It's Thursday, the 12th of November. Welcome to the president's daily brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears, on the world stage. And yes, I am, in fact, still on the road. All right, let's get briefed. They first up the federal prosecutors uncover new details about an alleged Iranian-backed terror network behind nearly 20 attacks and attempted attacks across the US and Europe, including a plot against American aircraft and air crews stationed in Britain. Later in the show, Ukrainian drones strike deep inside Russia, targeting the country's largest oil refinery and a major Baltic seaport in a sweeping assault on Moscow's energy infrastructure. Plus, President Trump's plan to import Russian diesel fuel hits a roadblock, as tankers bound for American ports reverse course amid a lack of willing buyers. And in today's back in the brief, a twice-deported illegal immigrant is accused of attempting to storm the cockpit of a United Airlines flight while threatening to detonate a bomb. I do not think that that's going to help his green card application. But first, today's PDB spotlight. Federal prosecutors have revealed new details about an alleged Iranian-backed terrorist network responsible for nearly 20 attacks and attempted attacks across Europe and the US. Now that includes the plot against Britain's RAF Fairford Air Base back in September of this year, which prompted the arrests of seven people and the removal of American B-1 bombers that were stationed at the base. According to a newly unsealed indictment, American investigators have now identified three men accused of orchestrating that operation as part of a much larger terrorist campaign. And one of those men allegedly helped coordinate the plot while sitting inside an American jail. Seriously. The Justice Department announced the charges Tuesday, accusing the three men of supporting Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the IRGC, and the Iraqi militia, Kateib Hezbollah. The defendants include an Iranian national Mosin Mahajari and an Iraqi national Muhammad al-Hassani, both were operating from Iran during the Fairford plot and remain at large, reportedly still in Iran. The third suspect, Muhammad al-Sadi, a dual Iranian Iraqi citizen, was already being held in federal custody in New York on unrelated terrorism charges. Now these are not the same seven individuals British police arrested back in September. Prosecutors say the three men named in the new indictment were involved in directing operations through a network of associates overseas. And the indictment provides a detailed account of how the attempted attack on RAF Fairford was organized. According to prosecutors, preparations began in August when al-Hassani paid an associate in Britain to conduct surveillance around the installation. The individual filmed the basis perimeter and set the footage to his handlers. Over the following weeks, operatives obtained three vans, barrels of fuel, and materials that could potentially be used to construct explosive devices. They also purchased custom decals to disguise the vehicles as delivering vans belonging to fuel and swimming pool supply companies. On September 26, al-Hassani allegedly directed the vans toward RAF Fairford while communicating with the drivers by telephone. At least two encountered a security roadblock and were prevented from reaching their intended destination. British authorities subsequently recovered all three vehicles and arrested their occupants. But perhaps the most extraordinary revelation involves al-Sadi, the suspect that was already sitting in an American jail. He had been arrested overseas in May and transferred to the U.S. to face charges involving earlier terrorist activity. Yet prosecutors say he continued communicating with his associates through coded telephone communications with family members in Iraq. Well, isn't that nice that he gets to communicate with his family members in Iraq and pass along these terrorist communications? During those calls, al-Sadi allegedly referred to terrorist operations as "work" and used aliases when discussing his fellow conspirators. In one conversation, he reportedly asked his sister whether their previous operations had been canceled or has simply suspended. And then on September 24, just two days before the Fairford operation, al-Sadi allegedly instructed family members to provide money to al-Hassani. The indictment also reveals how the network allegedly conducted its earlier attacks. During the spring, a previously unknown organization, calling itself Hai, claimed responsibility for 18 attacks across Europe, including seven in Britain. Prosecutors contend that the organization was actually a front for established Iranian-backed terrorist groups. The attacks included arson, explosives, and the near-fatal stabbing of two Jewish men in London, one of whom was also an American citizen. And in some cases, the alleged organizers reportedly watched the violence unfold in real time. According to investigators, the three defendants gathered around a large screen in April, watching a live video feed from an operative carrying out an attack. Al-Hassani allegedly provided instructions, while the others recorded the operation. The following day, he reportedly directed another attack against a London synagogue, instructing an operative to ignite an explosive