al Qaeda in Maghreb Attacks Ivory Coast, Americans

Posted on March 14, 2016March 14, 2016 by Denise Simon

FNC: The terrorist attack in the Ivory Coast Sunday most likely targeted a US delegation led by the assistant commerce secretary visiting the country, a diplomatic source in the region tells Fox News. Assistant Secretary of Commerce Marcus Jadotte was leading a group of Americans in Grand-Bassam, located 25 miles east of the capital city of Abidjan, including college recruiters from the University of Florida. US embassy officials from Abidjan were also included in the group, according to the source.

Eyewitnesses describe Ivory Coast beach resort atrocity

Western tourists and beachgoers described scenes of panic and carnage on Sunday as Al Qaeda-linked gunmen opened fire killing 16 people at a usually sleepy seaside town in Ivory Coast before special forces intervened.

France24: Grand-Bassam, a UNESCO World Heritage site that attracts foreigners and the Ivorian elite, briefly became a war zone Sunday as al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) gunmen shot beachgoers.

“We were eating, when suddenly we heard gunshots. People where running in all directions and we didn’t know what was going on”, one witness told FRANCE 24.

“The shots started getting closer and we saw people coming our way. I told my wife ‘we can’t stay here’, and 20 seconds after that they killed three people behind us”, he said.

“It was truly, truly, terrifying, it was indeed terrorists,” eyewitness Marie-Claire Yapi, who was separated from her nine-month old baby and her sister in the chaos, told FRANCE 24. “Someone said to me: ‘Run, this is serious – they are killing everyone.’”

Ivorian officials said six terrorists stormed the beach, but AQIM praised its three “heroes” for the attack in an online statement.

‘A blast every 10 to 15 seconds’

“It all started down by the beach, as soon as they saw someone they would open fire. Everyone began running. There were women and children running and looking for a place to hide,” witness Marie Bassole told Reuters.

Koumena Kakou Bertin said that he heard the attackers shouting “Allahu Akbar”, Arabic for “God is great”, as they sprayed the beach with bullets.

Charles-Philippe d’Orleans, a retired French army officer who served in the Ivory Coast, was also on the beach at the moment of the attack.

“We could hear a blast every 10 to 15 seconds. They were shooting at us and the bullets were flying everywhere”, he told French weekly Paris Match.

“I did not hear shouts of ‘Allahu Akbar’, nor did I hear repeated bursts of gunfire that are usual for automatic weapons. I think they had handguns, like 9 mm or Magnums” he added.

Beach packed due to heatwave

After targetting swimmers and sunbathers, the gunmen turned their attention to hotels near the shore, including the Grand Bassam’s Chelsea Hotel and the Hotel Etoile du Sud.

The Etoile du Sud was packed full of beachgoers and expats escaping the current heatwave when the gunmen attacked.

“I saw one of the attackers from far away”, said Abbas El-Roz, a Lebanese salesman, who was swimming in the hotel’s pool when the attackers struck. “He had a Kalashnikov and a grenade belt. He was looking for people”.

Ivorians and Europeans among victims

Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara praised special forces for regaining control of the situation in a relatively short amount of time. “This attack was brought under control in 45 minutes thanks to our security forces”, he said on national television.

Two special forces soldiers were killed in the gun battle with the attackers, Ivorian officials said.

Four Europeans were also among the dead, with France’s foreign ministry confirming that one French national died in the attack.

The assault itself resembled the terrorist attack on a Tunisian beach resort in June 2015, and comes on the heels of similar deadly incidents in Mali and Burkina Faso.

“Most of the victims are Africans, Africans from Ivory Coast or from neighbouring countries”, French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said in a statement on Sunday.

“So it is one again Africa that has been targeted by terrorism”, he added.

However, FRANCE 24’s expert on jihadi movements Wassim Nasr, said the attack should be considered part of al Qaeda’s war against the West, and France in particular.

“They target wherever they see French interests, or French or [other] Western citizens. They are trying to export their war to Western Africa. So I suspect that more attacks will happen in this region”, Nasr added.

Additional details here.

Hellfire Missiles on Passenger Plane? Huh?

Posted on March 14, 2016March 14, 2016 by Denise Simon

It was not all that long ago that a U.S. made hellfire missile ended up in Cuba….how is a convoluted story but after the United States groveled, we got it back from Cuba where it appears to have been meant for Europe.

Now Portland, Oregon?

Hellfire missiles bound for Portland found on passenger plane in Serbia

RegisterGuard:

BELGRADE, Serbia — Serbia’s authorities are investigating reports that a cargo package bound for Portland containing two missiles with explosive warheads was found on a passenger flight from Lebanon to Serbia.

