Iran's threats on U.S. soil: sleeper cells, lone wolves, cyberattacks and eerie numbers code

"Within days of the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Feb. 28, cryptic messages were broadcast globally on a new shortwave radio frequency. 'Tavajjoh! Tavajjoh!' the message began, using the Persian word for 'attention.' The eerie male voice then read a seemingly random string of numbers. The monotone transmission recalled the manner in which deep-cover Cold War spies for the KGB and CIA once received orders."

"Federal authorities warned local law enforcement that they had detected a new broadcast of a likely encoded sequence that could be 'an operational trigger' for 'sleeper assets' potentially on U.S. soil. Although counterterrorism investigators have so far found no credible specific threat, a memo to police agencies calls for local law enforcement to be on heightened watch."

"Federal counterterrorism authorites are warning that the desperate theocracy could launch retaliatory strikes on American soil using sleeper cells, affiliated Iranian terrorist groups, lone wolf sympathizers or targeted cyberattacks."

Following the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28, federal counterterrorism authorities detected cryptic shortwave radio broadcasts containing encoded numerical sequences. These transmissions, resembling Cold War-era spy communication methods, were identified as likely of Iranian origin and potentially intended as operational triggers for sleeper assets within the United States. Law enforcement agencies received alerts to heighten vigilance, though no credible specific threat has been identified. Counterterrorism officials express concern that Iranian sleeper cells and affiliated proxy groups may attempt retaliatory strikes against American targets through various means including cyberattacks and lone wolf sympathizers.

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