Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post 26 July 2024

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.

Follow Up to Foiled Park Valley Church Attack

Foiled shooter at Haymarket church competent to stand trial

INSIDENOVA reports:

A man accused of plotting a mass shooting at a Haymarket megachurch last year has been found competent to stand trial on federal hate crime charges.

…

(name omitted), 35, is charged with “attempting to obstruct the congregants of the Park Valley Church in Haymarket, Virginia, in the free exercise of their religious beliefs,” according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.

“The indictment charged that his attempted act involved a dangerous weapon and an attempt to kill, and included both a threats count and a firearms violation,” the release said.

Analyst Comments:

In September of 2023 a tragedy was averted at a house of worship in a suburb of Washington, DC. The successful outcome of the incident involved a suspicious activity report by a citizen, coordination between law enforcement in three different counties in two states, and the church’s security team.

This incident shows the value of suspicious activity reporting, See Something, Say Something, and house of worship security teams.

This incident was highlighted in the following FB-ISAOs:

French Railway Sabotage and Olympic Security Items

French rail lines disrupted by ‘coordinated sabotage’ ahead of Paris Olympics opening ceremony. France’s high-speed train lines were targeted by multiple “malicious” acts including arson on Friday, in what has been described as “an attack on France” and “coordinated sabotage” to disrupt travel ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics. The French state railway company SNCF said in a post on X that “a large number of trains were diverted or canceled,” and asked “all travelers who can to postpone their trip and not go to the station.” The operator said the Atlantic, Northern and Eastern high-speed lines were impacted, with damage caused to several of its facilities, adding that one of the acts was “foiled” in the east after SNCF agents scared off several individuals.
ISIS-K’s online recruitment poses security threat to West ahead of Olympic Games
Unique Olympics opening ceremony keeps Paris on high alert over security
Terrorism, Drone Use Among the Security Risks at 2024 Paris Olympics
DHS: Protecting the 2024 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in Eugene, OR from CBRN Threats

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More Faith-Based Storie

N.J. man scrawled anti-Muslim graffiti on mosque property, cops say

Police investigating ‘Free Palestine’ graffiti at United Synagogue of Hoboken

OH: Vandals break headstones at 2 Canton cemeteries

Nazi Symbol Drawn onto Jewish Business in California

Journalists were targeted, repeatedly attacked for documenting LA protests (23 June synagogue incident)

Two Men Plead Guilty to Acting as Illegal Agents of Chinese Government and Bribery. (Involved plot to target U.S.-based practitioners of Falun Gong — a spiritual practice banned in the PRC.)

FBI Director Denies Targeting Pro-Life Activists

TX: Arlington police arrest pastor on sexual and indecent assault allegations

Former USCCB general secretary sues gay dating app for breach of privacy

India Catholic school threatened by Hindu nationalist group