Per my earlier post about terror attacks under the current US regime, the BBC says the number this week has jumped to nine:

The device arrived at the Tribeca Grill in Manhattan early on Thursday local time, US media said, citing police.

Former Vice-President Joe Biden has also reportedly received packages.

If linked to previous incidents, this would be the ninth perceived critic of President Donald Trump to receive a suspected explosive device this week.

Update: An suspect has been arrested, according to NYT story with the byline “Van With Pro-Trump Stickers Seized”

Speaking on CNN on Friday, Mr. Clapper said he was not surprised that a device had been sent to him. He has been a frequent critic of President Trump, a similarity shared with everyone whose names have appeared on the packages discovered so far.

“This is definitely domestic terrorism,” Mr. Clapper said. “Anyone who has in any way been a critic, publicly been a critic of President Trump, needs to be on an extra alert.”

The regime leader meanwhile, in an attempt to condemn terrorism, instead lashed out again at his critics and denied having accountability for lashing out at his critics

“Funny how lowly rated CNN, and others, can criticize me at will, even blaming me for the current spate of Bombs and ridiculously comparing this to September 11th and the Oklahoma City bombing, yet when I criticize them they go wild and scream, ‘it’s just not Presidential!'”

This post title easily could be a new book cover. Catchy, no?

There is an interesting discussion over C4ISRNET (Media for the Intelligence Age Military) about US military training and plans to hack civilian infrastructure

Part of this discussion is the notion of a commander needs to dominate in what’s called gray space — space that is not owned by either friendly forces or the enemy — to seize certain objectives as part of their overall campaign. This could manifest itself in the seizing of an oil pumping station due to its importance on the national economy. In the future, Army leaders believe it won’t be enough to physically control the pumping station and surrounding territory, but forces must control the virtual network as well.

“What good is it to win the terrain if the enemy can simply by computer network turn off the pumping,” Wittstruck asked.

Ok, to be fair, they’re talking about preventing infrastructure being hacked remotely by an enemy. Still, you have to admit turnabout is common in planning exercises. Also, not sure why network gets modifiers here. First it’s a virtual network. Then it’s a computer network. People, if you control THE network, you get both virtual and computer domination.

Alternate title: Black VPC Squadron (Baa Baa Black VPC).

“They were a collection of misfits and screwballs who became the terrors of the network. They were known as the Black VPC”

News station WFSB is reporting that four attempted bomb attacks over three days have been thwarted by the Secret Service and others:

The bombs were found just two days after an explosive device was discovered in the mailbox of billionaire philanthropist George Soros, who frequently donates to liberal causes.

Official investigators told the Associated Press the attacks are linked. A DC law enforcement official told CNN the devices appear rudimentary but functional.

After the attack on Soros Tuesday, the following attacks happened Weds morning:

• Hillary Clinton
• Barack Obama
• Time Warner Center, home of CNN

The Secret Service statement (PDF) says two of the attacks were blocked because “routine mail screening procedures” that detects “potential explosive devices”. It does not mention processes that detected a bomb in the mail room of CNN.

The bomb attack at the New York residence of Soros has been described as hand-delivered.

…markings on the envelope were likely intended to make it appear as though the package was sent through the mail, though they believed it was not.

Related: “Trump links New York bomb attack to immigration debate”

“Today’s attempted mass murder attack in New York City … once again highlights the urgent need for Congress to enact legislative reforms to protect the American people,” Trump said in a statement.

[…]

It is not the first time that Trump has quickly seized on a terrorist attack, in this country or abroad, to argue for his … agenda. Yet the president’s reaction contrasts with his response after violence involving American nationals.