Eye on Extremism
February 11, 2020
The
Telegraph: Bloodbath In Mali As Jihadists Stoke Centuries-Old Tensions
Between Ethnic Groups
“Jihadists in Mali are stirring up bouts of savage inter-ethnic
bloodletting in their bid to regain their grip on the west African
state, human rights campaigners have warned. The country's picturesque
Mopti region – once one of west Africa's top backpacking destinations
– has become a bloodbath in the last year as Islamic militants stoke
centuries-old tensions between its main ethnic groups. Both al-Qaeda
and the Islamic State have been encouraging local Fulani herders,
known in Mali as Peuhl, to wage a campaign of ethnic cleansing against
their Dogon neighbours. The Dogon, who are mainly settled farmers,
have responded by setting up their own self-defence militias, one of
which massacred more than 150 Peuhl civilians in a revenge attack last
March. A new report by Human Rights Watch says that at least 450
people died in tit-for-tat violence last year alone, with up to 50
villages suffering assaults by gangs armed with machine guns and
machetes. Survivors have spoken of children as young as five being
murdered, and of seeing teenagers have their hands chopped off. The
violence in Mali's central belt comes seven years after France, the
former colonial power, dispatched troops to kick out al-Qaeda
militants who seized control of the country's
north.”
Asia
Times: Ex-Spokesman For Pakistan Taliban Escapes
“A leading member of the Pakistan Taliban has escaped custody more
than two years after surrendering to authorities, said a senior
security official. The confirmation comes days after Ehsanullah Ehsan
– the former spokesman for the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) –
released an audio message claiming he had escaped detention and was
now in Turkey. A senior security source told AFP Ehsan was “one of our
major assets in identifying and later tracking down militants.” The
source was unable to confirm claims that Ehsan was in Turkey, or
provide details of how he escaped. Ehsan was infamous for issuing
chilling claims following TTP attacks and has been linked to some of
the country’s most bloody attacks – including the bombing at a park in
Lahore during Easter 2016, and the targeting of education activist and
Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai. Ehsan surrendered to
authorities in 2017 and later gave high-profile interviews on
Pakistani television, angering many in the country who believed he was
being pampered by authorities after years of helping lead the bloody
insurgency. Pakistani security officials argued, however, that he had
supplied valuable intelligence in the fight against militants.”
The
Guardian: EU Clamps Down On Free Ports Over Crime And Terrorism
Links
“Brussels is clamping down on 82 free ports or free zones after
identifying that their special tariff and duty status has aided the
financing of terrorism, money laundering and organised crime. A set of
new rules was introduced by the European commission just weeks before
the launch on Monday of a UK government consultation on the creation
of up to 10 free ports in post-Brexit Britain. Authorities across the
EU have been obliged since 10 January to take extra measures to
identify and report suspicious activities at the ports and zones as a
result of the “high incidence of corruption, tax evasion, criminal
activity”. The EU’s executive branch has said it will review the issue
again next year owing to the popularity of such ports among
high-net-worth individuals and criminal organisations seeking to
circumvent recent crackdowns on bank secrecy. Free ports or free zones
are a type of special economic zone (SEZ) where business and trade
laws differ from those in the rest of the country. Goods can be
landed, stored, handled, manufactured or reconfigured and re-exported
without being subject to customs duty.”
United States
NBC
News: Las Vegas Man Who Allegedly Wanted To Attack Synagogue Pleads
Guilty To Having Bomb Parts
“A Las Vegas man who allegedly wanted to attack a synagogue and an
LGBTQ bar pleaded guilty Monday to possessing bomb-making components,
federal authorities said. Conor Climo, 23, faces a maximum of 10 years
in prison and a $250,000 fine, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Nevada
said in a statement. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 14. Climo
was arrested in August, after allegedly talking with members of a
white supremacist group about setting fire to a synagogue and making
Molotov cocktails and improvised explosive devices. Federal
authorities said he admitted to the online conversations with
Feuerkrieg Division, an offshoot of the white supremacist extremist
group Atomwaffen Division. Climo also allegedly told FBI agents that
he wanted to assemble an eight-member sniper platoon for the attack.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Climo also admitted to conducting
surveillance on a bar in downtown Las Vegas that he believed catered
to LGBTQ patrons. During a search of Climo's house, FBI agents found
parts that could be assembled into a bomb, oxidizing agents that could
be used for fuel and hand-drawn schematics, the office said.