device and throw it at the building. Prosecutors say recordings of these operations were later used to produce terrorist propaganda. The indictment also incuses the network of plotting attacks inside the U.S., including an attempted bombing of a synagogue in Manhattan. Taken together, the allegations describe an international operation, in which organizers recruited local criminals, coordinated attacks remotely, and used online propaganda to promote their activities. On Wednesday, G-7 foreign ministers expressed grave concern, "Well, that's good," about suspected Iranian involvement in violent plots targeting their countries, specifically citing the RAF Fairford incident. And the new indictment raises a troubling question about the ability of security services to identify and dismantle these various networks. All right, coming up next, Ukrainian drones continue targeting Russia's energy infrastructure, and President Trump's plan to import diesel hits a roadblock. I'll be right back. Hey, I'm Mike Baker here, with another holiday shopping tip for, well, holiday shoppers. How about we talk about getting a gift that people will actually use? And of course, here I'm talking about Brunt Workwear, that's Brunt BRUN-T. 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Our listeners get $10 off their entire order with Code PDB at checkout. That's BruntWorkwear.com and use Code PDB. Order today and tell them, if you don't mind, the PDB sent you. Welcome back to the PDB. Despite new efforts to bring Russia's invasion of Ukraine to a close after several years, the war does not show any signs of slowing. Ukraine is keeping Russia's oil industry and its crosshairs, targeting the country's largest refinery deep inside Siberia and a major port on the Black Sea. In Omsk, deep in Russia's interior, residents reported explosions and a suspected drone strike on the country's largest oil refinery, and that's located approximately 1,500 miles from Ukraine's border. The attack continued for more than two hours, according to the Moscow Times and a Ukrainian monitoring channel. As air-raid sirens sounded across the city, authorities restricted mobile communications and internet access, the airport also suspected of rivals and departures. The regional governor confirmed that Ukrainian drones had attacked, while Russian authorities haven't disclosed, is whether the refinery itself sustained damage. But the significance of the target is clear. The facility belongs to Kremlin-controlled Gazprom Neft, that's the oil subsidiary of Gazprom, a can process approximately 22 million metric tons of crude oil.
oil a year. Now, along with supplying Russia's domestic market, it's an important provider of fuel to the Russian military. So, a successful strike could disrupt supplies that Moscow needs to keep its war going. The reported attack at AMS followed another operation hours earlier, this time against Russia's oil export infrastructure. Ukrainian drones targeted the Baltic seaport of Usluga in the western Leningrad region. There, Ukraine's general staff confirmed the operation and described damage to five oil storage tanks with a combined capacity of approximately 150,000 cubic meters. The reported damage also extended to processing equipment, a hydrocracking unit, which turns heavier petroleum products into fuels such as diesel, along with an air cooling unit and a pumping station. Now, Ukraine's assessment has not been independently verified, but the Leningrad governor acknowledged that an attack sparked a fire and injured three workers, according to them, non-seriously. What's also not clear is how many drones Russian air defenses intercepted. One report quoted the governor as saying 92 were shot down over the region early Wednesday, another put the overnight total at 150. Along with Usluga, the Leningrad is home to the ports of Primozk and Vesotsk, which help handle Russia's Baltic oil and grain exports. It also contains the Kyrushy Refinery, Russia's second largest. But Usluga's role goes beyond just ordinary exports. The US, Britain, Canada, Switzerland and the EU have sanctioned the port over its role in Russia's war against Ukraine. The European Commission identifies it as one of the ports "used to transport Russian crude oil by using this shadow fleet and other irregular and high-risk shipping practices." Now we've discussed that fleet before. Moscow uses tankers with opaque ownership arrangements foreign registrations and false flags to keep selling oil despite western sanctions. Meanwhile, Washington is working to build on the limited progress in Abu Dhabi during the two days of discussions between Washington, Kiev and Moscow. The US mediated talks have produced an agreement in principle on a major prisoner exchange, although significant differences remained over any settlement that could actually end the fighting. Staying on the topic of Russian energy, do you remember last month when President Trump announced a deal with Vladimir Putin to begin importing Russian diesel fuel into the US? Well, that deal appears to be running out of gas. Oil tankers carrying Russian diesel that were originally headed for American ports are now changing course, with some sailing thousands of miles in the opposite direction. According to the Wall Street Journal, the problem isn't with the fuel itself. It's that American companies are reluctant