Eye on Extremism
March 29, 2023
CNN: UK Raises Terror Threat Level In Northern Ireland Days Before Possible Biden Visit
“The terrorism threat level in Northern Ireland has been raised from ‘substantial’ to ‘severe’ just days before a potential visit to the country by US President Joe Biden, but the White House has said the change won’t alter his plans. The decision to raise the threat level to ‘severe,’ meaning an attack is highly likely, was made by the UK’s MI5 security service and announced by UK Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton-Harris on Tuesday. Heaton-Harris said the move was made after an increase in ‘activity relating to Northern Ireland-related terrorism’ including the attempted murder of a high-profile police officer last month. While the public should remain vigilant, they should not be alarmed, he said.”
Associated Press: Senate Poised To Vote On Repeal Of Iraq War Powers
“The Senate is poised to vote Wednesday to repeal the 2002 measure that greenlighted the March 2003 invasion of Iraq, which would end more than 20 years of authorization for U.S. presidents to use force in that country and return those war powers to Congress. The Iraq War ended years ago and the repeal is not expected to affect any current troop deployments. About 2,500 U.S. troops remain in Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi government and assist and advise local forces. The bipartisan legislation would also repeal the 1991 measure that sanctioned the U.S.-led Gulf War. Lawmakers in both parties are increasingly seeking to claw back congressional powers over U.S. military strikes and deployments, and some lawmakers who voted for the Iraq War two decades ago now say it was a mistake. Iraqi deaths are estimated in the hundreds of thousands, and nearly 5,000 U.S. troops were killed in the war after President George W. Bush’s administration falsely claimed that Saddam Hussein was stockpiling weapons of mass destruction.”
United States
New York Post: Pentagon Accused Of Hiding Iran Drone Attack During Senate Iraq Vote
“Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin failed to notify Congress of a deadly Iranian-backed militia’s drone attack on US forces in Syria last week — even though senators were taking votes on a key bill dealing with military force in the region, Republican lawmakers charged Tuesday. Roughly 13 hours passed before Congress was informed Thursday evening that a US contractor had been killed and five troops had been injured in an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps drone attack on American forces in Syria and that the US had later killed 19 IRGC fighters in retaliatory strikes. ‘That very day, the Senate was considering several significant votes relating to the use of force against Iran, and yet no member of the Senate, to my knowledge, was told that day about an attack by this very adversary while we were voting on issues involving them,’ Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) told Austin during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing. The Senate has been working for several days on a bill repealing the 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force against Iraq, which would further reduce America’s footprint in the Middle East following the August 2021 US withdrawal from Afghanistan.”
Syria
Hawar News Agency: SDF Captures 2,720 ISIS Elements After The Liberation Al-Baghouz
“This came during a statement by a member of the General Command of the Syrian Democratic Forces, Newroz Ahmed, to the ANF Firat news agency, on the occasion of the 4th anniversary of the end of the geographical occupation of ISIS by the Syrian Democratic Forces, represented by the liberation of the town of al-Baghouz in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor on March 23, 2019. ‘After the liberation of al-Baghouz, the struggle continued on a new level, as more than 285 ISIS sleeper cells were eliminated, and a number of terrorists were arrested,’ Newroz said. 2,720 ISIS mercenaries were killed, and 397 other mercenaries were killed.”
Middle East
The National: Extremists Used Israel's Judicial Protests To Attack Palestinians
“Mass protests in Israel against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's judicial reforms stretched security forces as Palestinians were subjected to right-wing extremist attacks, experts told The National. Palestinian citizens of Israel were beaten during pro-government demonstrations in Jerusalem on Tuesday. One attack was described by Israeli police as a ‘savage’ assault. ‘The chaos created by the internal turmoil is stretching Israeli security sources and diverting attention of Israeli civilian and security leaders,’ Washington Institute senior fellow Ghaith Al Omari, who has previously held positions in the Palestinian Authority, told The National. ‘This creates an opening for Palestinian and Israeli extremists who could use the instability to conduct violence in the West Bank and Jerusalem.’ About 700,000 demonstrators took to the streets after Mr Netanyahu said he would sack Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for opposing the Prime Minister's plans for judicial changes. In the melee, some Palestinians were set upon.”