Authorities also seized two rifles — an AR-15 and a bolt-action.”
Al
Monitor: Pentagon Slashes Funding For Islamic State
Fight
“The Donald Trump administration is again set to slash funding for
the fight against the Islamic State (IS) in a new budget request
unveiled today, as Iraq’s leaders have publicly demanded an end to the
US-led combat mission. The Pentagon’s request would slash funding for
the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces to $200 million, down by a
third from last year — money that will focus on “helping to provide
wide-area security in liberated areas, addressing the ongoing [IS]
threat, preventing [IS] re-emergence and setting conditions for
long-term stability.” Overall, Trump is seeking $900 million for the
counter-IS fight next year, a 30% cut from current year levels. Iraqi
security forces, which have continued operations despite a US pause
after an uptick in tensions with Iran, will receive $645 million for
the IS fight. Even as the US troop footprint in Syria winnowed to just
600 American forces after Trump allowed a Turkish incursion into areas
liberated from IS, the Pentagon insists that the budget “strengthens
the security capabilities of [Department of Defense] partners
countering [IS] to secure territory liberated from [IS] and to counter
future [IS] threats by training and equipping partner security
forces.”
The
Daily Beast: The FBI Makes A Bizarre Claim About Pro-Choice
Terrorism
“The FBI is expanding its focus on domestic terrorism, and that
includes pro-choice violence — even though such violence is so
vanishingly rare, it’s all but nonexistent. In testimony before the
House judiciary committee on Wednesday, FBI Director Christopher Wray
disclosed that the bureau has recently “changed our terminology as
part of a broader reorganization of the way in which we categorize our
domestic terrorism efforts.” It’s part of a much-heralded
reinvigoration of the bureau’s domestic terrorism focus after a rising
tide of mostly white-supremacist terrorism. Among four broad
categories of domestic terrorism that the FBI confronts, Wray said, is
“abortion violent extremism.” But Wray wasn’t only talking about the
pro-life extremism that murders abortion providers in their churches,
he hastened to add, but “people on either side of that issue who
commit violence on behalf of different views on that topic.” His
questioner, Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), was puzzled at Wray’s seeming
equivalence: “People on either side of that issue don't commit
violence.” In fact, the FBI pointed The Daily Beast to just one
episode of pro-choice-inspired terrorism – one that did not involve an
actual act of violence, but rather a threat in an online comments
section.”
Syria
The
Washington Post: Syria And Turkey Inch Closer To War After Shelling
Kills 5 Turkish Soldiers
“Syria and Turkey inched closer to all-out war Monday as their
troops exchanged deadly fire for the second time in a matter of days
in Idlib, a contested and ravaged northern province that is the last
remaining major rebel redoubt in Syria' s nearly nine-year war. The
latest hostilities started after shelling by Syrian forces killed five
Turkish soldiers and injured five others, according to Turkey's
Defense Ministry. The deaths came a week after a previous round of
Syrian shelling in Idlib killed eight Turkish military personnel.
Turkey's response Monday included attacks on what it said were “115
regime targets,” including mortar positions, tanks and a helicopter.
One hundred and one troops loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
were killed, the Turkish Defense Ministry said. The clashes followed a
recent decision by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to send more Turkish
troops to Idlib, a gamble aimed at slowing the pace of a quickening
Syrian military advance. A Russian-backed Syrian offensive aimed at
recapturing territory in and around the province has killed hundreds
of civilians over a few months and sent hundreds of thousands of
displaced people fleeing toward Turkey's border — startling Erdogan's
government, which already hosts roughly 4 million Syrian
refugees.”
Reuters:
Eight Killed In Truck Blast In Syria's Afrin: Turkish Defense
Ministry
“A bomb detonated on a truck containing diesel-filled barrels and
killed eight civilians and wounded seven more, including children, in
northwestern Syria’s Idlib region on Monday, the Turkish Defense
Ministry said. The ministry said on its Twitter account that the
Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, which Turkey designates as a terrorist
group, was responsible for the attack in the city of Afrin, a region
under the control of Turkey-backed rebels.”
