Day: November 5, 2023

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray has warned the public that the threats of a terror attack against the U.S. have reached “a whole other level” due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

“The reality is that the terrorism threat has been elevated throughout 2023, but the ongoing war in the Middle East has raised the threat of attack on Americans to a whole other level,” Wray said in his testimony during the Oct. 31 hearing of the Senate Homeland Security Committee.

The FBI director told senators that homegrown violent extremists inspired by foreign terror organizations or domestic extremists targeting specific religious or ethnic groups might exploit the ongoing conflict to carry out attacks in the United States.

“In just the past few weeks, multiple foreign terrorist organizations have called for attacks against Americans and the West. We also cannot and do not discount the possibility that Hamas or another foreign terrorist organization may exploit the current conflict to conduct attacks here on our own soil,” he said.

Moreover, Wray disclosed that Al Qaeda has issued its most specific call for attacks on the U.S. in years, while Islamic State leaders have ordered their followers to target Jewish communities. The FBI director also believes that Tehran and its proxies, like Hezbollah in Lebanon, are eyeing U.S. interests in the Middle East. Additionally, Iran aims to foster chaos without opening a second front with the U.S. or Israel. (Related: FBI warns: Hamas or other terrorist groups could attack United States.)

“Given that disturbing history, we are keeping a close eye on what impact recent events may have on those groups’ intentions here in the United States and how those intentions might evolve,” Wray said. He also stressed the risk of cyberattacks targeting American interests by Iran and other adversarial nations.

Security officials plead with Congress to renew Section 702

Wray, along with National Counterterrorism Center Director Christine Abizaid and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, pleaded with Congress to renew the snooping powers under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

“It would be absolutely devastating if the next time an adversary like Iran or China conducts a major cyberattack, we don’t see it coming because 702, one of our most important tools, was allowed to lapse,” Wray said.

Section 702, which is set to expire at the end of the year, permits the U.S. government to conduct targeted surveillance of foreign nationals residing outside the U.S. without the need for a warrant. This law was enacted after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Intelligence agencies were allowed to collect extensive data, such as emails, phone calls, texts and other communications from foreign nationals outside the country, even without a warrant.

The provision strictly prohibits intelligence agencies from using these powers to target Americans directly, as it would infringe on their Fourth Amendment rights. However, it allows for the “incidental” collection of data on U.S. citizens during interactions with foreign surveillance targets.

As the years passed, controversy and criticism dogged Section 702. Notably, a court opinion disclosed that FBI employees had wrongly accessed foreign surveillance data in search of U.S. senators’ and a state senator’s last names. Another FBI employee used the Social Security number of a state judge who had reported civil rights violations by a municipal police chief.

“The FBI continues to misuse authority under [the FISA’s] Section 702. You would think we’d be going after foreigners. But we are using the FISA to go after Americans,” said Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY). Given this, Congress is hesitant to renew it without substantial changes due to potential abuse.

Visit Surveillance.news to learn more about the unauthorized spying tactics of intel agencies in the United States.

Watch the Health Ranger Mike Adams recount how former President Barack Obama used a FISA warrant to spy on his successor Donald Trump.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

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FISA warrants and Team Trump spying: What did OBAMA know and when did he know it?

FISA memo released — bombshell report reveals MASSIVE Deep State conspiracy to keep Donald Trump out of the White House.

Rep. Gaetz leading charge to dismantle illegal government mass surveillance scheme.

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Sources include: 

WashingtonTimes.com

FoxNews.com

NBCNews.com

Former military officer and author Col. John Mills told host Brannon Howse during the Oct. 31 episode of the “Worldview Report” that China is triggering conflicts around the world.

Mills described China as the new arsonist-in-chief, setting brush fires around the world to degrade, distract and take away American resources and capabilities. The retired U.S. Army colonel and author said the same thing happened in Ukraine and recently the Middle East.

According to Mills, the shoving and pushing contest is spinning out of control in the Philippines. He explained that two shoals are being disputed there, including the Scarborough Shoal located about 123 miles east of the former U.S. naval base in Subic Bay, which is at the Philippine province of Zambales. (Related: China using military lasers to BLIND Philippine Coast Guard ship crews.)

“There’s no shooting going on yet, but it is serious pushing, shoving and grinding between these different boats at the shoals and these are 100 miles off. It’s well within what’s called the economic zone of the Philippines,” Mills said.

Mills also mentioned the pushing and shoving contest between China and the Philippines at the Second Thomas Shoal, also known as Ayungin (silver perch) Shoal. The retired military officer thinks the ultimate goal of the Chinese is to take the western island province of Palawan.

