Iraq To UN: Terrorist Groups Have Seized Nuclear Materials That Can Be Used To Manufacture Full "Weapons Of Mass Destruction"

Insurgents in Iraq have seized nuclear materials from a university in the country's north, Iraq told the United Nations in a letter appealing for help to "stave off the threat of their use by terrorists in Iraq or abroad." Nearly 40 kilograms (88 pounds) of uranium compounds were kept at Mosul University, Iraq's U.N. Ambassador Mohamed Ali Alhakim told U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in the July 8 letter obtained by Reuters on Wednesday. "Terrorist groups have seized control of nuclear material at the sites that came out of the control of the state," Alhakim wrote, adding that such materials "can be used in manufacturing weapons of mass destruction." "These nuclear materials, despite the limited amounts mentioned, can enable terrorist groups, with the availability of the required expertise, to use it separate or in combination with other materials in its terrorist acts," said Alhakim

Hamas Just Attempted To Create A Horrific Nuclear Disaster In The Heart Of Israel
After the horrors of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, how insane do you have to be to fire missiles directly at a major nuclear facility?  No matter what side you are on in the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians, everyone should be able to agree that it is utter madness for Hamas to fire rockets at the Dimona nuclear installation in the Negev.  The intent, of course, was to destroy the Dimona facility and create a horrific nuclear disaster in the heart of Israel.  Fortunately, the area is heavily protected by the Iron Dome missile defense system and none of the rockets did any damage.  And it is questionable how much damage to the facility that Hamas missiles could actually do.  But that is not the point.  What matters is that Hamas is trying to do it.  With each passing year, Hamas rockets are becoming more advanced, more accurate and more powerful.  And when Hamas fires some of their best rockets at a major nuclear facility, they are
 committing an act of all-out war.  If Hamas continues to do this, it could spark a major regional war in which countless numbers of people could die.  Is that what they want?

Iran’s Path To Nuclear Bombs
Iran's heavy-water production plant in Arak, southwest of Tehran. Photo: REUTERS As nuclear negotiations resume this week between Iran and world powers, it is becoming increasingly clear that any deal signed will be considered ill-conceived by Israel. According to most estimations, the focus of the talks has shifted from dismantling Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, as demanded by Jerusalem, to creating a verification network that would, ideally, grant inspectors unfettered access to Iranian sites to ensure the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear operations. In “Inspections: The Weak Link in a Nuclear Agreement with Iran,” Dore Gold, a former Israeli ambassador to the United Nations and currently an adviser to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, questions “the advisability of erecting a comprehensive agreement with Iran that is so highly dependent upon the efficacy of its inspection system and the willingness of Iran to agree to what some analysts
 call unprecedented levels of transparency.”

General: What’s Coming Over US Borders Now Is Every Bit The Existential Threat As Iran Nukes

Marine Corps Gen. John Kelly is commander of the U.S. Southern Command, or SOUTHCOM, charged with responsibility for the Caribbean Sea and all lands south of Mexico. Particularly in regards to the drug trade, murder rates and terrorist activity brewing in Central America, Kelly says, the waves of Latin Americans sweeping through Mexico and illegally into Texas presents a threat to the U.S. every bit as serious as Iran or North Korea. “In comparison to other global threats, the near collapse of societies in [this] hemisphere with the associated drug and [illegal immigrant] flow are frequently viewed to be of low importance,” Kelly said in an interview with Defense One. “Many argue these threats are not existential and do not challenge our national security. I disagree.” It isn’t the first time Kelly has sounded the alarm. In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee in March, Kelly complained that budget cuts in recent years have
 handcuffed the military’s ability to shut down many drug and human trafficking corridors.

Department Of Homeland Security Begins Test Of Biometric Sensor Tech At Maryland Center
The Department of Homeland Security has opened a new facility in Upper Marlboro, Maryland that will test biometric systems in simulated operational airport settings. Dr. Reginald Brothers, DHS undersecretary for science and technology, wrote in a Thursday blog post the center is built to help the agency implement biometric identification processes at ports of entry across the U.S. The Maryland Test Facility is a collaborative effort between DHS’ science and technology directorate and the Customs and Border Protection. “Working together with CBP, we will test and incorporate all aspects of the technology and new procedures with volunteer participants from throughout the national capital region,” Brothers said. MdTF scientists will also research and develop new methods to mak



US Border Crisis May Be Providing Cover To ISIS Operatives, Say Experts
The border crisis could be the perfect opportunity for Islamic terrorists looking to sneak sleeper cells into the U.S., say experts. Patrols on the Mexican border have been stretched to the breaking point in recent weeks by a tidal wave of immigrants from Central America. Among the estimated 60,000 people who have streamed across is a small percentage of what agents term "Special Interest Aliens," or SIAs. Terrorism experts say airport security is effective at keeping dangerous jihadists out, but the border breakdown could be America's Achilles heel - providing an entry point for groups like ISIS. “It's impossible to say that ISIS will soon be active on our border, but some groups will be,” said retired Army Lt. Col. Ralph Peters, a security and defense analyst and Fox News contributor. “The one thing that all of the squabbling jihadi groups in the Middle East and North Africa have in common is that they want to strike the U.S., both for what they
 view as vengeance and because, in terrorist circles, striking the U.S. is how you confirm that you're a major player.”