RFI:
HRW Urges Probes Into Fate Of Missing IS Captives
“Human Rights Watch called Tuesday for Damascus and the Kurdish
authorities in northeastern Syria to investigate the fate of thousands
of people who went missing in the custody of the Islamic State group.
More than 8,000 people, detained by IS when it controlled swathes of
the north and east, remain unaccounted for, the New York-based
watchdog said, citing figures from the Syrian Network for Human
Rights. Among them are a few well-known cases of foreigners, such as
British reporter John Cantlie and Italian Jesuit priest Paolo
Dall'Oglio. HRW said the Syrian government and the Kurdish authorities
who now control former IS territory have so far failed to prioritise
the search for the truth about what happened to the missing. Kurdish
authorities in the northeast “rarely” provide answers to those in
search of their relatives, HRW said. “People whose relatives had been
in areas now under the control of Syrian government forces similarly
said they received only speculation that ISIS killed all its captives,
or blanket denials of any knowledge,” the report said, using an
alternative acronym for IS.”
Iran
The
Jerusalem Post: Ex-CIA Official Warns Of Iran, ISIS Drones Armed With
Chemical Weapons
“The greatest threat confronting the US and Israel may be swarms of
drones armed with chemical weapons released by Iran or ISIS, an ex-CIA
official has told The Jerusalem Post. The warning takes on greater
meaning following a call on January 28 by ISIS’s new leader, Abu
Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Quraishi, to direct greater attention to
attacking Israel and Jews, including using chemical weapons. Some
dangerous countries and terrorist groups may already have their hands
on chemical weapons – ISIS and multiple other groups used them in
Syria in recent years – and anyone who does not, may be able to get
them from North Korea, former CIA agent Tracy Walder told the Post.
Regarding ISIS, there are “a couple of different prongs” to their
interest in chemical weapons, she said. Part of what eventually became
ISIS came out of groups run by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi – “someone I
followed a lot” while at the CIA, Walder said. Zarqawi was very
interested in “acquiring small-scale chemical weapons,” she said. “We
are talking about anthrax, which contains spores, [and] even ricin.”
Deploying the chemical weapons “is a very easy thing to do if you have
access to a drone.”
Iraq
Reuters:
Militant Group Targets Supply Convoy South Of Baghdad: Military
Statement
“Militants on Monday targeted a convoy carrying food supplies south
of Baghdad using an explosive device, the Iraqi military said in a
statement, leading to only material losses. Lebanese pro-Iranian TV
channel al-Mayadeen reported that the explosion targeted a convoy
carrying military equipment to a base hosting U.S. forces south of the
capital. The channel said there was damage to one vehicle but no
casualties. The report comes amid heightened tension between
Iran-backed paramilitary groups and the United States in Iraq.
Washington killed top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani in a drone
strike last month and Tehran fired missiles at two bases hosting U.S.
forces in retaliation days later.”
Afghanistan
The
Washington Post: Suicide Bombing Shatters Relative Calm In Kabul,
Killing Six
“After months of relative calm in the Afghan capital, a suicide
bombing on Tuesday morning outside a military academy left at least
six dead and 12 wounded, according to the Interior Ministry. Bombings
in Kabul have dropped off in recent months as peace talks between the
United States and the rebel Taliban have reached a critical stage.
Also, large scale military operations in the country’s east have
disrupted the extremist Islamic State group’s ability to plan and
carry out attacks. The military academy in Kabul attacked Tuesday has
been the target of attacks in the past claimed by the Islamic State.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack Tuesday.
Two civilians and four military personnel were among the dead, the
ministry said in a statement. Afghan security forces cordoned off the
area, and ambulances rushed in and out to evacuate casualties. The
demand for a reduction in violence in Afghanistan has become central
to now-stalled peace talks between the United States and the Taliban.
Taliban negotiations have offered a plan to bring violence down, but
their U.S. counterparts have not yet formally resumed talks.”
Fox
News: Gen. Keane: Taliban Commanders Under Orders To Kill American
Soldiers To Break Our Will
“Taliban commanders are under specific orders to step up their
attacks on American troops, Fox News senior strategic analyst Gen.