“So, what is China up to? They want to take the shoals, but I think the next move is Palawan. And that’s a long, narrow island. It’s relatively unguarded and kind of the central Philippines. I think this is going to be China’s next move,” Mills said.

“But the Filipinos are heroic in standing up to the Chinese, and we do have different defense treaties. And the current president of the Philippines, Mr. [Ferdinand] Marcos [Jr.], is very serious about standing his ground and they are doing it heroically with what little resources they have.”

Mills: Lack of American leadership to resolve the real issue

Howse mentioned a Newsweek article by Gordon Chang titled “America’s Failed Deterrence of China Has Left Us With Only Bad Options,” which talks about the Chinese vessels that rammed Filipino boats on Oct. 22.

The host noted that China harassing the Philippines could drag the U.S. into another conflict. He explained that the U.S. has an ironclad agreement with the Philippines that if the Southeast Asian nation gets into trouble, America must come to its defense.

“There’s another great way to throw America into another controversy, divide our resources and our troops,” Howse said. “We have to come to their defense. So, another great way to throw us off into something else.

Mills also mentioned that Panama is a very messy situation with multiple factions involved, but it could be cleared up if Americans had passionate, visible, demonstrative U.S. leadership in its front yard.

Howse said if China could get a hold of the Panama Canal, shipments going to America might be affected. Mills agreed, adding that it would asphyxiate America. He ultimately pointed out that the real issue is the lack of American leadership and resolve.

Follow CommunistChina.news for more news about China.

Watch the clip from “Worldview Report” where Col. John Mills puts in his two cents on China’s excursions around the world with Brannon Howse.

This video is from the Worldview Report channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

China now building an airstrip on disputed island in South China Sea.

U.S. vows to defend the Philippines amid China’s bold incursions.

U.S. warns China about plans to increase military drills in South China Sea region.

DOUBLE AGENT? China supplies drones to both Ukraine and Russia.

Col. John Mills tells Ann Vandersteel: China has a diabolical plan to clone people – Brighteon.TV.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

Newsweek.com

Israel has been removed from two major map platforms in China, while its neighboring countries remain – something Beijing denies.

Sequoia Capital partner Shaun Maguire pointed this out in a post on X, formerly Twitter. He shared an image of online world maps from Baidu and Alibaba’s Amap that did not explicitly demarcate Israel as a country. “Neighboring countries are still named Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, etc. If you zoom in on Israel, just city names,” he wrote, calling the move a “major provocation from China.”

The two websites serve as China’s counterpart of Google Maps, where Beijing blocks access for its citizens due to its sensitivity to territorial matters. In the past, it has angrily challenged foreign platforms whose maps did not acknowledge their territorial claims.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) meanwhile dismissed the allegation that it had changed its stance on Israel’s borders, saying that Beijing recognizes the country on official maps. “I believe you are aware that China and Israel have a normal diplomatic relationship,” MFA spokesman Wang Wenbin told a Reuters reporter. “The relevant country is clearly marked on the standard maps issued by the Chinese competent authorities, which you may refer to.”

According to Semafor, it is unclear if Baidu or Amap made any changes in response to the ongoing war in Gaza, as it may also be possible that people may be noticing long-standing features of the two platforms. The site made a review of the mapping services and it found that they did not automatically display labels for either Israel or Palestine. Amap does not label other countries either, and only names cities on its map.

“In the Middle East, Amap displayed several capital cities near Israel and Palestine such as Damascus, Beirut and Amman. But it did not demarcate Israel’s Tel Aviv or the disputed city of Jerusalem, which were both displayed on Baidu Maps.”

As per Baidu spokesperson Tony Peng, the company may not always display the names of smaller countries due to space constraints. “Users can find corresponding countries or areas on Baidu Maps by simply using the map’s search function,” he said. When Semafor tried searching for Israel, Baidu Maps did navigate to the country, though it still was not labeled.

Alibaba did not return a request for comment. Meanwhile, China has not officially condemned Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel and has criticized Jerusalem’s actions in Gaza as “collective punishment” and going “beyond self-defense.”

Beijing claims “vast territory” in a recently released national map

Last month, the Chinese Ministry of Natural Resources released a new official map that showed land claimed by Malaysia, Vietnam, India and the Philippines – countries that have territorial disputes with Beijing – as belonging to China. Baidu Maps similarly showed the independent island of Taiwan as part of China. The U-shaped line on the map reaffirms China’s claims to sovereignty over almost all of the South China Sea, a resource-rich and strategically important region through which trillions of dollars in trade flows each year.

