Morning Security Brief: U.K.'s Counterterrorism Reforms, Arizona's Iron Highway, Russia's Volatile North Caucasus Region, & More

♦ The British government today announced major reforms to the country's counterterrorism policies instituted after 9-11, especially on control orders placed on terrorism suspects. "The current regime will remain in force until December when it will be replaced by escalating measures including an undefined overnight residence requirement backed by electronic tagging and restrictions on travel, but also allowing greater access to the internet, phones and personal meetings," reports the Guardian. "The government will have to specify in legislation, in greater detail than at present, the measures that can be used." The review also revised other counterterrorism policies, including curbs on terrorism stop and search practices and cutting terrorism detention without charge in half from 28 days to 14 days.

♦ Federal officials this week moved against U.S. citizens in Arizona for funneling guns to Mexico. "The seizure of more than 700 guns and the indictments of 34 people announced on Tuesday are further confirmation that Arizona has become an iron highway for weapons into Mexico, according to federal authorities," according to The Arizona Republic. "Many legal purchases by straw buyers at Arizona gun stores are being financed and orchestrated by Mexico's Sinaloa cartel."

♦ The Toronto Star explains why Russia will have a hard time stamping out the political violence emanating from the North Caucasus and its jihadist militants. "But those who study the restive region say that the likelihood of stamping out terrorism in the North Caucasus is dwindling as groups grow, divide and mutate," reports foreign affairs reporter Olivia Ward. “'It’s too late now,' concludes Murad Batal al-Shishani, a London-based analyst of Islamic groups in the region. 'Russia should have started engaging with Chechnya when it had a secular leadership. Now things have gone too far.'”

♦ Terrorism expert Mia Bloom discusses the rise of female terrorists with Canada's Macleans' magazine—an alarming trend that seems to have continued in Moscow's airport bombing. "With a civilian target, female bombers tend to be more successful and cause more damage," Bloom tells the magazine. "When you have a soft target—a Shia mosque, a shopping centre, a restaurant, a disco—women are less likely to be stopped at the entrance. They get further inside, where they have a more deadly effect."

♦ Intel says a new technology it's developing will revolutionize computer security. Intel's CTO "Justin Rattner told Computerworld on Tuesday that scientists at Intel are working on security technology that will stop all zero-day attacks. And, while he would give few details about it, he said he hopes the new technology will be ready to be released this year," reports Computerworld. "I think we have some real breakthrough ideas about changing the game in terms of malware," Rattner told the Web site. "We're going to see a quantum jump in the ability of future devices, be them PCs or phones or tablets or smart TVs, to defend themselves against attacks."