N1 television said the package with two guided armor-piercing missiles was discovered Saturday by a sniffer dog after an Air Serbia flight from Beirut landed at Belgrade airport.

Serbian media say documents listed the final destination for the AGM-114 Hellfire missiles as Portland, Oregon. The American-made projectiles can be fired from air, sea or ground platforms.

N1 reported Sunday that Air Serbia is helping in the investigation. The Serbian flag carrier says “security and safety are the main priorities for Air Serbia.”

*****

In part from InquisitR: According to Serbia’s N1 Television, the missiles were discovered Saturday by a bomb-sniffing dog after the plane landed at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport, and shipping documents indicate that the final destination was Portland, Oregon. The missiles had been packed in wooden crates. Whatever the source, it’s clear that they either didn’t anticipate standard airport security or didn’t realize that it could detect a Hellfire missile. The missiles have been more or less unchanged since they were developed in 1974, employing a High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) warhead, supported by a Metal Augmented Charge (MAC), which uses a standard shaped-charge explosive in detonation. In other words, they use the same explosive materials as any other bomb, including a solid-fuel rocket.

American Predator drones mount a single Hellfire II missile designed to eliminate high-priority targets. [Photo by John Moore/Getty Images]

The AGM-114 Hellfire missile is an air-to-surface missile designed to be fired from a helicopter; the warhead is armor-piercing and was specifically developed for anti-armor use; later models were developed for precision strikes from Predator drones. And although intended for helicopter use, the missile can be fired from multiple air, sea, and ground platforms; using laser guidance, it can easily deliver its payload wherever desired — including inside an armored building.

Air Serbia is currently assisting in an investigation. The airline indicated that “security and safety are the main priorities for Air Serbia.” A spokesperson for the FBI’s Portland division indicated that the FBI was aware of the Serbian reports but had no information for release. Lockheed Martin, which manufactured the Hellfires, indicated that they were unaware of the situation and referred further inquiries to government officials.

Of course, as Huffington Post notes, it’s not all that unusual to find U.S. Hellfire missiles in that part of the world — the State Department regularly sells them in the Middle East and supplies American allies with them. Most recently, the State Department indicated that a sale of Hellfire II missiles (the variant used by Predator drones) to Lebanon was likely, in June, 2015, and in January, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency approved a sale of 5,000 Hellfires to the Iraqi government to aid the fight against ISIS, to the tune of some $800 million USD.

In this case, though, the Hellfire missiles were clearly out of place. As former State Department and Pentagon staffer Robert Caruso noted on Sunday, there is no legitimate reason for live military hardware to be on-board a commercial passenger flight, and the missiles were likely stolen. From where, nobody is certain. Full article here.

“No — there are Syria-related things ongoing in Bulgaria (open source) but even that can’t answer this. Prob stolen.”

Trump’s Chicago Rally that Wasn’t

Posted on March 12, 2016March 12, 2016 by Denise Simon

Enter the George Soros money and influence as well as other groups as noted in this DO NOT MISS LINK. It is confirmed that Bill Ayers was there and the commie call to action received 10,000 RSVP’s.

MoveOn’s statement on the cancellation of the Trump rally in Chicago. pic.twitter.com/eppJOy1O81

****** There was a time when a financial relationship existing between Trump and Soros, but Soros later successfully concocted a plan of economic and social engineering warfare on America. March 11, 2016 in Chicago was a display of MoveOn’s efforts to interject in the political process and free speech to great affect.

Associated Press reported the whole day this way:

Sanders released three television commercials Friday in Illinois. One included Cook County Commissioner Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, who lost Chicago’s mayoral race last year, but forced a runoff contest in Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s re-election bid. Emanual, a former White House aide, endorsed Hillary Clinton.

Sanders blasted Emanuel for his controversial push to close dozens of Chicago schools in 2013 over poor performance. Sanders said, “I want to thank Rahm Emanuel for not endorsing me.”

___

10 p.m.

Ted Cruz is responding to Donald Trump’s cancellation of his Chicago rally, saying the billionaire has created “an environment that encourages this sort of nasty discourse.”

Cruz spoke to reporters at a suburban Chicago Republican dinner about 30 miles away from where his GOP presidential rival was forced to cancel a rally due to safety concerns.

The Texas senator is calling it a “sad day.”

He says, “Political discourse should occur in this country without the threat of violence, without anger and rage and hatred directed at each other.”

Cruz says blame for the events in downtown Chicago rests with the protesters but “in any campaign responsibility starts at the top.”

Cruz says, “When the candidate urges supporters to engage in physical violence, to punch people in the face, the predictable consequence of that is that is escalates. Today is unlikely to be the last such incidence.”

