Security Assessment: 2024 United Nations General Assembly

Summary

The 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) will open on September 10th, right after the conclusion of the US Open Tennis Championship. The event draws activists, dignitaries, journalists, international development and security professionals, protestors, and state leaders to New York City. The sheer number of people involved in global affairs and the discussion of politically charged matters creates a number of security risks for those attending UNGA and operating near it. 

The Summit of the Future will be held between September 22nd and September 23rd.¹ It is a high-level event focusing on gaps in global governance, cooperation on digital issues, and empowering youth leadership.

September 24 to September 30th is the highest risk period of the event as many state leaders visit to deliver addresses.

Ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine, the Israel-Hamas war, and rising tensions in the Middle East are poised to elevate the threat environment surrounding the event.

The 79th UNGA also takes place during the backdrop of the US election, which has already seen an assassination attempt and hacking activities by Iran against both Republican and Democratic campaign staff.

The embedded map will provide users with situational awareness of NYC and key locations related to the UN General Assembly. Additionally, it contains information on shooting trends in the city, local law enforcement locations, firehouses, and hospitals/major medical centers. The information is sourced from the NYC government and the Department of Homeland Security.

Introduction

The UN General Assembly is a key event in international relations, providing state leaders and senior officials an opportunity to vocalize their country’s views on critical global issues. Throughout September, the UN Headquarters presents a target rich environment that’s attractive to a wide array of threat actors. Although the General Assembly continues past September, the opening weeks set the tone for Assembly and carries significant symbolic weight.

In addition to President Biden, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to attend.² Netanyahu’s appearance, in particular, may create security concerns. He has been criticized for Israel’s military operations both before and after October 7th, as well as accused of deliberately creating a humanitarian disaster or even a genocide in Gaza. His attendance will almost certainly attract demonstrations, similar to those which occurred when he addressed the US Congress in July.³ Demonstrators and crowds may present opportunities to threat actors aiming to cause harm, either through directly causing a mass casualty event or inciting unruly or violent behavior.  

Because the UN General Assembly is a National Security Special Event (NSSE), the US Secret Service (USSS) is in charge of planning and executing the event’s security plan with partner law enforcement agencies. Notably, the USSS partners with the New York City Police Department (NYPD). The NYPD is the US’s largest police force and has a number of specialized intelligence and counterterrorism units. Additionally, it maintains a network of global and domestic liaisons that allow the Department to quickly respond to shock events that occur outside of the city.⁴ The Department is also known for its technological capabilities, including a robust network of sensors and cameras. More recently, it has garnered attention for effective drone deployments. It’s uniquely situated to provide support to the USSS and counter a variety of threats.

The USSS and NYPD have had enormous success in preventing major security incidents at past assemblies and other major UN events. However, this UNGA corresponds with the 2024 US presidential election campaign. USSS resources will be diverted to securing numerous rallies and events. The aftermath of the assassination attempt on former President Trump at Butler PA resulted in the Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle’s resignation and a number of inquiries into the Secret Service’s actions at the Butler event. This, combined with the continuing investigation into the would-be assassin (Thomas Matthew Crooks), are also major distractions to the agency. The NYPD has been experiencing high levels of attrition, which have created safety concerns regarding overworked members of the service and insufficient numbers of personnel.⁵ With this attrition also comes the loss of seasoned professionals and executives. The USSS has also been experiencing chronic personnel shortages for over a decade.⁶

The United Nations has had many security lapses in recent years. It experienced breaches of core servers,⁷ the sale of login credentials on the dark web,⁸ and recently the theft of United Nations Development Program HR data.⁹ In the wake of October 7th, Israel has identified over 100 UNRWA workers with ties to the terrorist organizations Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).¹⁰ UNRWA stands for United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. It’s an organization dedicated to providing relief and development support to Palestinian refugees. Some of the identified workers are alleged to have directly taken part in the October 7th terrorist attacks. Israeli officials have stated that the list is only provisional and includes individuals in high-ranking positions. UNRWA has also received scrutiny for the alleged hijacking of development funds and aid to bolster Hamas infrastructure (e.g., an expansive series of tunnels underneath Gaza).

