April 7, 2017

Alert – Sweden: Central Stockholm Incident Treated as Terrorism (Update 3)

On Friday afternoon Sweden time, a stolen truck drove onto central Stockholm’s pedestrian street Drottninggatan and smashed into a window of Ahlens department store. According to national broadcaster Sveriges Radio, at least three people have died and many are injured. The incident is reportedly now being treated as a terrorist act with one person having been arrested. Police have urged people to stay away from central Stockholm.

According to Aftonbladet (Swedish news):

At 14:53 alerted police to the Drottninggatan in central Stockholm. Barely an hour later, state prime minister Stefan Löfven Sweden has become a victim of a terrorist act. Sweden has been attacked. Everything points to terror, says Prime Minister Stefan Löfven.

A Spendrups truck must be driven at Queen Street for a long distance and hit a number of people. According to the Security Police “a large number of wounded.” The truck then drove into Åhlens house at the intersection Master Samuelsgatan and Drottninggatan. The truck began shortly thereafter burn.

According to data Aftonbladet has at least one person arrested. Swedish Radio report that Stefan Löfven confirmed that an arrest. The truck just ran full speed down Queen Street and drove the people, saying Durde who witnessed the incident.

According to BBC:

A lorry has driven into a store in central Stockholm, killing at least three people, Swedish media say. Shots have also reportedly been fired. Swedish police said a number of people were injured, and they are treating it as terrorism.

The incident occurred on Drottninggatan (Queen Street), one of the city’s major pedestrian streets, just before 15:00 local time (13:00 GMT).

Witnesses told local media they saw a lorry driving into the window of the Ahlens department store, and they have seen people on the ground.

“There is total confusion, I do not know how many are injured, many people are totally shocked,” one witness, Leif Arnmar, who was working in the department store, told Swedish national broadcaster SVT.

Shots have also reportedly been fired in another part of the city, says BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner, citing security sources. It is not yet known if the two incidents are connected.

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April 7, 2017

Alert – New York City: Train Service Remains Disrupted Due to Rail Damage

In the wake of Monday’s train derailment at Penn Station, train service remains spotty for Long Island Rail Road; however, Amtrak expects all of its trains to run today. Eight of the 21 tracks at Penn Station have been out of service.

According to ABC News:

Train service into New York City remains disrupted after transit officials say Amtrak didn’t complete work on damaged rails at Penn Station on time.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority says it has canceled 10 Long Island Rail Road trains into Manhattan for Friday’s morning rush hour and terminated four others at stations in Queens.

MTA says Amtrak crews didn’t finish track repair work by 4 a.m. Friday as promised. The agency also says Amtrak denied access to tracks overnight so LIRR could pre-position its trains.

Amtrak said Thursday it expected to have all 21 tracks at Penn Station operating Friday morning. A message left with Amtrak was immediately returned.

Eight of the 21 tracks have been out of service since Monday morning, when a New Jersey Transit train derailed, causing cancellations and lengthy delays for travelers on Amtrak, New Jersey Transit and the Long Island Rail Road.

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April 7, 2017

ALERT- Canada: American Charged after Mock Explosive Device Found at Toronto Airport

Yesterday, a “mock” explosive device was found at Toronto Pearson International Airport’s preclearance facility – the device tested negative for explosives. A man, who was scheduled to depart on United Airlines flight 547 to Chicago O’Hare, was arrested.

According to ABC News:

A 58-year-old American man was charged with mischief after a “mock Improvised Explosive Device” was found at Toronto Pearson International Airport today, according to police. The mock IED was discovered during screening of the traveler’s suitcase at a Toronto preclearance facility, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said in a statement. The agency said it paused all traveler processing while Canadian Air Transport Security Authority officials swabbed the device for explosives. CBP said the device tested negative.

The man was scheduled to depart on United Airlines flight 547 to Chicago O’Hare International Airport, according to CBP, which added that the plane was inspected and both travelers and baggage were screened again. The plane sat on the tarmac as passengers waited on board.

Police in Peel, Ontario, told ABC News that the man who was charged has been held by authorities ahead of a bail hearing scheduled for Friday. An officer declined to provide ABC News further information about the man.

The flight was scheduled to depart at 7:00 a.m. today, but was delayed nearly seven hours before taking off.

Peel Regional Police provide law enforcement for the airport, located in Mississauga, Ontario, just outside Toronto. CBP provides immigration, customs and other inspections at the airport for travelers planning to enter the United States.

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April 6, 2017

Alert – United States Launches Military Strike Against Syria

This evening, the United States has launched an air strike against Syria in retaliation for a deadly gas attack carried out on citizens there.

According to CNN:

The United States launched a military strike Thursday on a Syrian government target in retaliation for their chemical weapons attack on civilians earlier in the week.

On President Donald Trump’s orders, US warships launched between 50-60 Tomahawk cruise missiles at a Syrian government airbase where the warplanes that carried out the chemical attacks were based, US officials said.