to buy it. Trump announced the agreement on October 9th, following what he described, as a highly successful discussion with Vladimir Putin. Under the arrangement, Russia would resume supplying diesel fuel to the US and other international markets, while Washington temporarily eased sanctions to allow those shipments. That, of course, would put more money into the Kremlin's coffers, although the White House alluded to some unspecified plan to try and keep the money from being used by Putin's war machine. The administration hoped that the additional supply would help bring down American diesel prices, which have, of course, risen sharply since the war with Iran, disrupt the global energy markets, and, of course, rising fuel prices played a role in the US midterm elections. As of Tuesday, the national average for diesel in the US had reached $6.16 per gallon, compared with roughly $3.75 before the conflict. But the Russian shipments have encountered a problem. One tanker carrying 300,000 barrels of Russian diesel fuel was originally headed for New York. On Monday, however, the vessel slowed near the American East Coast and began moving in a zigzag pattern, apparently, awaiting further instructions. Shipping data now suggests its likely destination will be South America. And it is not alone. Three other tankers that departed Russia last month with American destinations have also changed course. Two are now headed toward Brazil, while a third across the Atlantic, before turning toward the Mediterranean, and eventually arriving in Egypt. According to the journal, not a single barrel of Russian diesel has entered the US under the new arrangement. In fact, America hasn't imported Russian diesel since April 2022, shortly after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. So you ask yourself what's keeping these shipments from reaching American ports? Well, part of the problem is the legal uncertainties surrounding the deal. When Trump announced the agreement, the Treasury Department issued a waiver permitting Russian diesel fuel imports through April. But lawmakers, from both parties, have questioned whether the administration has the authority to bypass a 2022 law prohibiting Russian energy imports. Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal even warned the owner of one tanker that delivering its cargo to the US could constitute an illegal transaction. New Jersey Governor Mikey Sherrell also instructed port operators in her state not to accept Russian diesel shipments. The Trump administration maintains that its waiver complies with federal law, but American energy companies are apparently unwilling to take that risk. Industry executives told the journal that accepting Russian fuel could expose businesses to lawsuits, regulatory investigations, and considerable public criticism. And those concerns have intensified following last week's midterm elections, which PAN Democrats control above the House and Senate. Companies now worry that any involvement in Russian energy imports could become the subject of congressional investigations next year. And there's also another complication. The US doesn't actually need Russian diesel fuel to meet domestic demand. American refineries already produce more diesel than the country consumes, exporting over one and a half million barrels every day. The problem is the global shortage created by the Middle East conflict, which has driven up prices even in countries that produce plenty of diesel fuel. Meanwhile, Russia has resumed exporting diesel to customers in the Middle East, North Africa, and South America, following months of disruptions caused partly by Ukrainian attacks on its refineries. And that means Moscow is finding buyers for its fuel, just not in the US. And despite the tanker's changing course, the White House insists the arrangement is still beneficial. Well, look at that. An administration official told the journal that Russian diesel fuel is entering the international market and helping ease pressure on global supplies, even if those shipments never reach American shores. And, of course, Putin, no doubt, finds the arrangement beneficial, as the additional revenue helps keep his war machine grinding along. All right, coming up in the back of the brief, a bomb threat aboard a United Airlines flight leads to the arrest of a Honduran national who had already been deported twice. Well, you never know. Maybe three times a charm. More on that when we come back. Hey, Mike Baker here, with a message for all you business owners out there. Now, the holiday season is often the busiest time of year for any business owner. You know that, constantly pulled in different directions, managing holiday orders, field and customer requests, trying to keep up with endless calls and texts. And let's be honest, during the holidays, something always seems to go wrong at the worst possible moment. Look, customers do not care who fixes the problem. They care about who answers their calls. And that's why today's episode is brought to you by Quo, that's Q-U-O. The business phone system built so you never miss a call or a customer. Quo is the number one rated business phone on G2. It's trusted by over 90,000 businesses. Quo's 24/7 AI agent handles it all, answering questions, taking down details, even sending links to book appointments. Plus, Quo integrates into