EMP blast from a mini nuke? That would make sense if they were trying to disrupt comms. Fibre lines would be immune to this type of attack though, wouldn't they?
5 by 5, I hear you. It';s the opto-couplers and transmitters/relays they are going after.
I would expect NSA and critical comms networks to have hardened systems like those on the E-6 and E-4B planes to protect against EMP surges.