Critical Infrastructure News
More than 10,000 passengers hit by delays following sabotage and technical issues on Spain’s AVE line
Many passengers arrived at their destinations in the early hours of the morning, with high numbers travelling during the bank holiday weekend. More than 10,000 passengers in Spain experienced severe disruption on Sunday after cable lines were stolen at several points within the province of Toledo and a train suffered a technical fault. Travellers relying…
Read MoreSan Jose Engineer Pleads Guilty to Bombings of PG&E Transformers, Causing Property Damage and Widespread Power Outages
Peter Karasev, 38, a U.S. citizen residing in San Jose, pleaded guilty in the Northern District of California today to federal charges related to two separate bombings of PG&E electrical transformers in late 2022 and early 2023. Karasev was indicted on Oct. 19, 2023, and pleaded guilty today to two counts of willful destruction of…
Read MoreFallout continues as power returns in Spain and Portugal after huge blackout
A sweeping power outage left millions of people across Spain, Portugal and parts of France without power on Monday. Authorities are still unclear about what caused the incident. Follow for live updates. A massive blackout hit Spain and Portugal at midday on Monday, grinding the Iberian Peninsula to a halt. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez…
Read MoreGunmen attack Chinese-owned hydroelectric plant in Chile, burn equipment and injure guards
Gunmen attacked a Chinese-owned hydroelectric plant under construction in Chile yesterday, setting fire to dozens of trucks and heavy earth-moving equipment, police said. The Rucalhue power plant is being built by Rucalhue Energia Spa, a unit of China International Water and Electric Corporation (CWE), and is projected to cost US$350 million (RM1.5 billion). It is…
Read MoreCanadian Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Destruction of Energy Facilities in North and South Dakota
Cameron Monte Smith, 50, a Canadian citizen, was sentenced today to 150 months in prison per count, to be served consecutively, for two counts of destroying an energy facility — one incident in the District of North Dakota and another in the District of South Dakota.Smith was also ordered to pay $2.1 million in restitution.…
Read MoreSwedish police probe water sabotage attempt on Gotland
Swedish police are investigating a case of attempted sabotage targeting the water supply on the island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea, the daily Aftonbladet reported on Monday, citing anonymous sources. According to the sources, the entire island might have been left without water if the sabotage had not been discovered. The report comes amid…
Read MoreCzech firefighters tackle large toxic train fire
A freight train carrying the highly toxic chemical benzene has derailed in the Czech Republic, sparking a huge fire. Several tankers and a locomotive were ablaze, with firefighters from several regions and a mobile chemical laboratory deployed to the area, according to local media. A massive cloud of dense black smoke was visible for several…
Read MoreTeen in custody after entering Texarkana airport with guns, demanding plane
A 15-year-old boy is in custody after authorities said he displayed a firearm Tuesday morning at Texarkana Regional Airport and demanded an airplane before being confronted by a pilot who had retrieved a firearm from his truck. The boy entered from the general aviation side with an AR-style rifle, according to a statement from the…
Read MoreNeo-Nazi leader on trial in Maryland for alleged terrorist plot to destroy Baltimore-area power grid
A Florida man is heading to trial in Maryland on Monday for an alleged terrorist plot to destroy the power grid in the Baltimore region. The trial began with jury selection. On Monday, more than 27 jurors were chosen to sit on the 36-member body. Court is adjourned until Tuesday, Jan. 28 at 9:15 a.m.…
Read MoreSweden Seizes Vessel Suspected Of ‘Sabotage’ After Undersea Data Cable Rupture In Baltic Sea
Swedish prosecutors announced Sunday night that they have opened a preliminary investigation into suspected aggravated “sabotage” and ordered the detention of a vessel in the Baltic Sea suspected of damaging an underwater fiber optic cable connecting Latvia and the Swedish island of Gotland earlier that day. “Several authorities, including the National Police Operations Department, the…
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