Although the UN is a large organization with an array of different departments, functions across the world, these lapses raise concerns about continued insider threats within the organization. Readers should also be aware that so many government workers and VIPs create opportunities for espionage and counterintelligence activities. Diplomatic functions can be a means of moving intelligence personnel across borders.

The US Open

UNGA begins right at the end of the US Open Tennis Championship, which takes place at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, Queens. Matches will conclude on September 8th and will be held at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, which is part of the Center.¹¹

• The event can increase congestion (especially on the 7 subway line) and crowds and create an influx of tourists. 80,000 spectators are expected a day.¹² Security managers wishing to avoid these issues may wish to make plans around both the US Open and UNGA.
• The US Open’s venue is located next to Citi Field, home to the Mets baseball team. Although Citi Field and the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center have robust security measures and experienced personnel, it should be noted that there are pockets of crime in nearby neighborhoods. The overlapping Championship and baseball season may compound traffic and crowding issues as both venues share public transportation stops.
• Information on street closures can be found here.  
• Those operating in Queens should also know that the event may attract petty criminals, such as pickpockets.

NYC Threat Landscape

Crime

New York City is often regarded as the safest big city in the US, particularly in regard to homicide rates. However, it still has an array of threats and dangerous areas. The image below depicts hotspots of threat events within NYC from January 1st, 2024 to August 11th, 2024, with a 1.5-mile radius around the UN Headquarters. Within this radius, theft constitutes 71% of all threats. 21% of events were violent crimes, with the remainder being classified as property crimes. Simple assault was the most frequent violent crime, with 1599 instances. In terms of time of day, 59% of events occurred from 18:00 to midnight.

Although the immediate area around the UN HQ is relatively safer compared to the rest of Midtown Manhattan, it should be noted that the site is in close proximity to Times Square and the Theater District. As the “Crossroads of the World,” Times Square has enormous amounts of foot traffic driven by commuters and tourists. It’s also flanked by major transportation hubs: Penn Station, Moynihan Train Hall, Grand Central, and the Port Authority Bus Terminal. Tourists and the numerous businesses in the Times Square catchment are often targeted by thieves, fraudsters, and other petty criminals. The heavy pedestrian traffic also lends itself to drug sales.

Unrest

New York City itself is a symbolic target for threat actors. It’s a global cultural and financial hub, home to diverse groups and a vibrant immigrant community. In particular, NYC has a significant presence of Jewish and LGBTQIA+ communities, advocacy organizations, and historical sites. Outside of Israel, NYC has the world’s largest Jewish population. Of note are the Hasidic neighborhoods in the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Williamsburg and Borough Park. This is relevant because the Israel-Hamas conflict will be a focal point of UNGA deliberations.

NYC has been a hotspot of political activity since October 7th, with frequent rallies and protests to support Israel, Palestine, and or a ceasefire. There have been a number of high profile incidents related to this activity, including a pro-Palestinian encampment at Columbia University that was disbanded by the NYPD after protestors occupied a building on campus. Although the summer recess led to a dip in activity at Columbia University, the return of students is expected to lead to a resumption of protests.¹³ This is especially true since the handling of previous protest activities led to Columbia University’s former president, Minouche Shafik, stepping down; something which may embolden protestors.¹⁴

Between October 7th, 2023 and August 15th, 2024, Base Operations analysts assess that there have been approximately 380 unrest events related to the Israel-Hamas war across NYC (related and unrelated to college campuses). 265 of these events occurred in Manhattan (~70%). 255 of the NYC events were peaceful protests (~65%). The remainder were either violent (27), resulted in property destruction (9), or involved police intervention (89). Of these events 296 (or ~78%) were assessed as being pro-Palestinian.    

Check Out Base Operations' previous report on Campus Protests.

NYC, in general, is known for its politically active community and social justice activism. The UN Headquarters is located nearby repeated protest locations and sites of high visibility /  symbolic significance (e.g., Times Square, Grand Central, the Israeli Consulate). The HQ itself is also a common protest site, with frequent demonstrations at the nearby Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza (East 47th Street between First Ave and Second Ave).

Terrorism

NYC and New York State have experienced multiple terrorist incidents since September 11th.