This new map version may worsen clashes in the area, said Donald Rothwell, a professor of law at the Australian National University in Canberra, who focuses on the law of the sea. Though other countries may object to it, now that the map has been approved by the Chinese government and published, the Chinese Navy and Coast Guard “will seek to assert Chinese sovereignty and jurisdiction based on the map,” he told NBC News.

The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs stated that this latest attempt to legitimize China’s purported sovereignty and jurisdiction over Philippine features and maritime zones has no basis under international law. It also called on China to “act responsibly and abide by its obligations” under international law, as well as a 2016 ruling by an international tribunal in The Hague rejecting Beijing’s South China Sea claims.

The Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) reiterated back in September that Taiwan is not a part of China. MoFA spokesperson Jeff Liu said: “No matter how the [mainland] Chinese government twists its position on Taiwan’s sovereignty, it cannot change the objective fact of our country’s existence.” (Related: Taiwanese foreign minister expects China to manipulate the upcoming 2024 Presidential election in Taiwan.)

Watch this video about the prospect of China attacking the Philippines to bring America into another conflict.

This video is from the Worldview Report channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Shocking US Navy report shows China’s shipbuilding capacity is 232x that of the U.S.

China now building an airstrip on disputed island in South China Sea.

Biden approves $345 million weapons package to Taiwan to support the island against Chinese invasion.

Sources include:

Semafor.com

Twitter.com

Haaretz.com

NBCNews.com

Brighteon.com

Los Angeles became a “sanctuary city” for illegal immigrants barely five months ago. Now, it is slowly being overrun by the migrant crisis caused by President Joe Biden.

According to Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA), “between 1,000 and 1,600 people” arrive in LA every week.

In June, the city council voted to make LA a “sanctuary city” just like New York City (NYC) and Chicago, which are also run by Democrats. Because of this, conservatives in Texas and other frontier states took them at their word by busing illegal aliens to their jurisdictions.

But unlike in NYC and Chicago, bused migrants are considered a “minority” of the arrivals LA is dealing with. According to Salas, the majority of illegals are still those “who come through the California border and who walk here or get here on their own.”

Illegals strain the City of Angels’ resources

While the Golden State struggles to deal with the constant arrival of illegals bused from Florida and Texas, the City of Angels is also having a hard time finding adequate housing for those people. At the same time, local agencies warn that they will need additional support and resources to meet the demand.

CHIRLA said that recent batches of illegals are under “increased scrutiny” because of the influx of people at the southern border and the actions of the Florida and Texas government.

As LA clutches at straws because of the flood of illegals, many organizations and entities continue to provide support and resources for them. At least 85 migrant families are staying at the Union Rescue Mission downtown, with an additional 27 families near Compton at Angeles House.

However, CHIRLA warned that “there is a pressing need for more resources to assist asylum seekers in the city.”

Meanwhile, the hospitality workers union and concerned citizens are worried about some hotels hiring migrants to replace striking workers, which could potentially violate labor laws. These allegations are currently under investigation by the LA District Attorney’s office.

Union officials said that several hotels in Santa Monica and near LA International Airport have been hiring migrant workers, some of whom are homeless and staying at the Union Rescue Mission on downtown Skid Row.

The union warned that there were instances of one child missing school to work at a hotel. Additionally, the union said migrant workers are receiving paychecks without any documentation about the amount of time they worked.

Salas alleged that these immigrant workers are vulnerable and that they are abused in these cases.

As illegals continue to flock to LA, the city continues to bend over backward as it tries to support them and ensure that their alleged rights and well-being are upheld. (Related: El Paso Sector Border Patrol raided 281 human smuggling stash houses in 2023.)

The ongoing efforts of organizations like CHIRLA and the involvement of city officials highlight the importance of addressing the many problems concerning recent migration to the city, along with how to keep up with quickly depleting resources.

Go to OpenBorders.news for more news about sanctuary cities like LA and how the influx of illegal immigrants are impacting them.

Watch the video below that talks about how U.S. migrant processing centers destroy surrounding communities with the influx of illegals.

This video is from the GalacticStorm channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Sanctuary City New York spent over $5 billion in taxpayer money the previous fiscal year to provide services for ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.

Over 70,000 “special interest aliens” from countries that promote or protect TERRORISM have entered the U.S. since 2021.

Breitbart’s Alex Marlow: Biden favoring OPEN BORDERS to keep wages down and Democrats in power.

Trump promises IDEOLOGICAL SCREENING for potential immigrants if reelected as president.

Sources include:

TheNationalPulse.com

NBCLosAngeles.com 1

NBCLosAngeles.com 2

Brighteon.com