ST & PT ISACs Transit and Rail Intelligence
Awareness Daily Report (TRIAD)
Thursday, January 16, 2020
SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY AND INCIDENT REPORTS
No significant suspicious activity or incidents to report.

TERRORISM
F.B.I. Arrests Suspected Members of Neo-Nazi Group Before Virginia Gun Rally
The New York Times, 1/16/2020
The F.B.I. has arrested three men suspected of being members of a neo-Nazi hate group, including a former reservist in
the Canadian Army, who had weapons and discussed traveling to a pro-gun rally next week in Richmond, Va., in
anticipation of a possible race war. The men were taken into custody on Thursday morning as part of a long-running
investigation into the group, known as The Base. The men were charged with various federal crimes in Maryland,
according to the Justice Department. They were scheduled to appear in federal court before a judge on Thursday
afternoon. One of the men, Patrik Jordan Mathews, 27, a main recruiter for the group, entered the United States illegally
from Canada, according to the officials. He was arrested along with Brian M. Lemley Jr., 33, and William G. Bilbrough IV,
19. Mr. Mathews was trained as a combat engineer and considered an expert in explosives. He was dismissed from the
Canadian Army after his ties to white supremacists surfaced. Mr. Lemley previously served as a cavalry soldier in the
United States Army. The Base has become a growing concern for the F.B.I. as it has worked to recruit more people to its
violent cause. The Base is an “accelerationist group that encourages the onset on anarchy,” according to the Counter
Extremism Project, a group that tracks far-right extremists. Experts following the group say its founder, an American,
appears to be living in Russia. Former law enforcement officials say The Base, along with another white supremacist
group known as Atomwaffen, have become priorities for the F.B.I. Several members of the group have recently been
arrested. In November, the F.B.I. arrested a young man in New Jersey, who was suspected of recruiting on behalf of The
Base and of advocating violence, including the killing of black people with a machete. On Wednesday, Gov. Ralph
Northam of Virginia declared a state of emergency and announced a temporary ban on weapons on the grounds of the
State Capitol ahead of the rally… He said the authorities had also found extremist rhetoric online similar to what had been
seen in 2017 before the Charlottesville rally, when white nationalists and counterprotesters clashed in a deadly fight over
the removal of Confederate monuments. Mr. Lemley and Mr. Bilbrough were charged with transporting and harboring
aliens and along with conspiracy. Prosecutors also charged Mr. Lemley and Mr. Mathews with transporting a firearm and
ammunition with the intent of committing a felony. The complaint also charges Mr. Mathews with being an alien in
possession of a firearm and ammunition. The case shows how difficult it is for the F.B.I. and prosecutors to charge
domestic terrorism suspects because First and Second Amendment concerns have limited the scope of what law
enforcement can do. The current domestic terrorism statute does not carry any criminal penalties…. According to the
authorities, Mr. Lemley and Mr. Mathews rented an apartment in Delaware, where the F.B.I. ultimately arrested them.
Prosecutors said the pair made a functioning assault rifle. They also bought more than 1,500 rounds of rifle ammunition,
fired the rifle at a Maryland gun range and acquired vests to hold body armor.
Additional Resources:
- Virginia Governor Bans Guns From Capitol Grounds Ahead of Rally; The Wall Street Journal, 1/15/2020
https://www.wsj.com/articles/virginia-governor-bans-guns-from-capitol-grounds-ahead-of-rally11579125380?mod=searchresults&page=1&pos=1
- This Conspiracy Theory Is Firing Up Pro-Gun Activists Right Before Their Huge Rally; Vice, 1/14/2020
https://www.vice.com/en us/article/wxed8q/this-conspiracy-theory-is-firing-up-pro-gun-activists-right-before-their-hugerally

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*Warning: This document is UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY (U//FOUO). It contains information that may be exempt from public release under the Freedom of Information Act
(5 U.S.C. 552). It is to be controlled, stored, handled, transmitted, distributed, and disposed of in accordance with DHS policy relating to FOUO information and is not to be released to the
public, the media, or other personnel who do not have a valid “need-to-know” without prior approval of an authorized TSA official. No portion of this report should be furnished to the
media, either in written or verbal form. Please refer to each document’s U//FOUO warning for further handling instructions that may apply.