• Thomas Bickford, a young adult from Maine, attacked and injured three NYPD officers with a machete on December 31st, 2022 near the New Year’s Eve Ball Drop in Times Square. Bickford was inspired by Islamic extremism and traveled to NYC to “in his own words, wage jihad and kill as many targets as possible.”¹⁵ He was sentenced to 27 years in prison in May 2024.
• On May 14th, 2022, a white supremacist, Payton Gendron, killed 10 black people and injured more at the Tops Friendly Market in Buffalo, New York. Gendron chose the supermarket as it was the only one in a predominantly black community.¹⁶  The gunman live-streamed the shooting on Twitch and appears to have intentionally avoided shooting white people during the attack.¹⁷
• On April 12th, 2022, Frank James committed a mass shooting in a subway car near Sunset Park, Brooklyn. James deployed two smoke grenades before unloading 32 rounds. 10 people were shot, but thankfully there were no fatalities.¹⁸ James was motivated by Black nationalist ideology.
• On December 11th, 2017, Akayed Ullah attempted a suicide bombing at a subway station near the New York Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan. Thankfully, the pipe bomb that Ullah constructed was of poor quality and even Ullah survived the detonation. Ullah was sentenced to life and admitted that he carried out the attack on behalf of ISIS.¹⁹
• On October 31st, 2017, Sayfullo Saipov carried out a truck attack along a bike path along the West Side Highway in Lower Manhattan on behalf of ISIS.²⁰ The attack resulted in 8 deaths and 11 injuries. It is an example of a low-tech attack that ISIS guidance recommends. A rental vehicle is relatively easy to obtain and leads to fewer opportunities for detection than the acquisition of firearms or bomb-making materials.
• On September 17th, 2016, Ahmad Khan Rahimi (aka Ahmad Rahami) set off a pipe bomb in Seaside Park, New Jersey. Later that day, Rahimi set off a pressure cooker bomb in the Chelsea neighborhood of NYC; injuring over 30 people.²¹ Rahimi placed a second bomb in Chelsea that failed to go off. He also planted explosives at Elizabeth station (NJ) before being captured during a shootout with law enforcement officers. Rahimi was inspired by Al Qaeda and ISIS.

Traffic

Throughout the high-level week, Midtown Manhattan will experience severe gridlock that will reduce vehicle speeds to under four miles per hour.²²

• Additionally, there will be parking restrictions and road closures to accommodate President Biden’s motorcade and a number of other VIPs.
• It is advised to avoid Manhattan by vehicle as much as possible during these days and utilize alternative travel routes, even if they’re inconvenient or significantly increase your travel time. This is especially true for executive protection personnel. Although the gridlock is guaranteed, how long it lasts or if there will be unannounced road closures can fluctuate.
• Additionally, the gridlock will impede any evasive maneuvers in case of an emergency or imminent threat.
• Readers are advised to consult traffic guidance from 2023, as many of the predetermined street closures will be the same.

Threat Actors

An array of threat actors pose a significant risk to UNGA; namely foreign terrorist organizations and Iran.

Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs)

Throughout 2024, ISIS has regained its prominence as the preeminent jihadi threat. The terrorist network successfully carried out multiple attacks in Russia, cast a shadow over the Olympics and multiple high profile events (e.g., Taylor Swift’s concerts in Vienna), and inspired both individuals and small groups across multiple countries to plan terrorist attacks. In particular, the Khorasan branch of ISIS (aka ISIS-K) is causing concern among intelligence professionals. The group’s base is in the eastern part of Afghanistan, along the border of Pakistan. Since the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban, Western intelligence agencies have had difficulty in gaining insight into ISIS-K or gathering information via HUMINT sources (which are critical to identifying operatives). The Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, Vladimir Voronkov, described the group as  “the greatest external terrorist threat” to Europe.²³ The Pentagon has also warned that ISIS attacks are on track to double in Iraq and Syria this year.²⁴

Base Operations has conducted previous analysis on the network as part of the leadup to Pride 2024, the Paris Summer Olympics, and the Republican and Democratic National Conventions. Readers are advised to read the relevant sections of these articles for additional information on the network, as well as summaries of ISIS related incidents.

