCB: Will these attacks spur greater cooperation on counterterrorism in Europe and with the United States.<\/strong><\/p>\n

There already is very extensive and deep cooperation and sharing of intelligence as well as mutual support.\u00a0 It\u2019s important that people understand that very, very extensive sharing and cooperation structures already exist and have been built up over many years.\u00a0 Of course, it can always get better.\u00a0 No doubt, deficiencies could be highlighted. So it is quite easy for commentators to say we need to learn to share intelligence better between agencies and between countries.\u00a0 Fine.\u00a0 But you have to know it already actually happens. \u00a0There is no perfect defense against such a threat. \u00a0At the same time a great deal of knowledge and skill has been developed over the years, and a great deal of the threat has been disrupted and prevented.<\/p>\n

We face a higher degree of threat, that is clear. Obviously, it’s a big worry. But experience shows we can get on top of these things, respond to them and achieve a level of success. There is no need to be defeatist. It’s important to keep calm and rational.<\/p>\n

Read the Original Article at The Cipher Brief<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With all of the “Noise” surrounding the Brussels Terror Attack, here is one interview with a Brit Spook that offers some useful intel and information. -SF The Cipher Brief: First Paris, then San Bernardino, then Brussels.\u00a0 How widespread are Islamic State networks in Europe, and can we expect these kind of attacks to continue? Quite…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[1704,5072,2574,74,272,10],"tags":[10575,545,10576,3976],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thetacticalhermit.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13554"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thetacticalhermit.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thetacticalhermit.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thetacticalhermit.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thetacticalhermit.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13554"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thetacticalhermit.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13554\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thetacticalhermit.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13554"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thetacticalhermit.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13554"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thetacticalhermit.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13554"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}