 - Virginia Governor Declares State Of Emergency Ahead Of Gun Rights Rally; NPR, 1/15/2020
https://www.npr.org/2020/01/15/796666321/virginia-governor-declares-state-of-emergency-ahead-of-pro-gun-rally
- Virginia Declares State of Emergency After Armed Militias Threaten to Storm the Capitol; Vice, 1/15/2020
https://www.vice.com/en us/article/939b3y/virginia-declares-state-of-emergency-after-armed-militias-threaten-to-stormthe-capitol
ANALYST COMMENTARY: Virginia Governor Ralph Northam declared a temporary state of emergency based on
credible intelligence of threats of violence, including militias storming the state Capitol with firearms and
weaponized drones, during an upcoming pro-gun rally in Richmond, Virginia. The state of emergency will
temporarily ban the carrying of firearms on Capitol grounds. While the rally was started by a non-violent pro-gun
group, far-right extremists have latched on, dramatically increased the risk of potential violence. The Virginia
governor said law enforcement identified threats and rhetoric similar to that seen before the 2017 Unite the Right
rally in Charlottesville, which turned lethal after a neo-Nazi vehicle ramming attack. The arrest of known far-right
terrorists prior to the rally — who had over a thousand rounds of ammunition, a self-made assault rifle, and body
armor when arrested — supports concerns regarding the potential for violence. Various conspiracy theories
played an instrumental role in the increased interest among right-wing extremists in the upcoming rally. One
long-existing conspiracy theory in the far-right is that the United Nations is conspiring to bring about a “new
world order” with the help of shadow governments. One unfounded theory centered around a false claim that the
United Nations is sending troops to Virginia to forcibly seize firearms and put down the prog-gun rally. A
Facebook post by one far-right user included a 2016 photo of U.N. vehicles being transported on a flatbed truck
as proof that the VA government is coordinating with the United Nations to repress rally-goers. The user claimed
the phots was recently taken on a Virginia highway. The U.N. vehemently denies these accusations. With the
increasing vigor with which the far-right has engaged with this rally, the threats/violent rhetoric observed by law
enforcement, and the likelihood of counter-protesters, security professionals warn there is a possibility for
violence at Monday’s rally.

Terrorism Police List Extinction Rebellion as Extremist Ideology
The Guardian, 1/10/2020
Counter-terrorism police placed the non-violent group Extinction Rebellion (XR) on a list of extremist ideologies that
should be reported to the authorities running the Prevent [program], which aims to catch those at risk of committing
atrocities, the Guardian has learned… XR featured alongside threats to national security such as neo-Nazi terrorism and a
pro-terrorist Islamist group. The guide, aimed at police officers, government organizations and teachers who by law have
to report concerns about radicalization, was dated last November. It says that issues to look out for include people who
speak in “strong or emotive terms about environmental issues like climate change, ecology, species extinction, fracking,
airport expansion or pollution”. In the guide, people are advised to listen and look out for young people who “neglect to
attend school” or “participate in planned school walkouts” – an allusion to the school strikes for the climate, a global
movement of which the activist Greta Thunberg is a lead proponent. Thousands of UK pupils, and millions worldwide,
walked out of school last year in protest at government inaction on the climate crisis. The document also flags young
people taking part in non-violent direct action, such as sit-down protests, banner drops or “writing environmentally themed
graffiti” … The guide, bearing the counter-terrorism policing logo, urges those in “regular, direct contact with young people
or members of the public” to look out for various warning signs and consider a referral to Prevent if they believe someone
is falling prey to “ideological extremism”. Setting out its purpose, the guide says: “This document is designed to help you
recognize when young people or adults may be vulnerable to extreme or violent ideologies… The guide runs through
various extremist ideologies, and contains a whole page on XR. Explaining why it is considered a threat, it states: “Antiestablishment philosophy that seeks system change underlies its activism; the group attracts to its events school-age
children and adults unlikely to be aware of this. While non-violent against persons, the campaign encourages other lawbreaking activities.” It adds: “While concern about climate change is not in itself extreme, activists may encourage
vulnerable people to perform acts of violence, or commit such acts themselves.” The Guardian understands that counterterrorism officials at a national level believe including XR in the guide was a mistake and insist they do not view its
ideology as extremist. They say any such advice was issued by Counter Terrorism Policing South East (CTPSE) in the
south-east of England and not in any other part of the UK… DCS Kath Barnes, head of CTPSE, said: “I would like to
make it quite clear that we do not classify Extinction Rebellion as an extremist organization. The inclusion of Extinction
Rebellion in this document was an error of judgment and we will now be reviewing all of the contents as a result…
Extinction Rebellion is a global environmental movement with the stated aim of using nonviolent civil disobedience “in an
attempt to halt mass extinction and minimize the risk of social collapse”.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/jan/10/xr-extinction-rebellion-listed-extremist-ideology-police-prevent-scheme-guidance

