US alert warns Iran may be activating sleeper cells abroad - ABC News
The United States has intercepted encrypted communications believed to have originated in Iran that may be intended to activate sleeper cells outside the country, ABC News reported, citing a federal government alert sent to law enforcement agencies.
The alert, reviewed by ABC News, cited preliminary signals analysis of a transmission likely of Iranian origin that was relayed across multiple countries shortly after the death of Iran’s former leader Ali Khamenei.
The intercepted transmission was encoded and appeared to be intended for clandestine recipients who possess the encryption key, the report said.
The message could be intended to activate or provide instructions to covert operatives or sleeper assets operating outside Iran, according to the alert cited by ABC News.
The alert said there was no operational threat tied to a specific location but instructed law enforcement agencies to increase monitoring of suspicious radio-frequency activity.
US and Israeli forces carried out an attack on Feb. 28 that killed Ali Khamenei, after which officials expressed concern that Iranian sleeper cells abroad could be activated in retaliation, the report said.