i24 News: Israeli Forces Arrest Father Of 2 Terrorists Who Carried Out Almog Junction Attack
“Israeli forces overnight arrested a wanted Palestinian who helped the perpetrators of the West Bank's Almog Junction shooting attack on January 28. The Israeli military (IDF) and the Shin Bet internal security agency detained Waal A-Hafez Awidat, 50. He is affiliated with the Hamas terrorist organization and was previously arrested in Israel. Awidat is the father of two members of the terrorist cell that carried out the attack. In addition to helping the terrorists to hide, he is also suspected of having encouraged them to carry out other attacks.”
Nigeria
The East African: ISWAP Leader Executes Deputy After Nigeria Army Kills 41 Militants
“Furious over a Nigerian military raid that killed 41 fighters on March 19, Islamic State West African Province (Iswap) commander has executed his deputy for failing to stop the attack. Deputy Iswap commander Abu Darda was on Monday executed by his boss Abu Muhammed, in the presence of other fighters in Kajeri Dogumba village in Mafa Local Government Area (LGA) of Northeast Borno State. Abu Muhammed said he was mostly hurt because the Nigerian forces killed scores of his fighters, burnt foodstuffs and some newly acquired furniture meant for his wedding. He was also enraged by the attack that led to the seizure of their only three gun trucks.”
Vanguard News: Boko Haram Chief Bombmaker Killed By Own IED In Sambisa Forest
“The chief bombmaker and a high ranking member of the Boko Haram Terrorist Group, Awana Gaidam, has been killed by his own Improvised Explosive Device, IED. The 39 year-old bomb maker, apart from his high status in the command structure of the Boko Haram terrorists, was one of their capable hands involved in the making of IEDs. Awana was believed to be responsible for plotting many IEDs attacks on troops of Operation Hadin Kai during fighting patrols, along major highways between Maiduguri to Damboa, Bama to Pulka and Bita as well as Banki to Darajamal general area. Intelligence sources disclosed that the bomb struck his vehicle along Njumia and Arra in the Sambisa Forest general area on March 27, killing him instantly.”
Somalia
Voice Of America News: Al-Shabab Has Lost Third Of Its Territory, US Ambassador Says
“The U.S. ambassador to Somalia said the Somali government's military operations against al-Shabab have cost the militants one third of their territory. ‘Somali-led offensives have restored Somalia's sovereignty to 1/3 of the territory formerly misruled by al-Shabaab,’ Larry André told VOA Somali in an email. ‘Ending al-Shabab's oppression is one step further toward Somalia's full revival.’ Since January, the United States donated weapons to the Somali national forces to support operations against al-Shabab. The U.S. also trains an elite Somali army unit known as Danab, which means ‘lightning’ and has been leading the offensive against al-Shabab.”
Africa
Anadolu Agency: Burkina Faso Most Affected African Country By Terrorism: Report
“Burkina Faso is the most affected by terrorism on the African continent and the second most-affected worldwide in 2022, according to the latest global terrorism report that was released Tuesday. The Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2023, a report published by the Australia-based global Institute for Economics and Peace, showed that the Sahel region of sub-Saharan Africa is now the epicenter of terrorism, accounting for more deaths from terrorism in 2022 than South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa combined. Across the Sahel, 22,074 people died in 6,408 terror attacks between 2007 and 2022, it said. In Burkina Faso, 8,564 victims were registered, putting the country in the second position in the world for the most-affected countries, behind Afghanistan. Terror attacks in the Sahel region increased by more than 2,000% in the past 15 years, it said. Somalia, Mali and Syria ranked third, fourth and fifth, respectively.”
