Tag Archives: Domestic Terrorism

Homeland Security Committee Issues Report Warning LGBT Community To Beware of Violence

Homeland Security Committee Issues Report Warning LGBT Community To Beware of Violence

Featured, Gay News Domestic & U.S. Politics, Gay News From Around The Globe, , , , , ,

Reports major social media platforms and the FBI and are not doing enough to address the threat of domestic terrorism from white supremacists and anti-government extremists.

In a 128-page report, the Senate Homeland Security Committee alleged that federal agencies, including the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, as well as the major social media platforms, are not doing enough to address the threat of domestic terrorism from white supremacists and anti-government extremists.

The FBI itself has come under scrutiny when it came out that they had the Colorado Springs gunman on their radar just weeks before that shooting, when he had been arrested for threatening to kill family members. Agents closed out the case just a few weeks later.

On the social media front, each of the major platforms such as Meta (formerly known as Facebook), TikTok, and YouTube have all released their own statements. While a Meta spokesperson talked about the company’s Community Standards Enforcement Report, which showed a low prevalence of terror and organized hate content, Nick Clegg, a top executive, had a different opinion. Last year, Clegg stated, “The reality is, it’s not in Facebook’s interest — financially or reputationally — to continually turn up the temperature and push users towards ever more extreme content.”

“These companies point to the voluminous amount of violative content they remove from their platforms, but the investigation found that their own recommendations, algorithms and other features and products play in the proliferation of that content in the first place,” the report said. “Absent new incentives or regulation, extremist content will continue to proliferate on these platforms and companies’ content moderation efforts will continue to be inadequate to stop its spread.”

The Committee’s investigation also found that the four major social media companies —use the same model, maximizing user engagement, growth, and profits, basically incentivizing extremists and their content and entered algorithms that pushed users into so-called rabbit holes. The algorithms suggest groups and people that could lead to the radicalization of users.

Please be careful.

You can read the entire report by CLICKING HERE

Las Vegas Man Arrested for Plotting Domestic Terrorist Attacks Against Synagogues, Gay Bar

Las Vegas Neo-Nazi Arrested for Plotting Domestic Terrorist Attacks Against Gay Bar, Synagogues

Featured, Gay News Domestic & U.S. Politics, , , ,

The Justice Department announced that Conor Climo, 23 a suspected Neo-Nazi was charged Friday in connection to bomb-making materials after it was discovered that in encrypted online conversations in White Nationalist chat groups this year he discussed making Molotov Cocktails and explosive devices, used anti-Semitic and homophobic slurs, and discussed attacking an area synagogue and surveilling a gay bar for a domestic terrorist attack.

Via The Hill:

Climo was arrested Thursday morning following an FBI-led Joint Terrorism Task Force investigation and made his first appearance before a judge Friday afternoon.

“Threats of violence motivated by hate and intended to intimidate or coerce our faith-based and LGBT communities have no place in this Country,” U.S. Attorney Nicholas Trutanich said in a statement. “Law enforcement in Nevada remains determined to use the full weight of our investigative resources to prevent bias-motivated violence before it happens.” 

Prosecutors say Climo was in communication with individuals who belong to a white supremacist organization that the Justice Department says promotes attacks on the federal government, minorities and the LGBT community. 

Authorities say they seized a notebook during Climo’s arrest with several hand-drawn schematics for a potential Las Vegas-area attack and drawings of timed explosive devices. 

Climo faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

11th. Bomb Found Addressed To Sen. Cory Booker

11th. Bomb Found Addressed To Sen. Cory Booker

Featured, Gay News Domestic & U.S. Politics, , ,

ABC News:

Multiple sources tell ABC News that authorities have now recovered an 11th package as part of the widening investigation into suspected bombs. Sources said the package was recovered at or near Opa-locka, Florida, and it was addressed to Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey.

The postal facility in Opa-locka has emerged as a focal point for investigators trying to track down the sender of the suspected mail bombs, law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation told ABC News.

It’s one of the postal centers the packages may have moved through and the Miami-Dade police bomb squad swept the facility at the request of the FBI as a precautionary measure.

Also a 12th bomb found in NYC addressed to retired lieutenant general in the United States Air Force and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper an open critic of Donald Trump.

This is nothing short of domestic terrorism by followers of the Republican party and Donald Trump.

UPDATE #2 – DEADLIEST MASS SHOOTING IN US HISTORY: 50 Killed, 54 Wounded In Florida Gay Nightclub Mass Shooting, Suspect Named – Video

Featured, Gay News Domestic & U.S. Politics, , , , , , , , , , ,

Pulse

 

Over 20 people are dead and 42 people have been transported for medical treatment at Pulse nightclub, in Orlando, Florida.

The shooting began around 2 a.m., and an officer responded, Mina said. The officer engaged in a shoot out outside the club. The gunman then ran into the club.

“That turned into a hostage situation. Police and relatives  were getting calls from people inside the club.
 
The killer was well prepared carrying automatic weapons. Police Chief John Mina also said the shooter had some sort of “suspicious device.”
 
The suspect exchanged gunfire with an officer working at the club around 2 a.m., then went back inside and took hostages
 
“That turned into a hostage situation,” Mina said. Authorities were getting calls from people inside the club but away from the gunman, the chief said.
 
“Everyone get out of Pulse and keep running,” the nightclub posted on its Facebook page shortly after the violence began
 
Around 5 a.m., authorities sent in a SWAT team to rescue the hostages, and the suspect then died in a gunfight with those officers. Mina said police have not determined an exact number of casualties, but that “approximately 20” people were dead inside the club.
 
“It’s just shocking,” said Christopher Hansen who was inside Pulse. He heard gunshots, “just one after another after another.”
 
FBI spokesman Danny Banks said during a news conference that the mass shooting is being investigated as an act of terrorism. He says authorities are looking into whether this was an act of domestic or international terror, and if the shooter was a lone wolf.
 
Orlando police warned residents to stay away from the area, and urged people not to call their offices. They declined to provide the number of casualties, saying details will be available later. Bomb sniffing dogs are on the scene.
 
Back2Stonewall’s hearts and prayers go out to the victims, friends, and families of this terrible incident.
 
We will keep you updated as more details come available.

 

UPDATE #1: 9:00 a.m.
At a press conference on Sunday at 7 a.m., an FBI official was asked if the shooter, who was shot and killed by police, had ties to Jihadist terror groups. “At this time we’re looking at all angles right now.” the official said. “We do have suggestions that that individual may have leanings towards that, that particular ideology. But right now we can’t say definitively so we’re still running everything around”

 

Update #2: 11.30 a.m.
According to new information released the numbers now stand at 50 people killed and over 53 wounded  inside Pulse, a gay nightclub, Orlando making it the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.
The shooter has been identified as Omar Saddiqui Mateen, 29, of Fort Pierce, about 120 miles southeast of Orlando.

 

WARNING: The video below is graphic in content