___

9:25 p.m.

A spokesman for the Chicago Police Department says the agency never recommended that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump cancel his campaign rally in the city.

CPD spokesman Anthony Guglielmi tells The Associated Press that the department never told the Trump campaign there was a security threat at the University of Illinois at Chicago venue. He said the department had sufficient manpower on the scene to handle any situation.

Guglielmi says the university’s police department also did not recommend that Trump call off the event. He says the decision was made “independently” by the campaign.

Trump cancelled the rally in Chicago due to what organizers said were safety concerns after protesters packed into the arena where it was to take place.

Trump afterward told MSNBC in a telephone interview that he canceled the event because he didn’t “want to see people hurt or worse.” He said he thinks he “did the right thing.”

Guglielmi says Trump never arrived at the Chicago venue.

___

8:25 p.m.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump says he didn’t “want to see people hurt or worse” at his campaign rally in Chicago, so he decided to postpone the event.

Trump tells MSNBC in a telephone interview that, “I think we did the right thing.”

The Friday night rally at the University of Illinois at Chicago was called off due to security concerns. Supporters and protesters alike had packed into a campus arena, and for the first time during the billionaire businessman’s White House run they appeared to be of equal number.

Trump attributed the protests not to objections to his policies, but to general malaise in the United States — particularly among people upset they haven’t been able to find jobs.

“It’s anger in the country,” he said. “I don’t think it’s directed at me. Just what’s been going on for years.”

But many of the protesters at the event said they were there to stop Trump from speaking. Among them was Jermaine Hodge, a 37-year-old lifelong Chicago resident who owns a trucking company.

He says: “Our country is not going to make it being divided by the views of Donald Trump. Our country is divided enough. Donald Trump, he’s preaching hate. He’s preaching division.”

___

8:15 p.m.

Protesters at the rally for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump rushed the arena floor in jubilant celebration after the announcement that he was calling off the event due to security concerns.

Many jumped up and down, with arms up in the air, shouting “F— Trump!” ”Bernie! Bernie!” and “We stopped Trump!”

Kamran Siddiqui is a 20-year-old student at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where the event was to take place.

He says: “Trump represents everything America is not and everything Chicago is not. We came in here and we wanted to shut this down. Because this is a great city and we don’t want to let that person in here.”

Siddiqui says he’s a supporter of Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. He says it “feels amazing” to have stopped Trump from speaking at his own rally.

He adds: “Everybody came together. That’s what people can do. Now people got to go out and vote because we have the opportunity to stop Trump.”

___

8:08 p.m.

Protesters whose presence at a Donald Trump campaign rally forced the Republican White House front-runner to call off the event are celebrating their success at keeping him from taking the stage.

As Trump supporters walk through the anti-Trump crowd outside the University of Illinois at Chicago Pavilion, many of the protesters are chanting: “We stopped Trump! We stopped Trump!”

Others are shouting: “Racists, go home! Racists, go home!”

There were no apparent physical confrontations between the two sides as police officers on foot and horseback worked to keep them apart.

___

7:56 p.m.

Donald Trump’s campaign for president has issued a statement about the decision to cancel a rally in Chicago.

It says: “Mr. Trump just arrived in Chicago and after meeting with law enforcement has determined that for the safety of all of the tens of thousands of people that have gathered in and around the arena, tonight’s rally will be postponed to another date. Thank you very much for your attendance and please go in peace.”

___

7:36 p.m.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has cancelled a rally in Chicago, calling off the event due to safety concerns after protesters packed into the arena where it was to take place.

The announcement that Trump would postpone the rally for another day led the crowd inside the University of Illinois at Chicago Pavilion to break out into raucous cheers.

Meanwhile, supporters of the candidate broke out into chants of “We want Trump! We want Trump!”

There was no sign of Trump inside the arena on the college campus, where dozens of UIC faculty and staff had petitioned university administrators to cancel the rally. They cited concerns it would create a “hostile and physically dangerous environment” for students.

___

6:55 p.m.

Donald Trump supporters and protesters alike have packed into an arena on the campus of the University of Illinois at Chicago for an evening rally with the Republican candidate for president.

Many of those who were waiting in line to get into the Friday night event identified themselves as protesters. UIC student G.J. Pryor said he wanted to disrupt Trump’s speech, adding he would only do so if he felt safe.

Some Trump supporters walking toward the arena chanted, “USA! USA!” and “Illegal is illegal.” One demonstrator shouted back, “Racist!”

There’s a heavy police presence outside the rally, with barricades and mounted police keeping most protesters and Trump supporters apart.

