Faith-Based Security Headlines
These updates are shared to help raise the situational awareness of Faith-Based organizations to best defend against and mitigate the impacts from all-hazards threats including physical security, cybersecurity, and natural disasters.
Upcoming Event: FB-ISAO 101
Grab your virtual seat and become acquainted with FB-ISAO. During this short session, you’ll learn about how we work together to improve the overall security posture of the community, and what it means to be a part of an all-faiths and all-hazards information sharing community. Finally, you’ll learn about FB-ISAO’s capabilities and member benefits.
Date: 19 February 2025
Time: 2:00 pm ET
To register: please visit our events page.
For information on these and other events, go to Events – FB-ISAO.
Miami Beach man arrested after shooting 2 Israelis he thought were Palestinians
Mordechai Brafman, a 27-year-old man from Miami Beach, was arrested for shooting two men he mistakenly believed were Palestinians. The victims, who were later identified as Israelis, survived the attack. Brafman, who fired 17 shots at their vehicle, faces charges of attempted second-degree murder. He reportedly told police he thought the men were Palestinians. The incident has sparked controversy due to the racist motivations behind the attacks, with calls for hate crime charges. Critics highlight the irony of both the shooter and victims holding anti-Palestinian views, pointing to broader issues of hate targeting Palestinians.
Analyst Comments:
This event highlights the intense tensions stemming from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It shows how ethnic and national identities can be mistakenly attributed and underscores the risks of judging individuals based on their identity. The FBI has produced a Hate Crime Threat Response Guide to help navigate these dangerous situations. The guide includes recommendations for the following situations:
- Written or Visual Threat
- Phoned Threat
- Electronic Threat
- Verbal Threat
- Physical Threat
A ‘death cult’ on the run: The Bay Area fringe group terrorizing America; Strange new details have emerged about the Bay Area Zizian cult.
This article discusses a violent and deadly spree across the U.S. tied to a fringe group known as the Zizians, consisting of radical Berkeley pseudo-intellectuals. The Zizans’ network includes individuals with backgrounds in major tech companies like NASA and Google, with some being advocates for veganism and identifying as transgender. The group has connections to the Machine Intelligence Research institute (MIRI), and nonprofit in Berkeley funded by influential figures like Peter Thiel and Sam Bankman-Fried. MIRI is focused on studying artificial intelligence and the risks associated with it. The group’s actions and ideologies reflect the dangerous potential of fringe movements blending intellectual pursuits with extreme violence.
Related Articles:
Analyst Comments:
The Zizians seem to represent a situation where abstract concepts related to technology, identity, and societal transformation have been distorted to rationalize violent actions. Their connections to influential organizations like the Machine Intelligence Research Institute (MIRI) and notable tech figures point to a complicated link between advanced intellectual endeavors and the risk of radicalization.
Fringe groups that operate within our communities can be difficult to identify, but there are typically signs that suggest something may be wrong. The National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) has published a document titled “Enhancing Bystander Reporting to Prevent Terrorism” which provides recommendations for how bystanders can help recognize, intervene, and report concerning behaviors to authorities.
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(NY): Man who allegedly threatened to kill Jewish people arrested near NYC after driving from Utah
(IN): IMPD: Man shot at Sikh Satsang of Indianapolis
(PA): Heavy flames destroy North Philadelphia church
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When Worship Is Disrupted: How Congregations Can Respond and Prepare
How Church Security Can Protect Against Vehicle-Based Attacks
(MN): Duluth Vineyard, Vineyard USA to discuss accountability for sex abuse as they face multiple lawsuits
Presbyterian Church in America repents for immigration guidance: ‘Grave error’
Jewish Couple Attacked with Knives in Greece
Select All Hazard Stories
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3 men claiming to be from DOGE show up at San Francisco City Hall, demand records
Elon Musk’s DOGE Posts Classified Data On Its New Website
Top US Election Security Watchdog Forced to Stop Election Security Work
DHS Announces Ad Campaign Warning Illegal Aliens to Self-Deport and Stay Out
Tesla Installing Countermeasures as People Are Hacking the Cables Off Superchargers;
CDC FluView Week 6: Season is Now Officially Ranked as High Severity – Worst Since 2017/2018
Avian flu hits more commercial and backyard poultry in 9 states
First Cows, Now Cats. Is Bird Flu Coming for Humans Next?
CDC to face 10% workforce cut from Trump administration actions
Keeping Education Accessible and Ending Covid-19 Vaccine Mandates in Schools
C.I.A. Expands Secret Drone Flights Over Mexico
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