Since the publication of the linked reports, there have been additional ISIS related developments:

• On August 24th, two cars were set on fire outside of a synagogue in La Grande Motte (southern France) by an arsonist wearing a Palestinian flag. The resulting explosion injured a police officer. The incident occurred 30 minutes before religious services were meant to begin. Two men have been charged with terrorism-related offenses, and a third has been charged with transporting the arsonist. The main suspect, the suspected arsonist, admitted to a deep hatred of the Jewish community due to the conflict in Palestine.²⁵ Anti-Semitic incidents have tripled in France during the first half of 2024.²⁶ The investigation is ongoing, with French officials investigating how the subject was radicalized.
• On August 23rd, an unknown assailant stabbed several people at a music festival celebrating diversity in  Solingen, Germany.²⁷ Three people were killed, and eight others were injured, four critically. Although the assailant is still at large at the time of reporting, two individuals were arrested in relation to the take (one of whom is 15 years old). The Site Intelligence Group reported that ISIS claimed credit for the attack on jihadist media sites.

The major danger of ISIS is that it radicalizes people, including teenagers, through social media, the use of AI, and effective propaganda.²⁸ This includes using encrypted apps, such as Telegram, that are difficult for law enforcement professionals to access. By doing so, ISIS doesn’t even need to provide material support or have direct contact with an individual to catalyze attacks.

Professor Peter Neumann, of King’s College London, has found that two-thirds of ISIS-related European arrests in the past nine months have involved teenagers.²⁹ ISIS-K, in particular, appears to be targeting young teenagers and utilizing popular platforms such as TikTok.

In addition to the resurgence of ISIS, al-Qaeda has also been reforming. The group’s presence in Africa has grown in the wake of declining Western influence.

• On August 25th, video was discovered of over 100 civilians killed in the Barsalogho region of Burkina Faso; victims of jihadist attacks.³⁰ Other news outlets cite even fatalities, going up to several hundred.³¹ Al Jazeera reports that the civilians were likely attacked in reprisal for building trenches after being pressured by the government to do so.³²
• Al-Qaeda (as well as ISIS) material was found among the belongings of the terror suspects who were allegedly planning to attack Taylor Swift’s concert in Vienna.³³
• Al-Shabaab, the Somali bran of al-Qaeda, continues to battle government forces in Somalia.³⁴ US intelligence has indicated that the Houthis in Yemen are in discussions with al-Shabaab about supplying weapons.³⁵ This is a concerning development as the groups have previously been divided along ideological lines. Additionally, the Houthis have had success in weaponizing drones.

Iran

Readers are cautioned that Iranian cyber actors have engaged in several operations against organizations based in the US, Israel, Azerbaijan, and the United Arab Emirates. These actors are most likely supported by the Iranian government, which has been incensed by Israel’s assassination of a major Hamas leader in Tehran.³⁶ A joint advisory by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and the Department of Defense states that “education, finance, healthcare, and defense sectors as well as local government entities” in the US have all been targeted.³⁷

Readers are advised to read the advisory in-full and report any potential compromise by Iranian actors to their local FBI office immediately.

Recommendations

• If you see any suspicious activity, please call the NYC non-emergency tip line at 888-NYC-SAFE (888-692-7233). This is part of the If You See Something, Say Something initiative.
• You can also call the New York State tip line at: 1-866-SAFENYS or 1-866-723-3697.
• Information on local tip lines across the US can be found here.
• Contact information for the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s NYC office can be found here.
• Contact information for all USSS field offices can be found here.
• Drone usage is restricted and regulated in NYC. If you spot any suspicious drone usage, please contact the NYC Safe tip line.
• Due to traffic congestion, familiarize yourself with a variety of bus, subway, train, and ferry routes. It may be beneficial to plan alternative routes or contingencies in case of any public transportation delays or closures.
• Realtime email and SMS alerts from the Metropolitan Transit Authority can be subscribed to here. You can also quickly check the status of buses, subways, and trains here.  
• NYC and New York State traffic cameras can be viewed here and here, respectively.
• Regional train services, such as the Long Island Railroad and Metro North, can be helpful for quickly traversing large sections of the city by just riding one or two stops.
• Consider becoming part of NYPD Shield, which is a public-private sector intelligence sharing partnership. Information on the program, who can take part, and how to apply for membership can be found here. Members can benefit from prompt open-source intelligence alerts of major incidents.  
• Jewish organizations in the NYC metro region can reach out to the Community Security Initiative for assistance with hardening physical and cyber security measures. Contact information for the organization can be found here.

