Not that the DHS called them “jihadis,” of course. The DHS appears to be very up on this threat from drones, but about who is operating them and why, and what their motives and goals are, they are completely in the dark, and willfully so. Consequently they will never be able to come up with a coherent and comprehensive response to this threat they refuse to understand.
“Terrorist Drones Could Target Airports, Sensitive US Sites, DHS Warns After ISIS Attack In Iraq,” by Jeff Stone, International Business Times, August 4, 2015:
Airports and other sensitive locations throughout the United States could be atacked by personal drones, according to a new warning from the Department of Homeland Security. The “intelligence assessment” doesn’t include mention of any known threats in the U.S., though it comes after a number of incidents where hobbyist unmanned aerial devices interfered with commercial airline flights.
The DHS “intelligence assessment” cites a number of international incidents in which terrorists and roving criminal organizations deployed drones “to support illicit or violent activities.” Among them is one example where ISIS used a UAV to record video footage that was used “to support an assault” on an Iraq oil refinery in 2014. The DHS report also states that failed terror attacks inside the U.S. in recent years also relied on drones.
“We cannot rule [out] the ability of future adversaries to acquire and use a commercially available [drone] as part of an attack within the Homeland,” said the warning, which widely circulated this week.
Over the past three years there have been 500 drone “encounters” at sites around the U.S., 218 of which have been related to aviation in some way. This month there were three drone sightings at JFK airport in New York City in as many days, for instance, and the pilot of a personal aircraft needed to make a sudden swerve over southern New Jersey when he spotted a UAV 1000 feet-or-so in the air….
Don McKellar says
It’s all coming to a head, and very soon. Drones, bombings, threats and promised attacks on the families of soldiers, Iranian nuclear weapons, and on and on and on. And all of it flowing directly from Obama’s mandates of willful ignorance and politically correct fantasy-based policy making. It’s horrible to say, but seeing as it is coming sooner or later, it will hopefully come sooner so that Obama can bear the full brunt of the Perfect Storm he has created while he’s still in office and has over a year’s worth of domestic and international terror meltdown he has to contend with and be forced to answer for. My condolences to the poor fool who’s going to replace him.
somehistory says
Could be totally unrelated, but a homeowner, in KY I believe, was arrested for shooting a drone over his property when his daughter said it was spying on her as she sunbathed. The drone operator said he was taking photos of a friend’s property, but the man who shot it down said it was over his property when he shot it down.
Looks like people won’t be allowed to protect themselves or their family if they spot one over their homes. If they live near an airport or “sensitive site” it might happen.
Angemon says
somehistory posted:
“The drone operator said he was taking photos of a friend’s property, but the man who shot it down said it was over his property when he shot it down.”
Where did it fell?
somehistory says
In a field.
Ky. man arrested after shooting down $1,800 drone hovering over sunbathing daughter
ww.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jul/30/william-merideth-arrested-after-shooting-down-1800/
Angemon says
The guy’s story about them peeping on his daughter seems very likely.
Arthur says
Seems like maybe we’re going to have to progress into ‘electronic warfare’ and build radio controllers which override the drone and fly it safely into our trashcans.
Westman says
I see butterfly nets, EMP guns, laser diode arrays, and RF jammers of the future in the crystal ball. I hope Amazon is ready for the Ghetto Warriors who will do a $0 COD on packages and sell chop-shop drone parts.
Like cyber weapons, small drones are well within the universal public technical ability. Policing them will be about as effective as border security. Modern technology has surpassed the world-wide-government administrative capability; unless it’s North Korea.
Government will attempt registration of drones, like automobiles, but that will lead to surreptitious manufacturing. Many parts can be made with 3D printers and the rest bought or converted from other uses. It’s not rocket science.
RonaldB says
I think the use of drones is an example of the flexibility and resourcefulness of an insurgency when faced with a massive, but clumsy behemoth. The use of drones, IEDs, kitchen bombs, and small, self-contained armed groups can literally paralyze a society. Any large government tends to wrap itself up in procedures and rules which represent a threat to its ability to protect itself.
The use of drones is not limited to jihadists. Our society is susceptible to anarchists, leftists, millennials, psychopaths, or organized crime, all of which will soon have the capability of using drones to attack commerce and threaten airlines, trains, and trucking.
underbed cat says
I think I will invent a enormous tennis racket and “swat” it down. (JOKE)
mortimer says
JIHADIS? WHAT JIHADIS?
Jihad has NOTHING TO DO with Islam…doesn’t it?
stanley says
Im rather surprised they havnt used drones ro to mount an attack already.
MKG says
This poses a new challenge.
How do you take down a drone and not go to prison?
Government drones on official business. Terrorist attacks. Hobbyists. Aerial surveyors. Perverts and peeping toms. The point at which a private citizen can legally take action is muddled. Are drones protected as aircraft by law against someone discharging a fire arm at it. If a drone is brought down by a divice that deploys heavy fishing line to foul the props, would that violate the law? All of us can come up with many ways to take out a drone, but when it comes to the law and staying out of prison, there is a lot of gray area.
As a nation and a people we better get this figured out soon. As it stands, if you take out a private drone, it is just a legal matter. If you take out a government drone, there will be hell to pay.
underbed cat says
MKG , I agree it is best to know the law before disabling any drone. For now I guess you can call your local police, and just video tape the episode of the drone visit. Hopefully they do not visit at low levels.
To prevent terror attacks, yes drones can be very helpful, how to tell what could be a malicious drone used by a terrorist or curious neighbor from a government drone is a problem. I think some rules on drone use, will be next, again, like guns, it has a lot to do with the operator and his intention, and like users whose aim to cause harm he will not care about legalities.
LSWCHP says
The ship in the picture is an ASMD upgraded ANZAC class frigate of the Royal Australian Navy. Drones, missiles, whatever…who cares? These are some of the most capable air defence ships afloat today. They will laugh their enemies to scorn and swat them from the sky like bugs.
EYESOPEN says
Seems to me as though 00 “buck” would work just fine – full choke.
bassi says
Wow!!! the intelligent guys at DHS have woken up!!!!
For a long time now I have wondered when some smart ass jihadist would get around to acquiring a whole bunch of these ever more capable drones and mount sufficient explosives in them, then program them before releasing a swarm of them to go his dirty work while he makes a slick escape. The world is full of ripe targets for these “ugly swine” who live to wage jihad, mainly because they don’t care who they kill.
With all the liberal licensing for commercial drone operations in progress, no one will ever be able to identify the dangerous one in time, and there is possibly no technology to take down a swarm.
The so called “most capable air defence” enabled locations have no chance against a swarm of drones.
SO DHS WILL HAVE TO ACT QUICK TO COME UP WITH SOME MEANINGFUL MEASURES!!!!!