Jack Keane said Monday in response to an attack that killed two U.S.
soldiers in Afghanistan over the weekend. “Ever since the negotiations
were broken off as a result of a killing of a U.S. soldier at the time
when President Trump terminated those negotiations a number of months
ago, the tactical commanders received orders to do everything they
possibly can to increase the casualties to Americans,” Keane told
“America’s Newsroom.” “This is designed principally to break American
will at home to suggest that the war is futile, and therefore, we
should just walk away.” Keane’s comments came after two U.S. soldiers
were killed and six were wounded Saturday when American and Afghan
troops were fired on during a mission in Nangarhar province in eastern
Afghanistan, U.S. officials told Fox News. The casualties occurred
when an Afghan wearing an army uniform suddenly opened fire, The
Associated Press reported.”
Middle East
France
24: Israel Sentences Islamic Cleric To 28 Months For Inciting
Terror
“An Israeli court Monday sentenced a firebrand Islamic cleric to 28
months in prison for incitement to terrorism in connection with deadly
unrest at a Jerusalem holy site in 2017. Raed Salah had been convicted
by Haifa magistrates' court of “incitement to terror” for “praising,
sympathising or encouraging terrorism” in remarks made after attackers
killed two policemen on the Haram al-Sharif mosque compound, known to
Jews as the Temple Mount. The deadly July 14, 2017 attack, at the
Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem site, was carried out by perpetrators
from his hometown of Umm al-Fahm. His group, the radical northern
branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel, was outlawed in 2015 for
incitement linked to the Jerusalem holy site. Salah was also found
guilty of “supporting an illegal organisation” in Facebook posts from
2015 and 2016, in which he called his supporters to commit “acts of
violence or terrorism” while speaking in favour of his movement. The
Haifa court on Monday also noted that 61-year-old Salah made the
criminal remarks on three separate occasions following the Jerusalem
shooting.”
Egypt
Voice
Of America: Egypt Moves Toward Toughening Up Draconian Anti-Terror
Law
“Egypt's legislature on Monday gave its initial approval for
toughening up already draconian anti-terrorism laws, with amendments
that include life sentences and capital punishment for funding
terrorism, the state-run news agency said. The sweeping anti-terrorism
law was enacted in August 2015. It established an extremely broad
definition of terrorism, describing it in one article as any act that
disturbs public order with force. Some charges, such as leading or
organizing a terrorist group, carry the death penalty. The 2015 law
also included provisions to protect Egyptian security forces from
prosecution, establish stiffer prison sentences for terror-related
offenses, as well as heavy fines for those who publish “false news''
and a special judicial circuit for terrorism cases. Journalists who do
not toe the government line could be punished under the law. The new
amendments expand the definition for the crime of funding terrorist
acts. These would now include providing a place for training one
terrorist or more; giving them weapons or documents in any way or
form; offering support and financing in order to help terrorists
travel, even if the provider does not have a direct link to the
terrorist crime.”
Egypt
Independent: Ten Militants, Army Officer Killed In North Sinai
Terrorist Attack
“Ten militants and an Egyptian army officer were killed over the
weekend in North Sinai, according to a statement issued on Sunday
evening by Spokesperson for the Egyptian Armed Forces Colonel Tamer
al-Rifaei. Egypt managed to thwart a terrorist attack on a security
base in North Sinai on Sunday, the statement clarified, which resulted
in the deaths of 10 militants. An officer with the Egyptian Armed
Forces was also killed during the attack and another officer injured
in the exchange of fire, the statement said, adding that the armed
forces managed to destroy a four-wheel drive vehicle used by the
militants. Egypt’s armed forces are continuing to sweep the
surrounding area in pursuit of other terrorist elements, the statement
said, stressing that the military and police would efforts to
eliminate violent extremism. For years Egypt has battled an extremist
insurgency in North Sinai, which is led by a local affiliate of the
Islamic State (IS) terrorist group. Extremists have targeted military
personnel at security checkpoints in the area as well as civilians. In
November 2017, dozens of gunmen attacked a mosque in North Sinai’s
Al-Rawda village during Friday prayers, killing over 300 people.”
