On Tuesday, AlertsUSA subscribers were notified of the State Department's release of a new Level 2 travel advisory for Germany, urging Americans to “exercise increased caution” due to terrorism risks in the country.

"Terrorist groups and lone actors remain a constant threat in Germany and Europe, attacking people in public locations with knives, small arms, rudimentary explosive devices, and vehicles. Such attacks may occur with little or no warning and target tourist locations, transportation centers, markets and shopping malls, local government facilities, hotels, clubs and restaurants, places of worship and educational institutions, parks, as well as major sporting and cultural events."

The updated advisory comes just days after German authorities arrested three Ukrainian nationals, accusing them of plotting sabotage attacks on freight transport systems at the direction of the Russian government. Federal prosecutors stated the suspects planned to send parcel bombs designed to detonate during shipment, targeting cargo routes used for Ukrainian military support.

The plot involved test parcels with GPS trackers sent from Cologne to Ukraine in order to map routes. German officials described the operation as part of a Russian hybrid warfare campaign similar to incidents in Britain, Germany, and Poland in 2024. The arrests highlight concerns over Russian sabotage amid Germany’s role as Ukraine’s second-largest military backer.

Nuke Base Increases Security

In the Netherlands, Volkel Air Base, a NATO facility hosting the new U.S. B61-12 nuclear bomb, has also increased security. The move follows intelligence reports of Russian hybrid threats, including sabotage and drone incursions, as outlined in a Dutch intelligence report from April 24, 2025. The report notes Russia’s use of “sabotage bordering on state terrorism” to destabilize Europe, with incidents like cyberattacks and covert operations targeting NATO allies. The German arrests likely prompted the Dutch security increase, as authorities screen deliveries and patrol for suspicious activity to protect critical infrastructure.

AlertsUSA continues to monitor the national and international threat environment and will immediately notify service subscribers of any new alerts, warnings, or advisories impacting the overall threat picture for American citizens, as events warrant.

On Wednesday, The Department of Justice announced the arrest of a 19-year-old Michigan man, Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, a former Michigan Army National Guard member, for planning a mass shooting at the U.S. Army’s Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command near Detroit, Michigan, on behalf of the Islamic State.

The plot was disrupted through an FBI undercover operation.

According to the DOJ, Said had been under investigation since 2024 after expressing a desire for "violent jihad" to an undercover FBI agent. A secret search of his phone in July 2024 revealed ISIS-related content, including jihad references and Islamic State flags. By October 2024, Said proposed attacking the Army's tank command, leveraging his National Guard experience and familiarity with the facility.

During Said’s months-long relationship with undercover law enforcement officials pretending to be Islamic State supporters, Said admitted to joining the Army for weapons training.

In preparation for the base attack, Said conducted reconnaissance using a drone, provided handwritten diagrams, and shared plans to use Molotov cocktails, assault-style weapons, and armor-piercing ammunition. He also trained two undercover FBI agents, whom he believed were co-conspirators, on firearms and explosives use, and outlined a "shoot-to-kill" strategy.

The plot culminated on May 13, when Said was arrested shortly after launching a drone near the facility for final surveillance. He faces charges of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and distributing information related to a destructive device, with a potential maximum sentence of 20 years.

CANCELING HOLIDAY EVENTS

Following the New Year's Day attack in New Orleans, and last month's Lapu-Lapu Day vehicle ramming attack in Vancouver, BC, municipalities across the country are rethinking security for the upcoming Memorial Day and Independence Day events.

Some are going as far as simply canceling various public gatherings.

As an example, this week it was announced that the Whitemarsh Township Fourth of July Parade in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, has been canceled due to concerns over their ability to properly secure the mile-long parade route and adjacent streets. A statement posted on the township's website said leaders came to the decision that holding this year's parade presented an "unnecessary risk to the community."

How China Fights in Large-Scale Combat Operations

This new U.S. Army document provides a detailed assessment of China’s military strategy, operational concepts, and the anticipated characteristics of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) ground forces employed in conflict. As China is designated as the United States’ pacing threat, the U.S. Army must understand how China fights at the operational level to ensure readiness for potential conflicts in the Indo-Pacific theater.

This and other referenced documents offer a comprehensive foundation for understanding the PLA’s approach to conflict and its implications to U.S. Army training and education.

~ READ MORE HERE (US Army) ~

Afrikaners: Persecuted Refugees or White-Privileged Aliens?

