25 Comments

“There is no ISIS brain bug sitting somewhere and planning things.” From Ray’s Black Mountain link below. This has got to have our elites in the District of Corruption wailing and gnashing their teeth…because of course instantaneous disclaimer was a complete belly-flop. A Happy Easter Vigil to all!

Expand full comment
author

Right. This is always the all purpose excuse.

NEXTA @nexta_tv

Mar 28

The New York Times: U.S. intelligence agencies did not give Russian Federation all the information they had about the terrorist threat at Crocus City Hall, fearing to reveal their sources.

Expand full comment

Since early 2023, I have observed a covert campaign on Russian social media clearly aimed at inciting anger towards migrants from Central Asia. The message points were designed by very smart and experienced people. Much better work than the ridiculous video produced by FBI looking for new agents in Russia. Who were those brilliant consultants engaged in the process of creating this silver bullet? Michael McFaul, Garry Kasparov? They are too far from the level demonstrated by the current information attack.

News periodically appeared about parallel information activities aimed at migrant communities in the Russian Federation. Do not forget about the propaganda carried out by numerous NGOs within post-Soviet states. And about attempts to incite unrest among the population of national republics within the Russian Federation. And about the organization of such nice groups as the Russian Volunteer Corps.

So, the soil was fertilized, or at least that was the plan. And the culmination was supposed to be a terrorist attack in Crocus. Of course, there still may be other nasty surprises. Considering motive, means, possibility, and manifested school, I'd point at GB.

Some additional observations.

Two videos of captured Crocus terrorists have appeared on the Internet: in the first, a member of the capture group cuts off part of the ear of one of the terrorists and tries to feed it to him; in another, a terrorist with his pants down is tortured by being supplied with electricity from a field telephone. Very uncharacteristic videos for the work of elite units in Russia.

Firstly, such videos do not go online without management approval. Secondly, electrical torture using a field telephone is so primitive that it clearly does not correspond to the level of importance of the matter. When I was doing compulsory military service, it was a popular joke to wake up a friend by throwing two wires from a field telephone over his toes (only one leg, this important) and rotating the phone handle. Part of the game was to disappear quickly but maintain your dignity. Thirdly, the task of the capture team is to deliver important detainees to the investigative authorities alive and, if possible, unharmed. Its fighters are professionals who know how and are used to controlling their emotions.

I understand this as a signal to all concerned. It is clear that to potential terrorists, but also to their masters. To paraphrase Putin’s words, wherever these James Bonds are.

Expand full comment

I read much of this in Simplicius's latest substack yesterday. Glad you pulled the key parts as he can be quite lengthy. Makes my head spin trying to follow it all. Readers Digest version... MI6 is everywhere and stirring up everything.

Expand full comment

Another excellent piece, Mark. Indian Punchline article you linked in comments also quite helpful.

Yes, as you correctly note, the Russians do have an interest in sowing NATO discord, but the direct and circumstantial links between MI6 and Tajik militants are just too many to ignore the possibility of coordination here. In his most-recent piece on the Moscow terror attack, the once-hardnosed, stick-it-to-The-Man journalist, Sy Hersh, does just that, taking it as an article of faith that ISIS-K was acting on its own initiative, and focusing, instead, on a US "duty to warn...even the Russians." It is precisely this sort of LACK of curiosity that kills THIS cat.

Appreciate all the hard work you put in. A happy and blessed Easter to you and your family.

Expand full comment
author

https://www.indianpunchline.com/ukraines-survival-hangs-in-the-balance/

the US military has been ‘retooling’ erstwhile ISIS fighters lately. Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) alleged in a statement on February 13 that the US was recruiting the jihadist fighters to carry out terrorist attacks on the territory of Russia and the CIS countries.

The statement said, “Sixty such terrorists with combat experience in the Middle East were selected this year in January… they are undergoing a fast-track training course at the US base in Syria’s Al-Tanf, where they are being taught how to make and use improvised explosive devices, as well as subversive methods. Particular emphasis is paid to planning attacks on heavily guarded facilities, including foreign diplomatic missions… In the near future, there are plans to deploy militants in small groups to the territory of Russia and the CIS countries.”

The SVR also noted that “special attention was paid to the involvement of natives of the Russian North Caucasus and Central Asia.”

Expand full comment
author

https://twitter.com/sputnikint/status/1773367744559210775?s=46&t=oXM3QUNDayEotvdo1W-zQA

Sputnik @SputnikInt

(1/7) Covert allies? What is the relationship between ISIS-K* and the US?

Expand full comment

As I heard someone say once, "all roads lead to London". The Brits are the western OG of intelligence/subterfuge, I've always assumed they probably runs rings around the CIA. Sometimes I think the US is just a big, dumb, wealthy thug used by the Brits to their own ends. The post by @vicktop55 about these perps possibly having prior fighting experience mentions Palestine. That's the first time I've ever heard anyone elude to foreign fighters in Palestine, so it caught my eye.

Expand full comment

God bless on this Holy Week.

Q: Got elites?

Is anyone suggesting that part of the problem for the West/US, is that there are in fact NO elites? Having money, being in politics, being an influencer, is not how we have ever understood who elites are and what their role in a “civilization,” is. Think of the Rockefellers as elites, who last had any influence in the 1960s (when they could actually get something done). The TELEVISION paradigm (now obsolete) killed elites and the institutions that used to see their role as contributing to elite formation. Those we label as elites today cannot actually get anything done.

Compare this to places today like China, India, Russia…all places that are actively going through elite formation programs.

Is anyone talking about we are in a new Paradigm (AI/robots) that requires radically different approaches regarding the humans?

Expand full comment

The fifth beatle. That crazy English dude on video who tortured and burned people in cages when isis first came into our U.S. consciousness. That is a memory that popped into my head reading about Mi6 involvement today.

Expand full comment