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 Additional Resource: Putting Extremism Rebellion on Extremist List ‘Completely Wrong’, Says Keir Starmer, The
Guardian, 1/13/2020 https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jan/13/priti-patel-defends-inclusion-of-extinctionrebellion-on-terror-list
ANALYST COMMENTARY: The UK’s Home Secretary, Priti Patel, acknowledged that Extinction Rebellion (XR) is
a protest movement and not a terrorist group, but defended the inclusion of (XR) on the extremist ideologies
guidance. According to Patel, “Everything has to be based in terms of risk to the public, security risks, security
threats, and that is based on information from the police and various intelligence that we all receive,” adding
“You develop your policing approach accordingly.” However, Counter-terrorism Police characterized the listing
of XR as an extremist group in the guide as an "error of judgement" and are now reviewing and recalling the
document. They assert that XR is not an extremist ideology say there is currently no known threat of violence
from the group. XR is a climate change protest movement calling for a formal ecological emergency declaration
and the creation of a citizens’ assembly to lead action on the environment. Their activists employ “direct action”
tactics - including blocking busy roads and bridges, vandalizing both government and corporate infrastructure,
and chaining or gluing themselves to buildings - to motivate more “radical change” and avert a “sixth mass
extinction.” XR scheduled multiple ‘Rebellion Weeks’ this past fall in more than 60 cities around the world,
including the U.S. Though the group advocates for non-violent action and civil disobedience, their protest
activity has disrupted transportation networks in the past. In October, XR activists disrupted rail services in
London sparking a clash with angry commuters during rush hour. Disruptive activity on city streets can also
impact public transit. Moreover, the presence of large crowds of protestors can complicate security operations.
Whenever possible, transportation organizations should coordinate with law enforcement when protest activity is
expected to ensure safe operations.

SECURITY & SAFETY AWARENESS
Nazi Sympathizer Pleads Guilty to Threatening to Kill Hispanic People
The New York Times, 1/15/2020
A Maryland man who idolized Hitler and claimed that President Trump would start a “racial war” pleaded guilty on
Tuesday to threatening to kill Hispanic people, including a South Florida woman he barraged with hateful Facebook
messages. The man, Eric Lin, 35, of Clarksburg, Md., pleaded guilty in United States District Court in South Florida to a
felony charging him with knowingly and intentionally transmitting a threatening communication in interstate commerce,
federal prosecutors said… Mr. Lin was charged last year with inundating a South Florida woman with gruesome Facebook
messages, in which he threatened to slaughter her, her family members and other Hispanic people. The messages, which
were sent from May 30, 2019, to Aug. 14, 2019, also contained expressions of support for Hitler and Mr. Trump. “I will
stop at Nothing until you, your family, your friends, your entire WORTHLESS LATIN RACE IS RACIALLY
EXTERMINATED!” Mr. Lin wrote to the woman on Facebook in June, according to a criminal complaint. In another
message, Mr. Lin wrote to the woman, who was from Spain, that he was acting under the authority of Hitler and God to
“DECLARE SPANISH AND ALL SPANISH SPEAKING PEOPLE ILLEGAL.” In July, he wrote, “I thank God everyday
President Donald John Trump is President and that he will launch a Racial War and Crusade.” Eventually, Mr. Lin began
to discuss kidnapping the woman and injuring her co-worker…. Mr. Lin's arrest is another example of what federal
authorities have described as the serious danger posed by racially motivated threats and possible attacks by domestic
extremists. “We believe domestic terrorists pose a present and persistent threat of violence and economic harm to the
United States,” Michael C. McGarrity, the assistant director of the F.B.I.’s counterterrorism division, told lawmakers last
year. “In fact, there have been more arrests and deaths caused by domestic terrorists than international terrorists in recent
years.” https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/15/us/nazi-sympathizer-threats-hispanics.html

Two Sentenced in Connection with Work on Behalf of Iran
HS Today, 1/16/2020
Ahmadreza Mohammadi-Doostdar, 39, a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen, and Majid Ghorbani, 60, an Iranian citizen and resident
of California, have been sentenced to prison terms of 38 months and 30 months, respectively, for their criminal
convictions relating to their conduct conducting surveillance of and collecting identifying information about American
citizens and U.S. nationals who are members of the group Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK)…“This case illustrates Iran’s
targeting of Americans in the United States in order to silence those who oppose the Iranian regime or otherwise further
its goals,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “The defendants, working for Iran,
gathered information on Americans that could then be used by the Iranian intelligence services to intimidate or harm them
or their families. These prosecutions should serve as a reminder to anyone here working covertly for Iran that the

