(As reported by Reza Kahlili, a former member of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, and CIA informant, in WND)
The New York Times reported on May 24th that Iran was engaging in destructive cyber terrorism attacks against American businesses including oil gas and electric companies. The United States was given warnings almost two years ago, and apparently chose to ignore them.
In August, 2011 an exclusive in WND warned that Iran planned to take action against the United States for its attempts to block its nuclear program.
A July 29, 2011, editorial in the Keyhan newspaper, the mouthpiece of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said that the U.S. has all of its infrastructure connected to the Internet and as a result, “it is constantly worried about an unknown player whom they will never be able to identify … sitting in some corner of the world who would launch an attack on a sector of (America’s) foundations. They will be taught the mother of all lessons.” That warning was carried in the WND’s story.
The editorial mocked the Pentagon. The United States is no longer the unequivocal leader of the Internet, the editorial said. “Diverse and interesting players have now come on the scene and have managed to inflict some costly and unprecedented damages on the American Internet infrastructure. Due to the convenient global nature of the ‘players,’ their network operates outside time and space. They can be anywhere from right under Mr. Obama’s ear in Washington, D.C., to the depths of the African desert.”
The editorial went on to accuse the United States and Israel for constructing the Stuxnet virus which attacked Iran’s nuclear facility, and for assassinating Iran’s nuclear scientists
In April, 2012, Ilan Berman, president of the American Foreign Policy Council, made a presentation to the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection and Security Technologies and the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence. He included some of the Keyhan editorial, but the U.S. continued to ignore the danger and intent of Iran’s cyber terrorism.
As reported to WND by a member of the revolutionary guard, a meeting held in 2011 discussed the vulnerability of America’s utility companies. They noted that they are dependent on the internet, and have switched to “smart” technology.
In 2012 the Department of Energy confirmed that the utility grids were indeed vulnerable, mostly because systems to totally protect them from cyber attacks had not been fully implemented.
Just recently software was discovered in the nation’s electrical system that could have caused a disruption in service for thousands.
The Chinese have also been suspected of attempts to infiltrate systems which provide the nation’s electrical energy.
Iran is also expected to have used cyber terrorism against Saudi Arabian oil companies, and systems that operate Israeli infrastructure.
James Turnage
The Guardian Express