“Tonight, I ordered a targeted military strike on the air field in Syria from where the chemical attack was launched,” Trump said during short remarks to reporters at Mar-a-Lago. “It is in this vital national security of the United States to prevent and deter the spread and use of deadly chemical weapons.”

He added: “There can be no dispute that Syria used banned chemical weapons, violated its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention and ignored the urging of the UN Security Council. Years of previous attempts at changing Assad’s behavior have all failed and failed very dramatically.”

A US defense official said the strike was targeted on runway, aircraft and fuel points. The missiles were launched from warships in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Strikes are over “until another decision is made,” the official said.

The strikes are the first direct military action the US has taken against the leadership of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the country’s six-year civil war and represent a substantial escalation of the US’ military campaign in the region, which could be interpreted by the Syrian government as an act of war.

Trump was very affected by the images of dead children among the civilian casualties in the Syrian chemical weapons attack and felt compelled to act, a senior administration official said.

The US began launching airstrikes in Syria in September 2014 under President Barack Obama as part of its coalition campaign against ISIS, but has only targeted the terrorist group and not Syrian government forces.

Trump met with his national security team before his dinner with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Mar-a-Lago Thursday, where he made the decision to pull the trigger on the biggest military action of his presidency, an administration official says.

He sat through dinner with the President Xi as action was under way.

Defense Secretary James Mattis has been updating Trump about the missile strikes in Syria following his dinner with Xi, according to a US official.

Mattis, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Trump’s national security adviser Gen. H.R. McMaster were with Trump at Mar-a-Lago at the time. Vice President Mike Pence remained in Washington, where he returned to the White House after dinner.

Trump’s order to strike the Syrian government targets came a day after he said the chemical attacks — whose grisly effects were broadcast worldwide where videos captured in the immediate aftermath — “crossed a lot of lines for me” and said he felt a “responsibility” to respon

“I will tell you it’s already happened that my attitude toward Syria and Assad has changed very much,” Trump said.

“When you kill innocent children — innocent babies — babies — little babies with a chemical gas that is so lethal, people were shocked to hear what gas it was, that crosses many, many lines. Beyond a red line, many, many lines,” Trump said.

Trump’s decision to launch the strikes, the most significant military action of his young presidency, came nearly four years after the US first concluded that Syrian forces had used chemical weapons in Syria. The Obama administration concluded that Syria had violated the “red line” Obama had set a year earlier in discussing the use of chemical weapons, but ultimately decided against military action against Syria in favor of a Russian-brokered deal to extricate the country’s chemical weapons stockpile.

Trump at the time said the US should “stay the hell out of Syria” and urged Obama on Twitter to “not attack Syria” in the wake of the 2013 chemical attack.

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April 5, 2017

Alert – US Department of Homeland Security: Ban on Electronics Could “Possibly” Expand to More Airports and Devices

CNN is reporting that the United States Department of Homeland Security – after having instituted a ban on carrying electronic devices larger than cellphones on board for flights to the United States from 10 African and Middle East airports – has said it could “possibly” expand the ban. However, no expansion is imminent.

According to CNN:

The ban on electronic devices on board some direct flights to the United States could expand to include more airports and devices, the Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday. The existing ban — which governs certain devices from 10 specific African and Middle Eastern airports in eight countries — requires passengers on those flights to place electronic devices larger than cellphones in their checked luggage.

“Could we see an expansion? Possibly, we have not ruled out that there could be an expansion in the future,” DHS spokesman David Lapan told reporters. He added that any expansion to the ban — which took effect two weeks ago — is not imminent.

The Department of Homeland Security is also targeting and isolating certain aircraft for additional screening upon landing in the United States, according to a source with knowledge of the screening procedures.

US authorities have said the electronics ban is focused on the eight countries in part because of intelligence indicating a greater threat there. Intelligence and law enforcement assessments done in recent months also indicate that, though the broader vulnerabilities exist, the US has more confidence in detection machines and security screeners at airports in the US and Europe. Advanced technology and training helps mitigate the risk.

Lapan said it was too soon to tell if any of the airports currently on the list would be removed and that the policy would be reviewed based on emerging threats. He added, though, that “nothing is foolproof.”

“It is always our goal to prevent somebody from seeking to get an explosive device on an airplane and so we put things into place to try to mitigate that to the greatest extent possible,” he said. “But, short of having people stop flying completely — that’s the only way you can guarantee that no one will ever get blown up in an airplane.”

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April 4, 2017

ALERT: Argentina- General Strike on April 6th 2017

Labor union regional strikes taking place across Argentina will turn into a national, general strike on Thursday, April 6.

Major airlines have announced waivers including: American Airlines, British Airways, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines.

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April 3, 2017

ALERT: Botswana- 6.5 Magnitude Earthquake

A remote area near Botswana’s Central Kalahari Game Reserve has been rocked by a 6.5 magnitude earthquake today. There are no reports of casualties.