Trump supporter Veronica Kowalkowsky says she has no ill will toward the protesters. But the 18-year-old says she has felt their ill will, adding: “I feel a lot of hate. I haven’t said anything bad to anyone.”

___

6:30 p.m.

President Barack Obama is laying into Republicans and their front-runner for the presidential nomination, saying they’ve allowed the race to devolve into “fantasy and schoolyard taunts and selling stuff like it’s the Home Shopping Network.”

At a Democratic fundraiser in Austin, Texas, Obama taunted Donald Trump as “the guy who was sure that I was born in Kenya!”

Obama hasn’t endorsed a Democratic successor and isn’t expected to campaign broadly until the summer. Still, he seemed ready. The president was unscripted and loose in front of the boisterous crowd of young Democratic contributors.

He revived a critique of the GOP he offered earlier in the week, only this time with more bite.

Obama dismissed the idea that he is to blame for the current political climate: “The notion is, Obama drove us crazy. What they really mean is their reaction to me was crazy and now it has gotten out of hand.”

___

4:30 p.m.

Hillary Clinton apologized Friday after gay-rights and AIDS activists assailed her for saying Nancy Reagan helped start a “national conversation” about AIDS in the 1980s. At the time, protesters were struggling to get more federal help in fighting the disease.

Clinton, one of two contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination, made her initial comments in an interview with MSNBC during its coverage of Nancy Reagan’s funeral. After the outcry, she apologized on her Twitter account, saying she “misspoke” about the Reagans’ record on AIDS.

Many activists remain bitter at Ronald Reagan and his administration for what they view as a devastatingly slow response to AIDS. Though initial reports of the disease surfaced in 1981, President Reagan did not make his first public speech about it until 1987.

___

2:42 p.m.

Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump says he “doesn’t quite get” why some people preferred the more mellow performance he delivered in Thursday’s debate.

The billionaire businessman left his usual barbs and personal insults behind at the debate in Miami. He says he told himself ahead of time he wasn’t going to talk about “Lying Ted,” his nickname for rival Ted Cruz.

But Trump told a rally in St. Louis on Friday that the other Trump is more exciting.

He says: “Last night on the debate — I don’t quite get this — I got these phenomenal reviews, right? Because I was, like, nice. But isn’t the other more like exciting? Don’t we like the other better?”

Trump’s rally was repeatedly interrupted by protesters.

___

2:15 p.m.

Protesters are roiling a Donald Trump rally in St. Louis, repeatedly interrupting the Republican candidate for president as he seeks to speak at a rally ahead of Tuesday’s elections in Missouri and four other states.

Trump says, “these are not the people who made our country great.”

He’s complimenting the police and security officers who are escorting the protesters out of the rally at the city’s Peabody Opera House.

Trump says the media is focusing too much on the protests that interrupt his rallies, and not enough on “the love that’s in these rooms.”

But he adds, “this is more exciting that having a speech.” The billionaire says he’ll still deliver his speech, but it will just take a little bit longer.

___

1:15 p.m.

A large crowd is turning out for a Donald Trump rally in St. Louis, the first public campaign event for the Republican presidential front-runner since one of the billionaire’s supporters was charged with punching a protester at a Wednesday rally.

The line waiting to get into Friday’s lunchtime rally at the city’s Peabody Opera House circled several blocks. Most were turned away — the theater holds just 3,100 people.

Dozens of city police officers stood at various points in the line. Others watched from rooftops of neighboring buildings.

Several protesters marched outside, mostly in an area confined behind a makeshift fence. Some exchanged shouts with Trump supporters.

Trump is seeking support ahead of Missouri’s presidential primary on Tuesday. Rival Ted Cruz is speaking at a rally Saturday in the St. Louis County town of Ballwin. Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton also is holding a St. Louis rally on Saturday.

___

1:00 p.m.

Donald Trump boasts that he can win the Hispanic vote in a general election and next week, he faces his first major test in the winner-take-all primary in Florida, a highly contentious swing state with a large and diverse population of Latino voters.

His tough stance on illegal immigration plays well among Florida’s more conservative Latinos. Many Cuban-Americans, especially, view illegal immigration through the same lens as many of their white Republican peers who see immigration as an achievement, not as a right, that shouldn’t be taken for granted by those who come to America illegally.

For that reason, Trump has surged in the polls ahead of this crucial contest, even as two Cuban-Americans — Florida’s own Sen. Marco Rubio, and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz — look to use their heritage in their favor. For Rubio especially, who has collected only two wins so far — one of them in Puerto Rico — Florida’s all-or-nothing contest could be his campaign’s swan song if he doesn’t win.

___

12:15 p.m.

Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz hedged on a question about whether former-rival-turned-supporter Carly Fiorina would be on his vice presidential short list if he gets the nomination.