tools like ChatGbT, Quad, HubSpot, and Zapier, so your entire workflow stays organized. Money is on the line. Always say hello with Quo. Try Quo for free, plus get 20% off your first six months when you go to Quo.com/PDB. That's Quo, Q-U-O. Quo.com/PDB. Hey, Mike Baker here with a pro tip for feeling your best. Let me ask you a question. Have you ever finished breakfast or lunch or dinner, but then find yourself reaching for a snack maybe an hour later? Look, cravings can take over, even when you're trying to eat healthy. That's exactly why pendulum metabolic daily was designed. Now, you've probably seen all the news about GLP1s, but here's the thing. pendulum metabolic daily is a science-backed probiotic designed to support your body's natural GLP1 response, helping you feel fuller longer, experience fewer cravings, and making it easier to stay on track with your health goals. The secret is something called acrimoncia. It's a unique gut bacterium that helps signal the body
to produce natural GLP1. Just one capsule a day with food, it's that simple. Some customers report noticing fewer cravings and more energy in this little as a week, though individual results of course can vary. Right now, PDB podcast listeners can save up to 48, that's 48, 48% off their first order at pendulumlife.com/PDB. That's pendulumlife.com/PDB, the save up to 48% off your first order. Again, pendulumlife.com/PDB. In today's back of the brief, a twice deported illegal immigrant is accused of trying to force his way into a United Airlines cockpit claiming to have a bomb. The security threat unfolded earlier this week aboard United Airlines flight 2174, traveling from Newark, New Jersey to New Orleans. The Boeing 737 Max9 was carrying 46 passengers and six crew members. The Department of Homeland Security identifies his suspect as Roni Alexander Gomez Alberto, a Honduran national, and says that he attempted to gain access to the cockpit. DHS confirmed a Fox News exclusively that he also claimed to have a bomb, prompting the pilots of course to issue a hijacking alert. Amid the chaos on board flight attendants, persuaded Gomez Alberto to move to the back of the cabin away from the cockpit. Meanwhile, the pilots kept the flight deck secured and brought the airport safely into Louis Armstrong, New Orleans International Airport, where law enforcement was naturally waiting. Deputies with the Jefferson-Paris sheriff's office arrested Gomez Alberto after the landing. Now local reporting, citing the sheriff's office, says he was booked on charges of communicating false information of planned arson and terrorizing. DHS separately described the alleged offenses as involving a bomb threat, a terroristic threat, and disorderly conduct. No injuries were reported from the incident. Now you may be wondering how an illegal immigrant could even get on a commercial airline flight. Well, for a domestic flight, TSA accepts several forms of identification, including a foreign government issued passport. And here's the distinction. That passport can establish someone's identity and nationality, it does not establish that they are legally present in this country. What we don't know is what identification Gomez Alberto presented, but getting through our port securities only part of the story. To understand how he was back in the country at all, we need to go back to his first encounter with the US border patrol. Now that was in September of 2011. DHS says agents apprehended him after he illegally entered the US near El Indio, Texas. He was deported. Okay, so that's deportation number one. Then in October 2014, agents encountered him after another illegal crossing this time near Columbus, New Mexico. Once again, authorities removed him from the country. Okay, deportation number two. And for those keeping score at home, there could be a third. In 2019, Border Patrol arrested him following another attempted illegal entry this time near San Yacidro, California. And what followed was a different outcome on this third occasion when he was detained. DHS says an immigration judge ordered his release, sending removal proceedings. Seriously, after two deportations and ICE then released him in January 2020. So the fellow had two deportations and some immigration judge decided to release him into the public pending, I don't know, some future court date. Years later, he's now accused of trying to get into the cockpit of an American passenger flight. As you might guess, ICE is now seeking custody. On Tuesday, the agency lodged an immigration detainer with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office. That request notification before his release so ICE can seek custody for immigration enforcement. If he's deported a third time, well, there's a good bet to be had on the prediction markets. As to whether he'll make his way back to the States yet again. And that, my friends, is the president's daily brief for Thursday, the 12th of November. Now, if you have any questions or comments, just reach out to me at
[email protected]. And if you'd like an ad-free PDB, well, wishes do come true. Just become a premium member of the president's daily brief by visiting PDBpremium.com. I'm Mike Baker, and I'll be back later today with the PDB afternoon bulletin. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool.
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