Today's Headlines and Commentary

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has been found guilty of all 30 counts charged in connection with the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings. The New York Times reports that the verdict shifts the trial into its final phase, in which jurors will decide whether Tsarnaev should face the death penalty or life in prison. Houthi rebels have captured a provincial capital in eastern Yemen, Reuters reports. According to residents, local officials facilitated the Houthis’ entry into Ataq, the capital of the largely Sunni Shabwa province. The advance places the rebels about 100 miles from the Belhaf gas facility and export terminal, the country’s most valuable economic asset. In Aden, heavy fighting continued as Saudi-led airstrikes entered their 15th day. Medical supplies, however, have begun to reach the stricken city. Al Jazeera has more. The conflict may soon expand to include ground troops from nearby countries. Buzzfeed reports that one Egyptian military official said “Ground forces will enter the war,” and went on to say that such a move may come in the next couple of days. This potential escalation by the countries fighting the Houthis comes as the United States increases its own support for this coalition. Al Arabiya reveals that the United States has begun daily aerial refueling flights for the strike-fighters involved in the Saudi-led airstrikes. Defense News adds that the U.S. State Department has approved the sale of 356 Hellfire II missiles to Egypt, the first such approval since the United States lifted a ban on selling arms to Egypt. However, the deal still needs to be finalized and approved by Congress. But while U.S. expands efforts to support the countries battling the Houthis, Russia and Venezuela have blocked an effort in the United Nations to prohibit shipments of arms to the Houthis or their allies in the fight, former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and his son. Russia is demanding that the resolution block arms shipments to all parties in the conflict, among other provisions. The Associated Press covers the story. Iraqi forces and associated militias mounted an assault on ISIS forces outside Ramadi yesterday, though it was not immediately clear whether this was the first move in an effort to push ISIS out of Anbar Province, 60 percent of which is controlled by the militant group. The Times notes that the chairman of Anbar’s regional parliament claimed “Today we announce the beginning of the Anbar liberation operation,” while the spokesman for Baghdad Operations Command countered, “This is not the big joint operation. We didn’t say anything about that.” As Iraq deliberates over when to begin the Anbar operation, the Swedish government announced it would send troops to join the conflict. Reuters reports that the country will send 35 soldiers to northern Iraq to help train Iraqi forces battling ISIS militants. The international coalition conducting airstrikes in Syria is also expanding. Canada announced yesterday that it had conducted its first airstrikes against ISIS in Syria, the Canada Press reports. Two Canadian jets, flying in a group with 8 other warplanes, struck an ISIS garrison in the group’s stronghold of Raqqa. For its part, ISIS released over 200 Yazidi captives in northern Iraq yesterday. Al Jazeera writes that the militant group released the prisoners, who had been held in Mosul for eight months, in Kirkuk. While no reason was given for the release, sources said that the move was meant to free the militants from the burden of caring for the prisoners; others claimed that some Yazidis paid ISIS for the release of their relatives. Over at the Daily Beast, Jamie Dettmer describes the similarities in the online tactics used by ISIS recruiters luring young western recruits and those used by pedophiles. According to a former British prosecutor, both strategies involve “grooming” children --- “they manipulate them, distance them from their friends and families, and then take them.” Last night, ISIS-affiliated hackers briefly shut down 11 television channels belonging to a French television network. The AP reports that the hackers interrupted transmission of 11 channels owned by TV5 Monde and commandeered its social media accounts and website. The website momentarily included language claiming "I am IS" and a banner from a group calling itself “Cybercaliphate.” The AP notes that this hack would represent a new level of sophistication for the group’s associated hackers. Earlier today, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court said that the court could not investigate human rights abuses by ISIS. The Times notes that Fatou Bensouda, who has been under increasing pressure to open such an investigation, said in a statement that the court has no jurisdiction over Iraq or Syria, and so could not investigate what she called “crimes of unspeakable cruelty” committed by ISIS militants. However, Bensouda added that such an investigation would be possible if Iraq or Syria would temporarily accept the court’s jurisdiction, or if the United Nations Security Council asked the court to open an investigation. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made his first public comments on the Iran framework agreement earlier today. Reuters reports that Khamenei reserved judgment on the deal, saying that, “I neither support nor oppose the deal. Everything is in the details." He did, however, demand that sanctions on Iran be lifted immediately on the conclusion of a final deal. In the United States, President Obama phoned Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R-TN) yesterday to make his case against Senator Corker’s plan to pass a bill letting Congress review any Iran deal, which the Obama administration argues would scuttle the final phase of the Iran negotiations. The Hill has more. At the same time, Politico reports, Senate Democrats have introduced amendments to the legislation that would weaken its requirements. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is scheduled to vote on the bill next Tuesday. Taliban insurgents stormed a court in the Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif earlier today, killing eight people and wounding at least 60 others. Reuters reports that the attackers were armed with rocket-propelled grenades and clashed with security forces for several hours. The casualties included the district police chief and two other police officers. NDTV describes how the Indian military used drones and social media to keep December elections in Jammu and Kashmir peaceful. Starting weeks before the elections and continuing until the last ballot was cast, Israeli-built drones and Indian-made mini-drones monitored polling stations in potentially violent areas. On voting day, security forces used the group messaging app WhatsApp to share sensitive, real-time information. South Korean officials announced that, just two days before Defense Secretary Ash Carter landed in South Korea, North Korea launched two surface-to-air missiles off its western coast. The Times reports that this launch comes just a week after North Korea launched a series of short-range missiles. Secretary Carter told reporters, “If it was a welcome message to me, I’m flattered.” The Times describes photographic evidence of a Chinese operation to build new land-masses atop reefs in the South China Sea. The operation is part of Chinese efforts to create what Pentagon officials call “facts on the water” to bolster its territorial claims in the sea. In a rare move earlier today, Chinese officials publicly laid out its plans for the islands it is building. Apparently, the islands will be used for Chinese military defense and to provide civilian services. Reuters has more. Shane Harris writes that, according to former U.S. intelligence officers, recent reports of a Russian cyber-intrusion into White House networks were meant to warn Russia that the United States is well aware of Russian cyber-activities. Moreover, some former officials have also characterized the release of information regarding the White House intrusion as a veiled threat to Russia. The State Department has recommended that the Obama administration take Cuba off its list of State Sponsors of Terrorism, CNN reports. The recommendation sets the stage for President Obama to remove Cuba from the list as soon as today; the administration has expressed a desire to remove Cuba before President Obama arrives at the Summit of the America later this week. The AP reports that a former Guantanamo detainee has been arrested in Uganda as part of an investigation into the assassination of a prosecutor who targeted Islamic extremists. According to a State Department spokeswoman, U.S. personnel assisted in the arrest of Jamal Kiyemba, who was released from Guantanamo in 2006. Parting Shot: DefenseOne details DARPA’s efforts to capitalize on the promise of Big Data.

ICYMI: Yesterday, on Lawfare

Ben reminded us about the historic upcoming Triple Entente Beer Summit on May 7th. Get your tickets today before they sell out. Liza Goitein and Faiza Patel responded to some of the Carrie Cordero’s criticisms of their recent report on fixing the FISA Court. Paul Rosenzweig detailed the complex issue of “jurisdiction” over ICANN. Ben laid out some of the consequences of congressional action on the AUMF for the relationship between the executive and legislative branches. Email the Roundup Team noteworthy law and security-related articles to include, and follow us on Twitter and Facebook for additional commentary on these issues. Sign up to receive Lawfare in your inbox. Visit our Events Calendar to learn about upcoming national security events, and check out relevant job openings on our Job Board.