Cruz was joined onstage at a forum in Orlando Friday by Fiorina and Fox News television host Sean Hannity. Fiorina endorsed Cruz this week.

Cruz praised Fiorina but didn’t directly answer a question from Hannity about whether Fiorina would be his pick for a running mate.

Meanwhile, Fiorina said front-runner Donald Trump needs to “man up” and not complain about the number of debates in the presidential primary race.

Trump said after Thursday’s debate that there had been too many debates.

___

12:00 p.m.

Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio says he hasn’t thought much beyond what happens in Tuesday’s crucial Florida primary.

He says he’s focused on winning the March 15 winner-take-all primary, dismissing several polls in the last week showing him trailing GOP front-runner Donald Trump his home state.

Rubio is predicting “a close election” but says he’s going to win.

Rubio also says he’s not had any talks or meetings with rivals Ted Cruz or John Kasich to team up to defeat GOP front-runner Donald Trump.

He says he’s “not open” to any such talks about joining forces.

___

11:50 a.m.

Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz says he was happy the latest GOP debate was more civil than previous ones.

Cruz said Friday during a forum with Fox News talk show host Sean Hannity in Orlando that the past debates had gotten ugly.

Cruz also said he was happy GOP rival Donald Trump’s anatomy wasn’t a topic of discussion during Thursday night’s debate in Miami.

Cruz answered questions at an Orlando megachurch filled with almost 1,000 supporters during a forum that will air on Hannity’s show.

___

11:45 a.m.

Marco Rubio’s campaign is urging people in Ohio to vote for his rival, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, to stop rival Donald Trump from clinching the prized contest.

Alex Conant told The Associated Press Friday that the only way to stop Trump from sweeping next week’s basket of winner-take-all contests is to vote for Kasich in Ohio and Rubio in Florida.

Conant said that “If you want to stop Trump in Ohio, Kasich’s the only guy who can beat him there.”

Conant added: “Marco is the only guy who can beat him in Florida.”

Kasich spokesman Rob Nichols says that his candidate is going to win in Ohio without Rubio’s help “just as he’s going to lose Florida without our help.”

___

10:30 a.m.

Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz has secured the endorsement of Missouri Rep. Ann Wagner.

In a statement on Friday, Wagner said that Republicans “must unite to win behind a strong, constitutional conservative like Ted Cruz.”

The congresswoman has served as co-chair of the Republican National Committee during President George W. Bush’s first term and was U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg.

Cruz has the backing of some half dozen House members, but only one endorsement from a fellow senator, Mike Lee of Utah.

___

9:50 a.m.

Republicans in the Virgin Islands caucused into the night Thursday, and when they finished counting the votes Friday morning, the winner was … no one.

Party chairman John Canegata says all nine delegates from the U.S. territory will go to the Republican National Convention as uncommitted delegates. That makes them free agents, free to support the candidate of their choice.

Canegata says more than 300 voters cast ballots.

The AP delegate count thus far:

— Donald Trump: 459.

— Ted Cruz: 360.

— Marco Rubio: 152.

— John Kasich: 54.

Needed to win the nomination: 1,237.

___

9:35 a.m.

Donald Trump says he felt the response of his supporters to an episode of violence at one of his rallies this week was “very, very appropriate.”

Speaking at a Palm Beach press conference on Friday, Trump said the “audience swung back” at a white man who was caught on video hitting a black man as he was escorted out of a Trump rally by deputies.

Trump praised the police as “amazing,” saying they were “very restrained” in response to the incident.

He said that the man — identified as John Franklin McGraw — began hitting people, and the audience hit back. “That’s what we need a little bit more of,” he said.

___

9:30 a.m.

Democrats and Republicans have painted a dark vision of America, a place where jobs are vanishing, leaders are corrupt and threats loom from across the globe.

Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders describes a nation in “real crisis,” with a “rigged economy.” Americans are “a bunch of suckers” who’ve “lost everything,” Republican front-runner Donald Trump says.

Washington is “killing jobs,” as Iranian leaders conspire to “murder us,” warns Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.

Gloomy assessments of the country’s future have emerged as a constant refrain of the 2016 presidential contest, as candidates woo a frustrated and anxious electorate. That insecurity, which pollsters say pervades discussions about economic, domestic and foreign policy issues, is setting the stage for an emotionally-charged general election — no matter who wins the primary contests.

___

9:20 a.m.

Republican front-runner Donald Trump says he will defeat the Islamic State group if he is elected president, but he will let the generals “play their own game.”

Speaking at a press conference in Palm Beach, Florida on Friday, Trump said he is going to “find the right generals” to do the job, but he will allow them to then call the shots on how the military should approach the war.

