Intelligence Director James Clapper said Islamist extremist groups have influence beyond their numbers in Syria and are present “in 13 of the 14 provinces.” He predicted that sectarian strife will persist even if the Assad regime falls. The US is considering increasing its aid to the Syrian rebels. The Defense Intelligence Agency assessed that North Korea has the capability to launch nuclear missiles but their reliability is doubtful. Penalties were imposed on various entities for evading Iranian sanctions by money laundering.