According to Reuters:

A strong earthquake struck in a remote region of Botswana on Monday near the renowned Kalahari game reserve, sending shockwaves across the southern African country though there were no early reports of casualties or damage. The magnitude 6.5 quake’s epicenter was nearly 250 km (155 miles) north-northwest of the capital Gaborone at a depth of 12 km (7 miles), the U.S. Geological Survey said.

Tremors were also felt in neighboring South Africa.

“We certainly felt (the quake) here in central Gaborone. The buildings … were trembling,” said, Botswana’s chief government spokesman, Jeff Ramsay. “We don’t have an reports of casualties or damage yet but its a bit early to tell.”

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April 3, 2017

ALERT: New York- New Jersey Transit Derailment at Penn Station

For the second time in the last two week, a train derailment has snarled commuter traffic in and out of New York City’s Penn Station. Today a NJ Transit derailment injured at least four people.

According to NBC News New York:

Mass transit riders, including thousands of Mets fans who flocked to Citi Field for opening day, are bracing for a nightmarish evening commute after the second derailment at New York’s Penn Station in 11 days.

Monday’s NJ Transit derailment at the height of the morning rush left at least four people with minor injuries and prompted a total shutdown of NJ Transit service in and out of the Manhattan hub for more than two hours. Some lines were being diverted. Amtrak customers were also affected, and the MTA’s initial projection of canceling up to 30 LIRR trains out of Penn Monday evening did not bode well for Mets fans trying to get home from the opener.

Limited NJ Transit service was restored by early afternoon, but the railroad warned a detailed service plan remained under development. As with the March 24 derailment, when an Acela slipped off the tracks and bumped an NJ Transit train heading the opposite way, delays were expected to be significant — and lasting.

A spokesperson for NJ Transit said there was a “slow-speed derailment” as the train out of Trenton pulled into Track 9 at Penn Station around 9 a.m. Customers in the last four cars had to be escorted off, the spokesperson said. NJ Transit said four of the 1,200 aboard suffered minor injuries; the FDNY said it treated five people. All were expected to be OK.

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April 3, 2017

Alert – Russia: Explosion on Metro (Subway) Train in St. Petersburg (Updated)

News reports state that there have been multiple casualties due to one or more explosions on the subway system in St. Petersburg, Russia.

At least one explosion took place on a subway car at the Sennaya Ploshchad station. Due to the situation, seven metro stations have been closed.

According to the BBC:

At least 10 people have been killed in explosions at underground stations in St Petersburg, Russian media report.

The Tass and Interfax agencies reported the blasts hit the Sennaya Ploshchad and nearby Institute of Technology stations in the centre of the city.

Images posted on social media showed a carriage in Sennaya station with its doors blown out with casualties nearby.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is in the city, has been informed, Russian media say.

The cause of the explosions is not yet known.

The Russian news agency TASS reports:

According to preliminary reports, ten people were killed by an explosion inside a metro train at the Sennaya Square station in St. Petersburg, emergency services told TASS. According to a source, an unidentified device exploded in a train car.

“According to information available at this point ten people died. Others were injured,” a source said adding that the number of casualties was still to be specified. TASS has no official confirmation at this point.

Rescue workers and law enforcement personnel are working at the scene.

Evacuation is under way at a blast-hit subway station. Seven metro stations in the city have been closed following the blast:

“Park Pobedy, Elektrosila, Moskovskiye Vorota, Frunzenskaya, Tekhnologichesky Institut, Sennaya Ploshchad and Gostiny Dvor metro stations have been closed,” the metro’s press service reports.

A spokesman for the regional department of Russia’s Emergencies Ministry said it was checking reports on the smoke in the metro. “There is a complaint about the smoke, the staff members are going to the scene,” he said.

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April 2, 2017

Alert – Walt Disney World: Enhanced Security Screenings Begin April 3

Beginning April 3, 2017, Walt Disney World will institute enhanced security screenings before visitors can enter parks and certain resorts.

According to the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel:

Visitors to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom will go through metal detectors and get bags checked at the Transportation and Ticket Center starting Monday.

The center, commonly known as the TTC, is a major hub for Magic Kingdom visitors. People driving to the Magic Kingdom park at TTC, then board monorails or ferries to cross Seven Seas Lagoon and reach the attraction. Currently, visitors can board the monorails and ferryboats without going through bag checks or metal detectors.

Guests arriving at Magic Kingdom via the monorail or ferry won’t have to go through security once they get to the theme park itself. However, the Magic Kingdom will still have some bag checks and metal detectors for visitors arriving by other transportation, such as buses.

Also beginning April 3, guests staying at Disney’s Contemporary, Grand Floridian and Polynesian resorts will begin going through security at the resorts’ monorail stations.

All three of the major theme park resorts in Orlando installed metal detectors at their entrances in December 2015.

In an emailed statement, Disney called the new procedures part of “an ongoing effort to enhance the arrival experience for guests at the entrance to Magic Kingdom Park.”

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