Trump has said he wants to loosen the laws that limit the use of torture if he’s elected to the White House, but then appeared to reverse his stance on the use of torture after he was criticized by top Republican national security experts who called his policy views “wildly inconsistent and unmoored in principle.”

___

9:10 a.m.

Former Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson says he and Donald Trump have “buried the hatchet” after months of political wrangling, and he is endorsing the GOP front-runner’s White House bid.

At a press conference in Palm Beach, Florida on Friday, Carson, who left the race earlier this month, described “two Donald Trumps” — the persona reflected on stage, and a private, “very cerebral” person who “considers things carefully.”

In his introduction to Carson Friday, Trump described the retired neurosurgeon as a “special, special person — special man,” and a “friend” who is respected by everyone.

Carson warned that it is “extremely dangerous” when political parties attempt to “thwart the will of the people,” and urged politicians to “strengthen the nation,” rather than create divisions.

Comprehensive Details on Hillary Server Provided to FBI

Posted on March 11, 2016March 11, 2016 by Denise Simon

Source: Clinton IT specialist revealing server details to FBI, ‘devastating witness’

FNC: Former Hillary Clinton IT specialist Bryan Pagliano, a key witness in the email probe who struck an immunity deal with the Justice Department, has told the FBI a range of details about how her personal email system was set up, according to an intelligence source close to the case who called him a “devastating witness.”

The source said Pagliano told the FBI who had access to the former secretary of state’s system – as well as when –and what devices were used, amounting to a roadmap for investigators.

“Bryan Pagliano is a devastating witness and, as the webmaster, knows exactly who had access to [Clinton’s] computer and devices at specific times. His importance to this case cannot be over-emphasized,” the intelligence source said.

The source, who is not authorized to speak on the record due to the sensitivity of the ongoing investigation, said Pagliano has provided information allowing investigators to knit together the emails with other evidence, including images of Clinton on the road as secretary of state.

The cross-referencing of evidence could help investigators pinpoint potential gaps in the email record. “Don’t forget all those photos with her using various devices and it is easy to track the whereabouts of her phone,” the source said. “It is still boils down to a paper case. Did you email at this time from your home or elsewhere using this device? And here is a picture of you and your aides holding the devices.”

A source close to Pagliano did not dispute the basic details of what was provided to the FBI, but said the highly skilled former State Department IT specialist had met with the bureau on a “limited basis” and was at best a “peripheral” player in the investigation.

At a Democratic debate Wednesday evening, Clinton brushed off the question when asked by the moderator whether she would withdraw from the presidential race if faced with criminal charges.

Univision’s Jorge Ramos asked, “If you get indicted, will you drop out?” Clinton responded, “My goodness. That is not going to happen. I’m not even answering that question.”

She then added her now standard explanation that nothing she sent or received was marked classified at the time. While technically correct, the distinction appears misleading. The January 2009 classified information non-disclosure agreement signed by Clinton says she understood that classified information could be marked and unmarked, as well as verbal communications.

Classification is based on content, not markings.

The intelligence source said the FBI is “extremely focused” on the 22 “top secret” emails deemed too damaging to national security to publicly release under any circumstances, with agents reviewing those sent by Clinton as well her subordinates including former chief of staff Cheryl Mills.

“Mrs. Clinton sending them in this instance would show her intent much more than would receiving [them],” the source said. “Hillary Clinton was at a minimum grossly negligent in her handling of NDI [National Defense Information] materials merely by her insisting that she utilize a private server versus a [U.S. government] server. Remember, NDI does not have to be classified.” According to the Congressional Research Service, NDI is broadly defined to include “information that they have reason to know could be used to harm the national security.”

It was emphasized to Fox News that Clinton’s deliberate “creation” and “control” of the private server used for her official government business is the subject of intense scrutiny. Pagliano knows key details as to how the private server was installed and maintained in her home.

The 22 “top secret” emails are not public, but in a Jan. 14 unclassified letter, first reported by Fox News, Intelligence Community Inspector General I. Charles McCullough III notified Congress of the findings of a recent comprehensive review by intelligence agencies identifying “several dozen” additional classified emails — including specific intelligence known as “special access programs” (SAP).

That indicates a level of classification beyond even “top secret,” the label previously given to other emails found on her server, and brings even more scrutiny to the presidential candidate’s handling of the government’s closely held secrets.

Pagliano’s lawyer offered no on-record comment for this report. Clinton recently told CBS, “I’m delighted that [Pagliano] has agreed to cooperate, as everyone else has. And I think that we will be moving toward a resolution of this.”

