Summary of Terrorist Incidents and CT Operations: October 2014
The ICT Database Team is pleased to present a brief overview of the terrorist incidents and counter-terrorist actions that occurred worldwide in October 2014. The incidents covered in this month’s report join the over 35,000 previously-recorded terrorist and counter-terrorist incidents in the ICT database.
This month’s report covers terrorist incidents throughout the world, with special emphasis in North America, specifically when military reservist, Cpl. Nathan Cirillo. Zehaf-Bibeau, was fatally shot on October 22 at the National War Memorial in Ottowa, Canada, by an armed attacker identified as Michael Zehaf-Bibeau.
Zehaf-Bibeau then entered the nearby Centre Block parliament building at Parliament Hill, where members of the Canadian Parliament were attending assemblies. After wrestling with a security guard at the entrance, Zehaf-Bibeau ran inside and but was shot and killed by Commons Sergeant at Arms, Kevin Vickers. Three people were lightly wounded. No group claimed responsibility for the incident.
Canadian police said that Zehaf-Bibeau was a Canadian-born petty criminal who may also have held Libyan citizenship. According to authorities, Zehaf-Bibeau had recently applied for a new passport and is it suspected that he had plans to go to Syria, although ties to the Islamic State (IS) were not officially confirmed.
October 2014 was also marked by terrorist incidents in Afghanistan, Egypt, Iraq, Nigeria, Russia, Somalia, and Syria.
This month’s report also covers counter-terrorist incidents throughout the world, with particular emphasis on events in Europe, specifically in the United Kingdom. On October 7, police and the MI5 dismantled an Islamic State (IS) cell and arrested four men in armed raids in London during which one suspect had to be tasered by police.
The men are believed to have been in the early stages of plotting to carry out a significant attack in the UK, including a beheading attack on a British street. The following day, on October 8, a fifth man was arrested in connection with the plot.
All of the men, ages 20 and 21, remained in custody at central London police stations.On October 13, three other men were arrested in central London. The men, ages 24, 21 and 25, were suspected of involvement in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.
October 2014 was also marked by counter-terrorist incidents in Afghanistan, Australia, China, Germany, Israel and the West Bank, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mauritania, Niger, North America, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and Yemen.
