Secret Service ‘dismantles imminent threat’ before Trump speech in New York

The service dismantled threats directed towards senior U.S. government officials

As revealed in a post to X by the US Secret Service, a network of electronic devices located throughout the New York tristate area, used to conduct multiple telecommunications-related threats directed towards senior U.S. government officials, were dismantled.

The service say the network represented an imminent threat to the agency’s protective operations.

Some 300 SIM servers and 100,000 SIM cards were uncovered as confirmed by the service in a statement.

The Secret Service said that these devices could be used to carry out "anonymous telephonic threats" as well as a "wide range of telecommunication attacks."

This could include "disabling cell phone towers, enabling denial of services attacks and facilitating anonymous, encrypted communication between potential threat actors and criminal enterprises."

The statement added: "While forensic examination of these devices is ongoing, early analysis indicates cellular communications between nation-state threat actors and individuals that are known to federal law enforcement."

U.S. Secret Service Director Sean Curran said: “The potential for disruption to our country’s telecommunications posed by this network of devices cannot be overstated.

“The U.S. Secret Service’s protective mission is all about prevention, and this investigation makes it clear to potential bad actors that imminent threats to our protectees will be immediately investigated, tracked down and dismantled.”

The statement continued: "These devices were concentrated within 35 miles of the global meeting of the United Nations General Assembly now underway in New York City.

"Given the timing, location and potential for significant disruption to New York telecommunications posed by these devices, the agency moved quickly to disrupt this network.

"The U.S. Secret Service’s Advanced Threat Interdiction Unit, a new section of the agency dedicated to disrupting the most significant and imminent threats to our protectees, is conducting this investigation. This investigation is currently ongoing.

"The Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Justice, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the NYPD, as well as other state and local law enforcement partners, provided valuable technical advice and assistance in support of this investigation."

The investigation continues.