The FBI has not commented beyond the public statements of FBI Director James Comey, who recently told Congress: “I can assure you is that I am very close personally to that investigation to ensure that we have the resources we need, including people and technology, and that it’s done the way the FBI tries to do all of its work: independently, competently and promptly.”

The intelligence source described the morale of agents as “very good and nobody is moping around which is the first sign a big case is going south.”

Bryan Pagliano: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Heavy: Bryan Pagliano, a former IT specialist with the State Department during the tenure of Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, has been under intense scrutiny for his role in setting up Clinton’s private email server, through which she may have illegally received classified information. After pleading the Fifth through several House Committees, Pagliano was granted immunity by the Justice Department and will cooperate with the FBI in its investigation into the matter.

Pagliano served in the State Department for four years, during part of which he was paid personally by Clinton for “IT services” that include setting up the server in question. In less controversial work, Pagliano helped expand remote work arrangements in the State Department from a D.C.-only option to give worldwide access.

Here’s what you need to know:

He Was Paid off the Books for His Work with Clinton

Pagliano, here with wife Carrie Pagliano and Hillary Clinton, was paid by Clinton personally for “IT services” while employed at the State Department. (Getty)

Pagliano first worked for Clinton as the IT director of her 2008 Presidential campaign, then worked for her political action committee after she suspended her first quest for the White House. In 2009, he joined her State Department team as an IT specialist, but continued to work for the Clintons as a private consultant to their family, and was personally paid by the Clinton family.

Pagliano did not disclose the job or salary on State Department financial disclosure forms, an act that internal documents show could lead to a $10,000 fine or imprisonment. His immunity deal likely prevents these outcomes.

He Pled the Fifth at Several House Committees

Pagliano leaving the Capitol after his call to testify in Benghazi hearings. (Getty)

The question of Hillary Clinton’s emails first arose during the scandal regarding the Benghazi attack. Pagliano, having left the State Department at the time, was subpoenaed by House Select Committee on Benghazi chairman Trey Gowdy regarding information “related to the servers or systems” Clinton used while Secretary of State. Pagliano’s lawyers released the following statement in response:

While we understand that Mr. Pagliano’s response to this subpoena may be controversial in the current political environment, we hope that members of the Select Committee will respect our client’s right to invoke the protections of the Constitution. For these reasons, we respectfully request that the Select Committee excuse Mr. Pagliano from personally appearing on Sept. 10, 2015.

Pagliano was not excused, but did not answer a question during the committee’s hearing. The Justice Department’s grant of immunity means that Pagliano can be compelled to testify.

He Received Immunity & Is Cooperating with the FBI

Pagliano after his House testimony. (Getty)

On March 2, the Justice Department announced that Pagliano would be granted immunity in exchange for his testimony regarding the email scandal. As the name suggests, this means that nothing he says can be used against him, but also means that he cannot invoke the Fifth Amendment to avoid answering questions.

Journalists and legal experts mark this as a major turning point in the inquiry. National Review writer and former prosecutor Andrew McCarthy suggested Pagliano’s immunity deal meant there was “probably” a grand jury for Pagliano. Though he didn’t share McCarthy’s certainty, Charles Tiefer at Forbes suggested the immunity deal meant the case was coming to a conclusion.

His Deal Could Be a Bad Sign for Hillary

Hillary Clinton and longtime aide Huma Abedin both face significant scrutiny in the email scandal. (Getty)

Whether Pagliano’s immunity deal was sought by his legal team or by the FBI to circumvent his Fifth Amendment invocations, his testimony is “potentially damaging” to others facing scrutiny. A key part of the investigation into Clinton involves whether she knew the information she sent and received through the private server was classified, which requires speaking to her state of mind. Free from fear of his own prosecution, Pagliano can testify (or be forced to testify) to that state of mind. Other top aides, like Huma Abedin and Jake Sullivan, may also be implicated by his testimony.

Clinton, though, doesn’t seem worried. In an interview with CBS News, she dismissed concerns about any upcoming indictment:

It’s a security review. I’m delighted that he has agreed to cooperate, as everyone else has, and I think we’ll be moving toward a resolution of this…I think we’re getting closer and closer to wrapping this up. I also know that there were reports today about the hundreds of officials and the thousand emails that they were sending back and forth that have been looked at and classified retroactively. This really raises serious questions about this whole process, I think.

In His Government Career, He Pioneered Remote Work for State Employees

*

Not all of Pagliano’s work was particularly controversial. The State Department’s remote work, or “teleworking,” capabilities were initially confined to the Washington, D.C. area. Pagliano stated in an interview with Trezza Media Group, part of which is seen above, that Foreign Service Officers rotating into D.C. as part of their duties gave rave reviews of the system and wanted access in their regular embassies. Pagliano, as a member of the Information Resource Management Bureau, helped expand the system around the world.