Nigeria
The
New York Times: Suspected Boko Haram Fighters Kill At Least 30 In
Nigeria
“At least 30 people have been killed in Nigeria’s northeastern
Borno region after suspected Boko Haram fighters set ablaze several
trucks carrying passengers on Sunday night, eyewitnesses and residents
told Reuters. There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but the
Boko Haram group and rival Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA)
splinter group have often carried out attacks in the area. The
passengers were stranded on Sunday evening along a military check
point due to the curfew imposed by the military in the town of Auno
before the attack, resident Bunu Ali who witnessed the attack said.
Auno is about 15 miles from Maiduguri, the state capital. Eyewitness
said the insurgents attacked on motorbikes, shooting sporadically.
They set at least 18 vehicles ablaze and abducted several people,
another eyewitness said. Nigerian Army Commander said the casualty
figure was much smaller because the military had recovered 10 bodies
on Monday. The commander said the military closed the road to curb the
insurgency. Borno state is the epicenter of the Boko Haram and ISWA
insurgency. The conflict has lasted a decade, during which time the
militants have killed thousands and millions have fled from their
homes in the region.”
Somalia
The
Defense Post: Family Says Teenage Girl Killed In US Airstrike That
Targeted Al Shabaab In Somalia
“When U.S. Africa Command announced it had conducted an airstrike
on an al-Shabaab militant in the southern Somalia town of Jilib on
February 2, it included an oft-repeated line: “We currently assess no
civilians were injured or killed as a result of this airstrike.” But
Mohamed Osman Abdi, English editor at Somalia National News Agency in
Mogadishu, told The Defense Post that the casualty assessment, like
many others, is wrong. “I got a call from a friend in Mogadishu,
saying ‘did you know that some of your family were killed and injured
in a strike which killed civilians in Jilib?’” Abdi said last week.
Abdi told The Defense Post that his brother-in-law’s two daughters and
his mother were sitting down to dinner when an explosion decimated
their single-family home. One of the daughters, Nurto, about 20 years
old, was killed, he said. Fatima, 15, was rushed to the local clinic
with shrapnel in her right shoulder and chest. His mother-in-law is in
critical condition, he says. Abdi said his family was unable to obtain
photo evidence of the incident because Shabaab does not allow
smartphones in its territory, but confirmed the identity of his
relatives in photos posted on Twitter, and provided The Defense Post
with other family photos for comparison.”
United Kingdom
BBC
News: Man Convicted Of Planning Terror Attacks On London Tourist
Hotspots
“A man has been convicted of planning a terror attack at London
tourist hotspots, just over a year after he was cleared of attacking
police with a sword outside Buckingham Palace. Mohiussunnath
Chowdhury, 28, from Luton, spoke about targeting attractions including
Madame Tussauds, the gay Pride parade and a tourist bus. The former
Uber driver unwittingly revealed his plot to undercover police. He
also bragged to them that he had deceived the jury at his first trial.
Chowdhury was cleared of a terror charge in December 2018 after
slashing police with a sword outside the Queen's London residence
while shouting “Allahu Akbar”. At the time Chowdhury told jurors he
only wanted to be killed by police and did not intend to harm anyone.
Chowdhury's sister, Sneha Chowdhury, was convicted of one count of
failing to disclose information about acts of terrorism Undercover
officers, posing as like-minded extremists, had Chowdhury under
surveillance during a five-month operation, his trial at Woolwich
Crown Court heard. The chicken shop worker prepared for his atrocity
by lifting weights, practising stabbing and rehearsing beheading
techniques, as well as booking shooting range training and trying to
acquire a real gun, the court heard.”
