by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief
WASHINGTON/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – U.S. intelligence agencies say they have intercepted encrypted communications believed to originate from Iran, raising concerns that the signals could be intended to activate sleeper cells abroad amid escalating tensions following reports that Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, was killed in a U.S.-Israeli strike.
According to a confidential alert, the transmissions appeared shortly after February 28, the day Khamenei was reportedly killed during Israeli-U.S. military operations targeting Iran.
The intercepted messages were heavily encrypted and routed through multiple countries, apparently to mask their true origin, according to officials familiar with the report.
Investigators say the signals resemble a classic intelligence method in which coded instructions are transmitted via radio frequencies to covert operatives possessing the correct decoding keys.
FEARS OF SLEEPER CELL ACTIVATION
U.S. officials warned the broadcasts could serve as an “operational trigger” for sleeper cells — covert militants who may live quietly in foreign countries until receiving instructions to act.
“Although the exact content of the messages remains unknown, the sudden activation with international reach requires extreme vigilance,” the internal report reportedly stated.
Authorities stressed that no specific attack plans have been confirmed, but federal and local law enforcement agencies were urged to increase monitoring of suspicious radio traffic and extremist activity.
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed during a news conference that American intelligence agencies had information about Iranian sleeper cells.
TEXAS SHOOTING INVESTIGATED
The intelligence warning comes as investigators examine a deadly shooting in Austin, where authorities say a gunman opened fire on people gathered outside a bar in the city’s entertainment district.
Two victims — Ryder Harrington, 19, and Savitha Shan, 21 — were killed at the scene, and a third victim later died from injuries, while 13 people were wounded, officials said.
Police identified the suspect as Ndiaga Diagne, a 53-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen born in Senegal.
Investigators said Diagne fired from a sports utility vehicle (SUV) at patrons seated outside a bar before exiting the vehicle and continuing the shooting on foot. Police officers exchanged gunfire with the suspect and fatally shot him.
POSSIBLE TERRORISM LINK EXAMINED
Officials say evidence recovered during the investigation is being analyzed for possible extremist motives. According to investigators, the suspect wore clothing featuring imagery resembling the Iranian flag and a sweatshirt bearing the words “Property of Allah.”
Authorities executing a search warrant at the suspect’s home also found an Iranian flag and images of Iranian leaders, while a Quran was discovered in the suspect’s vehicle.
However, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officials cautioned that determining a motive remains premature.
“We are looking into what connections the shooter may have had,” said acting FBI Special Agent in Charge Alex Doran. “Any declarations on what led to that motive would be premature.”
Investigators are also examining whether the suspect had prior mental health issues and whether he may have been influenced by extremist ideology.
SECURITY AGENCIES ON ALERT
The investigation is being handled by the Joint Terrorism Task Force, which includes the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and local authorities, Worthy News learned.
U.S. intelligence agencies, including the National Counterterrorism Center, are also assisting investigators in examining any potential links to foreign terrorism.
Officials say no confirmed connection has yet been established between the Austin shooting and the intercepted Iranian signals, though they acknowledge concerns about possible retaliatory violence linked to the escalating war involving Iran.
Authorities in the United States and Europe increased security, citing fears that covert extremist networks such as sleeper cells could exploit the geopolitical tensions as tensions surrounding Iran continue to unfold.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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