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 American law enforcement will pursue you to protect this country, its citizens and the First Amendment principles upon
which it was founded.”.. Doostdar further admitted that, during his travel to the United States to task Ghorbani with
collecting information on U.S. persons on behalf of the Iranian regime, he communicated with his government of Iran
handler through another co-conspirator. Doostdar’s handler relayed instructions and encouragement and answered
Doostdar’s questions that came up during his mission in the United States.
https://www.hstoday.us/subject-matter-areas/counterterrorism/two-sentenced-in-connection-with-work-on-behalf-of-iran/

Additional Resource: Mujahadeen-e-Khalq (MEK), Council on Foreign Relations, 7/28/2014
https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/mujahadeen-e-khalq-mek
ANALYST COMMENTARY: The Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK) is an Iranian resistance group whose goal is to
overthrow the Islamic Republic. Formerly listed as a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) by the U.S.
Department of State, they were removed from the list in 2012 due to the group’s rejection of violence. According
to the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), MEK was founded in 1965 in resistance to the Iranian Shah and
participated in the 1979 Islamic revolution before splitting with the clerics who ousted them from Iran. Saddam
Hussein’s Iraq government was MEK’s primary funding until the 2003 U.S. invasion. The group states they now
rely on wealthy Iranian-Americans for funding. MEK has gained significant structure in the West, with an
estimated 5,000 to 10,000 members globally and offices in many major European cities, as well as Washington.
Predominantly comprised of women, Islam and Marxism make up the base for MEK’s ideology according to the
CFR with feminism being one of its main pillars. Analysts commonly refer to the group as a cult due to their
charismatic leaders and requirement that women do not marry or have children. The arrest of Iranian agents in
the United States for gathering information on MEK members demonstrates Iran’s reach, as well as the
substantial effort put toward combatting dissenters both at home and abroad.

Riders Say They Feel Safe, Despite Recent Incident on RTC Bus
CBS 8, 1/15/2020
Metro police are still hoping the public can help track down the man, seen violently punching another man on an RTC bus
last month, causing him to lose an eye. RTC security cameras captured the footage, but that’s not the only safety
measure our buses have… The RTC says there are multiple surveillance cameras in and around their buses. Police can
take a live look inside, which can help them fight crime. The camera footage is saved to a hard drive, which is the property
of a contractor that works with the RTC. When something like this happens, the contractor gives police the video before it
gets erased. “The contractor has got 7 to 10 days to get that video off the bus,” said Carl Scarbrough — Director of
Technical Equipment and Transit Amenities at RTC. “That’s what is really new in the past couple of years.” … “We can’t
be on every bus, but we can move around and target where we think there’s high crime,” Scarbrough added. Riders tell 8
News Now, these extra efforts make them feel relaxed. “I don’t really question my safety,” Trahan said.
https://www.8newsnow.com/news/local-news/riders-say-they-feel-safe-despite-recent-incident-on-rtc-buses/

UK Police Use of Facial Recognition Tests Public’s Tolerance
AP News, 1/16/2020
When British police used facial recognition cameras to monitor crowds arriving for a soccer match in Wales, some fans
protested by covering their faces. In a sign of the technology’s divisiveness, even the head of a neighboring police force
said he opposed it. The South Wales police deployed vans equipped with the technology outside Cardiff stadium this
week as part of a long-running trial in which officers scanned people in real time and detained anyone blacklisted from
attending for past misbehavior… The real-time surveillance being tested in Britain is among the more aggressive uses of
facial recognition in Western democracies and raises questions about how the technology will enter people’s daily lives.
Authorities and companies are eager to use it, but activists warn it threatens human rights… The van-mounted cameras,
using technology by Japan’s NEC, scan faces in crowds and match them up with a “watchlist,” a database mainly of
people wanted for or suspected of a crime. If the system flags up someone passing by, officers stop that person to
investigate further, according to the force’s website. Rights groups say this kind of monitoring raises worries about
privacy, consent, algorithmic accuracy, and questions about about how faces are added to watchlists… The debate is also
playing out in the U.S., where real-time crowd surveillance is still rare and the technology is more commonly used to
identify suspects by running their images through a pool of police mugshots or driver’s license photos.
https://apnews.com/7266356b2c244e3970afeabeaeb48e49

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