ISDEI Instituto de Seguridad, Defensa y Estudios Internacionales

The only thing that kept tens of thousands of people from dying Monday morning in what has become merely the latest terrorist attack in New York City is that the ISIS-inspired terrorist was as incompetent as his bomb-maker. According to authorities, the suspect — 27-year-old Bangladeshi national Akayed Ullah — prematurely set off what has been described as an “effectively low-tech” pipe bomb inside the Port Authority’s bus terminal located underneath Midtown Manhattan. As a result, only three people were injured, though none seriously. As for Ullah, he suffered burns and abdominal wounds when the bomb went off. “Thank God the perpetrator did not achieve his ultimate goals,” New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio said after the attack. As reported by  Fox News , the inability of Ullah and anyone who may have helped him to construct a better device was evident: Ullah strapped the crude pipe bomb to his body with Velcro and zip ties. The suspect allegedly packed the 5-inch metal pipe

On December 14, the pro-opposition Syrian Islamic Council (SIC) accused the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and the Russian Army of supporting an ISIS attack in the northeastern Hama countryside. In its official statement, the SIC said that the Syrian Army moved ISIS units and their weapons to northeastern Hama and that the Russian Aerospace Forces are supporting the ISIS attack. Click to see the full-size image However, in reality ISIS entered the northeastern Hama countryside after a deal with Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Later hundreds of HTS and Free Syrian Army (FSA) defected and joined ISIS in Hama, according to local opposition sources. The SIC also warned from the SAA advance in Hama, Idlib and Aleppo governorates, and held HTS the responsibility for driving out several FSA groups from theses governorates. The council said that the defeats will continue unless HTS abandoned its hostile behaviour against other opposition armed groups. HTS and even pre-2014 ISIS are known for

Israeli officers dressed as Palestinians infiltrated a rally in the West Bank and then opened fire with pistols and through smoke grenades at the protesters. On Wednesday, a Palestinian rally against the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital took place near the city of Ramallah in the West Bank. According to conflicting reports, between 150 and 400 people took place in the event. Palestinians were protesting near the Beit El military checkpoint when several men among them revealed them as members of Israeli forces. They pulled out pistols, thrown smoke grenades and captured at least 3 Palestinian protesters that had been throwing stones at Israeli security forces.

Opened silo of a Topol-M missile, 2001. AP Photo The Russian Strategic Missile Force (SMF) is going to double the number of missile launches from 6 to 12 in 2018, SMF Commander Col. Gen. Sergei Karakayev said in an interview with a newspaper of the defense ministry, Krasnaya Zvezda. “In 2017, five launches were held, and one more is scheduled. In 2018, we intend to hold 12 launches,” he told. Karakayev also revealed that the SMF will get over 20 new Yars intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) systems in 2018. There will be silo-based and mobile versions of the systems. The RS-24 Yars (NATO reporting name SS-27 Mod 2) is an upgraded version of the Topol-M (SS-25 Sickle) missile system.