Pagliano left the State Department in 2013 to serve as an analyst at technology firm Gartner, a position he held for one year. While at Gartner, however, Pagliano continued to perform contract work for the State Department, which was terminated at an unknown time and announced one day after his being granted immunity.

Iran and North Korea: Terror in the Same Discussion

Posted on March 11, 2016March 11, 2016 by Denise Simon

DOJ expected to charge 5 Iranians in 2013 hacking of New York dam

FNC: The Department of Justice is expected to announce charges against up to five Iranians believed to be tied to the 2013 hacking of a New York dam, a law enforcement source told Fox News.

The DOJ is expected to make the announcement sometime in the coming days, according to the source. The individuals are believed to have connections within the Iranian government.

The hackers allegedly infiltrated the control system of the Bowman Ave Dam in Rye Brook, N.Y., which is about 20 miles outside New York City, The Wall Street Journal reported at the time. The breach raised fears of the vulnerabilities of the United States’ infrastructure to foreign hackers. It also came at a time that the Iranians were on the offensive in attacking U.S. banks.

It was believed at the time that the hackers never took control of the dam, but were able to probe the system, the report said.

The expected DOJ announcement was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

In this case, the hackers were believed to have gained access to the dam through a cellular modem, the paper reported in 2015, citing an unclassified Homeland Security summary of the case that did not specifically name the dam. Two unnamed sources told the paper that the summary was referring to the relatively small, 20-foot-tall, concrete dam about 5 miles from Long Island sound. The dam is used for flood control in the area.

Initially, intelligence analysts feared the hackers were targeting another dam: The Arthur R. Bowman Dam in Oregon, a 245-foot-tall earthen structure that irrigates local agriculture and prevents flooding near the town of Prineville, approximately 150 miles southeast of Portland. That belief prompted investigators to notify the White House that Iran had escalted its cyberwar with the United States.

The source told Fox News that the upcoming charges are expected to come out of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York.

****

North Korea reportedly orders more tests to build up nuclear attack capability

FNC: North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un reportedly ordered officials Friday to improve its nuclear attack capability by conducting more weapons test.

Reuters reported, citing North Korea’s official news agency (KCNA), that Kim watched a ballistic missile test take place but was most likely referring to the country firing two rockets into the sea as a response to South Korea’s new round of sanctions.

“Dear comrade Kim Jon Un said work… must be strengthened to improve nuclear attack capability and issued combat tasks to continue nuclear explosion tests to assess the power of newly developed nuclear warheads and tests to improve nuclear attack capability,” KCNA reported.

Earlier this week, Kim was quoted by state media as saying North Korea had miniaturized nuclear warheads to mount on ballistic missiles. Photographs showed him standing around what was perceived to be a nuclear warhead.

North Korea also “liquidated” South Korean assets at the closed joint factory park in the North Korean border town of Daesong and at a scrapped tourism resort at Diamond Mountain Thursday.

In a continuation of bellicose rhetoric that has spiked in recent weeks, it said North Korea will also impose “lethal” military, political and economic blows on the South Korean government to accelerate its “pitiable demise.”

South Korea’s government called the North Korean statement a “provocative act” and warned the North not to damage any South Korean assets.

The missiles fired by North Korea on Thursday flew about 310 miles before falling into the ocean off the country’s east coast, Seoul’s Defense Ministry said. They were believed to be Scud-type missiles, ministry spokesman Moon Sang Gyun said.

Such missile firings by the North are not uncommon when animosity rises. North Korea hates the annual military drills staged by Seoul and Washington, calling them preparations for an invasion. The allies say the drills, which this year are described as the biggest ever, are defensive and routine. North Korea warned at the start of the drills Monday of pre-emptive nuclear strikes.

On Wednesday, North Korea printed photos in official media of a purported mock-up of part of a nuclear warhead, with Kim repeating a claim that his country has developed miniaturized atomic bombs that can be placed on missiles.

Information from secretive, authoritarian North Korea is often impossible to confirm, and the country’s state media have a history of photo manipulation. But it was the first time the North has publicly displayed its purported nuclear designs, though it remains unclear whether the country has functioning warheads of that size or is simply trying to develop one.

South Korea’s Defense Ministry on Wednesday disputed the North’s claim that it possesses miniaturized warheads.

The United States said Wednesday it has dispatched three B-2 stealth bombers capable of launching nuclear as well as conventional weapons to the Asia-Pacific region. The U.S. Strategic Command said the bombers will conduct training with the Australian military during their deployment, which amounts to a show of force at a time of mounting tensions with North Korea.