BBC
News: Manchester Arena Bomb Parts 'Bought By Brothers Using Mum's
Card'
“The Manchester Arena attacker and his brother used their mother's
bank account to buy tools and equipment to make a bomb, a court has
been told. The Old Bailey heard Samia Tabbal's bank card was used to
buy a battery and other items before the 2017 attack. Mrs Tabbal had
been receiving tax credits, child and housing benefit of about £550 a
week, even though she left the UK for Libya in October 2016. Hashem
Abedi denies involvement in his brother Salman's attack. The jury was
told Mrs Tabbal's bank statements showed a series of large cash
withdrawals of between £50 and £300 each month in the UK after she
left the country. As well as items from a B&Q superstore, her bank
account was also used to pay for an industrial battery from a
specialist shop in Salford, the court heard. Analysis of her documents
showed her weekly tax credit and child benefit payments continued
until 19 May, the jury was told, three days before the attack which
killed 22 people outside an Ariana Grande concert. Her monthly housing
benefit was last paid four days later, on 26 May. The financial
investigation also revealed Salman Abedi, who had dropped out of a
business management degree at the University of Salford on 13 January,
received a student loan payment of £1,002.54 four days earlier and a
further one of £2,258 at the end of the month.”
The
Guardian: Urgent Crackdown On Terror Sentences Will Affect About 50
Inmates
“About 50 prisoners convicted of terror offences will no longer be
automatically freed halfway through their sentences, under emergency
government legislation designed to prevent further jihadi attacks by
recently released inmates. The urgent introduction of a parliamentary
bill on Tuesday – due to become law before the end of the month – is
aimed at pre-empting the release of any more prisoners serving a
fixed-length terrorist sentence. The move follows the London Bridge
knife attacks by Usman Khan in November last year and the Streatham
stabbings by Sudesh Amman this month. Both men were convicted
terrorists released mid-term from prison on licence. Most of the 50 or
so inmates affected by retrospective changes to enforcement of their
sentences are believed to be serving time for jihadism-related crimes,
though others may be far-right activists. Of the 224 inmates serving
time for terror-related offences in British prisons in September last
year, 77% were classed as having Islamist extremist views and 17% were
deemed to support far-right ideologies.”
Daily
Mail: Convicted Extremist's Mother Insists ISIS-Supporting Son Who
Called For Beheadings 'Would Never Hurt Anyone' As Ministers Race To
Stop His Automatic Early Release
“The mother of a convicted extremist has insisted her
ISIS-supporting son who called for beheadings would 'never hurt
anyone' as ministers race to stop his automatic release. Mohammed
Zahir Khan had previously posed with an ISIS flag and had called for a
so-called 'year of fear' before being jailed in 2018. The 42-year-old
from Sunderland was supposed to have been imprisoned for four and a
half years but is due for automatic release in the next few months.
Ministers are facing a deadline of February 27 to pass the emergency
terror legislation through Parliament that would end automatic release
for offenders after half their sentence after Sudesh Amman attacked
locals in Streatham. Khan's mother Tazeem Akhtar today claimed she
wanted her son freed so he could be at home with her. The 63-year-old
said Khan now wants to 'move on with his life'. Speaking to the Sun
Online she said: 'He's not a danger to society. He would never hurt
anyone. 'I just want to see him freed. He has served his time. I want
to see him back here at home with me. He told me he leaves this month.
He is very excited to leave.' She added that her son now wants to open
a grocery store, 'get married and have a family of his own.’”
Europe
The
New York Times: Russia Sentences Anti-Fascists On Bogus Terror
Charges, Critics Say
“A Russian military court on Monday handed down harsh sentences of
up to 18 years to seven members of a group of left-wing activists, who
in turn accused the authorities of extorting confessions through
torture and threats against their families. Critics said the charges
of terrorism were fabricated and that the accused, as in other
previous incidents, were entrapped by security agents. They compared
the use of torture to extort testimony to the practices used by Soviet
security forces during Stalin’s purges in the 1930s and early 1950s.
The seven men, aged 23 to 31, were accused of creating a terrorist
organization called “the Network” with the aim of launching terror
attacks ahead of the 2018 World Cup soccer tournament in Russia and
the presidential election that took place the same year. The
prosecutors said the organization was managed from the Russian
provincial city of Penza, where the Monday hearing took place. It also
had cells in Moscow, St. Petersburg and in Belarus, said officers of
the Federal Security Service, or the F.S.B., who ran the
investigation. All seven men denied the charges. At least four of them
initially pleaded guilty, but later switched, contending that their
original pleas had been obtained under torture, that there was no such
terror group and that prosecutors had invented the name “the
Network.”
|
