United States
KHOU-11: Houston Terrorist Who 'Wanted To Kill In The Name Of ISIS' Sent To Federal Prison
“A Houston man who was 18 when he was arrested on terrorism charges will spend another 13 years in federal prison and then be supervised for the rest of his life. Kaan Damlarkaya, now 23, was arrested in December 2017, after the feds said he wanted to join ISIS and was ready to kill Americans for them and die for them. ‘Damlarkaya wanted to kill in the name of ISIS,’ U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani said. ‘He slept with a machete by his bed, ready to use on law enforcement, provided instructions on how to make a bomb to ISIS supporters, and prepared to travel overseas and become a martyr for our enemies.’ The U.S. citizen who was born in Houston pleaded guilty in 2019 and had been in custody since his arrest. He was sentenced Thursday in a federal courtroom in Houston. ‘Today’s sentence ensures that Damlarkaya will spend many many years away from machetes and explosives, making everyone in the Southern District of Texas a lot safer,’ Hamdani said.”
Middle East
The Times Of Israel: US Said Pressing Lebanon To Remove Hezbollah Outpost From Israeli Territory
“The US is pressuring Lebanon’s government to clear out a Hezbollah outpost set up within Israeli territory beyond the border fence between the countries, according to a Thursday report. The Walla news site reported, citing four unidentified Israeli and American officials, that Jerusalem and Washington believe the outpost, comprised of several tents just north of the fence — but still within the internationally recognized territory of Israel — presents a serious risk of escalation along the border. The report said Israel had conveyed a sharp message to Lebanon via the Americans that the outpost must be removed. ‘Our goal is for the outpost not to be there,’ an Israeli official was quoted as saying. ‘We prefer Hezbollah evacuate its people itself over us bombing them. We have made this clear to the US and the Americans made it clear to the Lebanese.’ The US State Department told Walla it would not comment on diplomatic conversations.”
Mali
Reuters: UN Security Council To Vote To End Peacekeeping Mission In Mali
“The U.N. Security Council is set to vote on Friday to end a decade-long peacekeeping mission in Mali after the West African country's military junta abruptly asked two weeks ago for the 13,000-strong force to leave ‘without delay.’ The planned end of the operation, known as MINUSMA, follows years of tensions and government restrictions that have hobbled peacekeeping air and ground operations since Mali teamed up with Russia's Wagner mercenary group in 2021. U.N. peacekeepers are credited with playing a vital role in protecting civilians against an Islamist insurgency that has killed thousands. Some experts fear the security situation could worsen when the mission departs, leaving Mali's under-equipped army alone with about 1,000 Wagner fighters to combat militants who control swaths of territory in the desert north and center. ‘It's a Malian decision and we need to find the least horrible way to implement it,’ said a Security Council diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity.”
The North Africa Journal: Mali: Civilians Killed By Terrorists In Gabero Region
“At least 13 civilians have been killed by suspected jihadists in chronically unstable northern Mali, elected officials who requested anonymity said on Wednesday. ‘The provisional toll is now 13 dead, a dozen wounded and hundreds of people fleeing several villages in the Gabero area’ in the Gao region, said a local official, who added that the Malian army was not present in the area. ‘They killed a lot of people, more than 17 people,’ another local official said. ‘All the young people have left. Usually, they take the animals. It’s the first time they (the jihadists) have killed like this,’ he said. To the east of Gabero, Gao and Menaka have been the location of a major the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) offensive since early 2022. The violence has left hundreds of civilians dead and many people in the area have moved to towns or camps, including across the border with Niger.”
United Kingdom
Capx: Let’s Not Overstate The Threat Of Village Hall Jihadis – But Don’t Underestimate It Either
“This week village halls have been projected into the front lines of our battle to control the scourge of terrorism. This will be worrying news to the thousands of volunteers like me across the country who are more used to fighting local government bureaucracy than violent extremists. There has been excitable, not to say sometimes unhinged, reporting around the introduction of draft legislation to require private venues to toughen their defences against the threat of bombers and marauding gunmen. ‘Martyn’s Law’ was finally introduced by Government after a concerted campaign by Figen Murray who lost her son in the 2015 Manchester Arena atrocity. The initiative bears his name and is testimony to one woman’s determination to make some sense from the senseless murder of her beloved son by making it a legal duty for providers of venues of over 100 people to take steps to reduce the risk of a terrorist attack.”
Europe
BBC: Sweden Quran Burning: Protesters Storm Embassy In Baghdad
“Dozens of people have stormed the compound of the Swedish embassy in Iraq's capital, Baghdad, after a Quran was burnt during a protest in Sweden. Salwan Momika, said to be an Iraqi living in Sweden, set fire to a copy of Islam's holy book outside Stockholm's central mosque on Wednesday. The Quran burning was condemned by many Muslim-majority countries. A crowd gathered outside the embassy in Baghdad on Thursday after a powerful cleric called for an "angry" protest.”
Technology
Forbes: Tox Mod Uses Ai Voice Tech To Identify Extremism In Online Gaming
“In 2019, NBC News identified four hateful profile accounts on Roblox, one with clear anti-Semitic language, another with a model of a Nazi-era uniform, and two others with Proud Boys-related profiles. On June 20, 2023, Roblox announced it would enable eligible creators to build experiences featuring mature content for users aged 17 and up. Creators can create content with mature themes, storylines and experiences that could contain violence, blood, or crude humor. According to a 2023 New York University survey, more than 50% of gamers in five of the world's top video game markets have seen some form of extremist language while playing multiplayer games in the past year. The proliferation of white nationalist and white supremacist ideologies is well-known in the gaming industry. Modulate, the creators of artificial intelligence (AI) voice technology, Tox Mod, which scans voice chat using machine learning to find toxic players in online games, launched a new Violent Radicalization detection category in its ToxMod voice chat moderation software. ToxMod's new Violent Radicalization detection category is the result of extensive research and collaboration with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).”
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