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Footnotes

1. Summit of the Future website
2. Netanyahu planning to speak to UN in late September, Danny Danon tells the 'Post'
3. Thousands fill Washington's streets to protest Israel's war in Gaza during Netanyahu visit
4. Counterterrorism - New York City Police Foundation
5. NYPD suffering from exodus of officers, creating safety and security concerns - CBS New York
6. 'Agency in crisis': Secret Service has decade-old staffing shortfall
7. United Nations Confirms ‘Serious’ Cyberattack With 42 Core Servers Compromised
8. United Nations confirms hackers breached its systems earlier this year | CNN Politics
9. Cyberattack on UNDP Breaches HR and Procurement Data
10. https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-sent-unrwa-list-of-100-employees-it-says-are-hamas-pij-terrorists-reports/
11. Official Site of the 2024 US Open Tennis Championships - A USTA Event
12. 2024 US Open: NYC officials prioritize security and reducing traffic ahead of city's biggest tennis event - ABC7 New York
13. Protesters vow to return to Columbia, new leadership pushes for calm
14. Columbia President Minouche Shafik steps down months after protests over Israel-Hamas war gripped campus | CNN Business
15. Man Who Carried Out Machete Attack on NYPD Officers in Times Square on New Year’s Eve 2022 Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison
16. Buffalo Tops: Suspect in shooting expected to plead guilty to state charges, victims’ attorney says | CNN
17. https://apnews.com/article/buffalo-shooting-what-to-know-bcb5e0bd2aedb925d20440c2005ffef8
18. Frank James Sentenced to Life in Prison for Subway Mass Shooting | United States Department of Justice
19. Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for ISIS-inspired Bombing in New York City Subway Station in 2017 | United States Department of Justice
20. Southern District of New York | Sayfullo Saipov To Be Sentenced To Life In Prison For 2017 Truck Attack For ISIS | United States Department of Justice
21. Chelsea Bomber Ahmad Khan Rahimi Sentenced to Life in Prison for Executing September 2016
22. NYC DOT Announces “Gridlock Alert” Days, Beginning with United Nations General Assembly Next Week
23. After Foiled Taylor Swift Concert Plot, UN Official Calls ISIS-K ‘Greatest’ Terror Threat to Europe - HS Today
24. Pentagon Warns ISIS Attacks Could Double This Year - The New York Times
25. Two men charged over synagogue arson attack in France
26. Police detain suspect allegedly behind synagogue blast in southern France | CNN
27. 2 detained in deadly knife attack at German music festival: Police - ABC News
28. TikTok Jihad: Terrorists Leverage Modern Tools to Recruit and Radicalize - The Soufan Center
29. Video: ISIS targets teenagers as it tries to rebuild its ranks | CNN
30. At least 100 civilians killed in one of the deadliest attacks in Burkina Faso's history
31. https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/i-saw-horrible-things-burkina-faso-massacre-survivor-describes-bloodshed-2024-08-30/
32. Nearly 200 people dead: What’s behind armed attacks in Burkina Faso? | Armed Groups News | Al Jazeera
33. ISIS and al Qaeda material found at home of second suspect in foiled Taylor Swift concert attack - CBS News
34. Fighting deepens around El Fasher in Sudan, al-Shabaab loses territory in Somalia, and police crack down on tax-related protests in Kenya - June 2024
35. US intelligence assesses Houthis in Yemen in talks to provide weapons to al-Shabaab in Somalia, officials say | CNN Politics
36. Bomb Smuggled Into Tehran Guesthouse Months Ago Killed Hamas Leader
37. Iran-based Cyber Actors Enabling Ransomware Attacks on US Organizations

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