Garowe Online: UN Security Council Set To Discuss Counter-Terrorism In Africa
“The United Nations Security Council [UNSC] is this evening set to discuss violent extremism in Africa with help of the African Union and other regional organizations which are directly responsible for the security within the continent especially countries like Somalia. Recently, a report done by the United Nations showcased increasing cases of terrorism in Africa, further causing concerns among stakeholders. Felipe Nyusi, the president of Mozambique, led the meeting which discussed the current situation across the continent, necessitating a high-level meeting. The southern African nation is currently facing resistance from ISIL-affiliate Al al-Sunna Wal-Jama'a [ASWJ] in its northern Cabo Delgado Province and another group called Al-Shabaab. While there are two groups with similar names in Somalia, there is no evidence that they are related in any way.”
United Kingdom
The Jerusalem Post: Terrorist Found Guilty Of Stabbing Two In UK For 'Atrocities On Palestinians'
“Munawar Hussain, a 59-year-old terrorist, was found guilty in court on Wednesday for stabbing two women inside a Marks & Spencer in the English town of Burnley. Both women survived the attack. The motivation behind the December 2020 attack was that he felt the grocery chain funded ‘atrocities on Palestinians,’ Hussain declared at the time. As he was carrying out the attack, Hussain carried a note that read, ‘O Israel, you are inflicting atrocities on Palestinians and Marks & Spencer is helping you financially.’”
France
Fox News: France Refuses To Extradite Far-Left Italian Terrorists Who Have Eluded Justice Since 1980s
“France’s highest court ruled Tuesday against extraditing 10 former far-left militants who were convicted of attacks in Italy carried out in the 1970s and 1980s. The two women and eight men fled Italy after their convictions and before they could be sent to prison. Now ranging in age from 62 to 79, they have lived freely in France for decades. The crimes of which they were convicted include the killing of a Carabinieri paramilitary general and the kidnapping of a judge, both in 1980.”
Europe
AFP News: Belgium Arrests Eight In 'Terror Attack' Probe
“Police have detained eight people during investigations into an alleged jihadist plot to commit ‘terrorist attacks’ in Belgium, authorities said Tuesday. Raids were conducted late Monday on homes in the capital Brussels, the port city of Antwerp and the border town of Eupen, the federal prosecutor's office said. A judicial source told AFP those arrested were ‘very young radicalised people’ suspected of belonging to a jihadist movement. The prosecutor's statement cited two inquiries, one led by federal police in Brussels and the other by an investigating magistrate in Antwerp. Both led to house raids on Monday, and the statement said: ‘There are links between the two files, but further research will have to show to what extent the two groups were intertwined.’”
Associated Press: Israel's Netanyahu: Mossad Helped Greece Uncover Terror Plot
“Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu late Tuesday said his country’s intelligence agency Mossad helped Greece prevent a terrorist attack planned against at least one Jewish site in Athens. Greek authorities said earlier that two men described as being of Pakistani origin, who were not named, had been arrested for allegedly planning an attack on a Jewish restaurant. The attack was considered to be imminent and to be intended to cause extensive loss of life. The suspects were charged Tuesday with terrorism offenses, while a third man believed to be outside Greece has been charged in absentia with similar offenses. A statement from Netanyahu’s office maintained that the attackers were linked to Iran.”
Reuters: Bulgaria Launches Terrorism Probe After Wave Of Hoax Bomb Alerts
“Bulgarian prosecutors are launching a terrorism investigation after dozens of schools across the country received hoax bomb threats, local news agency BTA reported on Tuesday. Hoax bomb threats contained in near-identical emails have been received at schools in Pleven, Sliven, Varna, Burgas and Sofia. Interior Ministry Chief Secretary Petar Todorov put the total number received since Monday at 102, according to BTA. Todorov said there was no real danger to the public.”
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