In line with President Trump’s Feb 7, 2025, executive order “Addressing Egregious Actions of The Republic of South Africa”, the “first group” of over 50 Afrikaners were admitted into the U.S. as refugees. They landed in Washington, D.C., and flew onward to Texas. It is not clear how many will follow, but U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said that, “In the coming months, we will continue to welcome more Afrikaner refugees and help them rebuild their lives in our great country.”

Were these really persecuted refugees, or is this just a case of Whitey helping Whitey get a leg up?

~ READ MORE HERE (Center for Immigration Studies) ~

Large Public Gatherings Attractive Targets for Violent Extremists

This information product is intended to help public safety officials and private sector partners plan and respond to terrorism threats against mass gatherings that are not contained within a secured perimeter. Gatherings that are not official events or tournaments and where tickets are not required for attending are particularly vulnerable. This product is a resource for public safety officials and is not in response to a specific threat against the Homeland. It provides background based on previous terrorist plotting and attacks and general terrorist attack tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs). The considerations in this product are not exhaustive.

~ READ MORE HERE (Dir. of National Intelligence) ~

These are the approximate positions of the U.S. Navy’s deployed carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups throughout the world as of May 12, 2025 based on U.S. Navy briefings, public data provided by the U.S. Naval Institute, and open source reporting.

PUBLIC HEALTH

COVID vaccines may reduce women’s lifelong egg supply
House panel investigates new allegations about Pfizer COVID vaccine
Minnesota joins 10 other states in banning mRNA vaccines

AMERICAS

DHS Security Kristi Noem ends deportation protections for Afghans
Trump’s military buildup at the border includes U-2 spy planes
ATC just averted a midair collision. Now the controller is speaking out
ATC ‘hotline’ between Pentagon and DC National broken for 3 ears
Texas mom charged with aiding in the commission of terrorism
DHS requests 20,000 NG troops to help with mass deportations
Judge dismissing ‘trespassing’ charges in Trump border ‘defense area’
Army selects 101st Airborne as first to fly new long-range assault aircraft
F-47: Official combat radius of 1,000+ nautical miles
"Rogue" devices found in Chinese solar panels could "destroy the grid"
Strategic collab by China, Russia, DPRK weakens U.S. deterrence
Quantico EOD called to remove WWII-era mortar from Virginia home
Starlink-equipped C-130s offer comms boost for Pacific missile tests
Expert: Sinaloa cartel indictments won’t slow flow of fentanyl into US
China supplies military gear to Nicaragua in new strategic partnership
Cuba begins to restore cellular service following outage

EUROPE

Zelenskyy hopes for ceasefire with Russia, challenges Putin to meeting
Germany arrests three Ukrainians for plotting Russian 'sabotage' attacks
Granada substation pinpointed as ground zero of Spain's blackout
Lithuania is expanding its border counter-mobility measures
US to start European troop withdrawal discussions later this year
Rubio: All NATO members to agree to 5% defense spending over next decade
Russia could be ready to strike NATO in two years, new report says
Satellite images show Russian troop buildup on Finland border
France kicks of high-intensity naval exercise targeting Atlantic ports
NATO requires an electronic warfare ‘paradigm shift’ to beat Russia
New small Russian cruise missile captured by Ukraine

MIDDLE EAST / AFRICA

US-Israeli hostage reunites with family after being freed by Hamas
Making deals with the US will be a ‘give and take’, Ramaphosa says
Israel strikes two Houthi-controlled ports and unleashes new barrage on Gaza
Netanyahu says ‘no way’ Israel ends Gaza war until Hamas is defeated
Trump meets with Syria’s interim president, a first in 25 years
What would lifting US sanctions on Syria mean to the war-torn country?
Chinese Embassy (UK) issues safety alert on reports of missing citizens
Congo: Rwanda’s army and rebels have killed dozens and abducted thousands
As Chinese ambitions in Africa grow, so does the US military’s
Massive dust storm halts life across eastern Iraq
Mali bans French TV channel over its coverage of a pro-democracy protest

ASIA / OCEANIA

Marines deploy a second F-35B squadron to Japan in modernization drive
Top US general in Korea talks maps, China, and getting Patriots back
China helps North Korean operatives land IT roles, bypassing sanctions
Kim Jong Un oversees air drills, calls for stepped-up war preparation
Why has N. Korea finally admitted its troops are dying in Ukraine war?
HIMARS unleashed in Taiwan as China watches on
Taiwan Coast guard in talks on exercises with ‘certain countries’
Tajikistan decriminalises 'liking' social media posts deemed extremist
India rejects China's latest renaming of places in Arunachal border state
Eighteen separatists killed in Papua region, Indonesian military says
Indian army operation on Myanmar border kills 10 insurgents