“The FBI is investigating more than a dozen migrants from Uzbekistan and other
countries allowed into the US after they sought asylum at the southern border
with Mexico earlier this year, a scramble set off when US intelligence
officials found that the migrants traveled with the help of a smuggler with
ties to ISIS, according to multiple US officials. While the FBI says no
specific ISIS plot has been identified, officials are still working to
“identify and assess” all of the individuals who gained entry to the United
States, according to a statement from National Security Council spokesman
Adrienne Watson. And they are closely scrutinizing a number of the migrants as
possible criminal threats, according to two US officials. Though there is no
evidence at this point to justify detaining anyone, the episode was so alarming
that an urgent classified intelligence report was circulated to President Joe
Biden’s top Cabinet officials in their morning briefing book. For some
counterterrorism officials, it shows that the US is deeply vulnerable to the
possibility that terrorists could sneak across the southern border by hiding
amid the surge of migrants entering the country in search of asylum.”
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Eye on Extremism
August 31, 2023
CNN: Exclusive: Smuggler With Ties To ISIS Helped Migrants Enter US From
Mexico, Raising Alarm Bells Across Government
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“The FBI is investigating more than a dozen migrants from Uzbekistan and other
countries allowed into the US after they sought asylum at the southern border
with Mexico earlier this year, a scramble set off when US intelligence
officials found that the migrants traveled with the help of a smuggler with
ties to ISIS, according to multiple US officials. While the FBI says no
specific ISIS plot has been identified, officials are still working to
“identify and assess” all of the individuals who gained entry to the United
States, according to a statement from National Security Council spokesman
Adrienne Watson. And they are closely scrutinizing a number of the migrants as
possible criminal threats, according to two US officials. Though there is no
evidence at this point to justify detaining anyone, the episode was so alarming
that an urgent classified intelligence report was circulated to President Joe
Biden’s top Cabinet officials in their morning briefing book. For some
counterterrorism officials, it shows that the US is deeply vulnerable to the
possibility that terrorists could sneak across the southern border by hiding
amid the surge of migrants entering the country in search of asylum.”
The Times Of Israel: Israeli Moderately Hurt In Jerusalem Attack; Palestinian
Teen Stabber Shot Dead
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“An Israeli man was moderately wounded in a stabbing attack at a light rail
station in Jerusalem on Wednesday night, police and medics said. The alleged
terrorist, a 14-year-old Palestinian, was shot dead by an off-duty Border
Police officer at the scene, according to police. The stabbing took place at
the Shivtei Israel light rail station, outside the Old City. The assailant,
from the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Beit Hanina, stabbed a man at the
station with a large kitchen knife. Other civilians at the station attempted to
disarm the stabber and scuffled with him.”
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Listen to the Fighting Terror Podcast
Fighting Terror is a podcast that brings together counterterrorism experts and
practitioners from Europe, the United States, and beyond to address different
approaches to combating terrorism in our society. Our frank discussions cover
the lifecycle of terrorism from propaganda and recruitment, to financing,
action, and failure. Listenhere
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or wherever you get your podcasts.
Syria
Al Jazeera: Kyrgyzstan Brings Back 95 ISIL Wives, Children From Syrian
Internment Camps
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“The government of Kyrgyzstan has said 95 wives and children of ISIL (ISIS)
fighters have been repatriated from internment camps in Syria. “The
humanitarian mission on August 30, was carried out to repatriate citizens of
the Kyrgyz Republic staying in a camp in northeast Syria,” the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Wednesday. “Thirty-one women and 64
children who are Kyrgyz citizens were transferred from Syria to Kyrgyzstan,”
the ministry added, highlighting that as a part of this mission, the Kyrgyz
Republic provided humanitarian assistance and necessary medicines to cater to
the needs of the population of northeast Syria. It is not clear how many more
Kyrgyz nationals remain in the camps in Syria. The latest repatriation is the
third such operation for the Central Asian country. It brought back 59
nationals in February this year and 79 from camps in Iraq in March 2021.”
Iraq
Iraqi News: 3 ISIS Terrorists Killed In Air Strike In Northern Iraq
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“The Joint Operations Command in Iraq announced on Wednesday the killing of
three terrorists belonging to the ISIS group in an air strike in Salah Al-Din
governorate, north of Baghdad. The Iraqi Joint Operations Command mentioned in
a statement that the Iraqi air force carried out a successful strike on
Wednesday using F-16 fighter jets, targeting the remnants of the terrorist
group ISIS. The statement elaborated that, aside from the elimination of the
three terrorists, tunnels and caves used by ISIS terrorists were destroyed in
the geographically complex area. The Elysee Palace in Paris announced on
Tuesday that a member of the French Special Forces had been killed in Iraq
during an anti-terrorism operation in support of the Iraqi army.”
Rudaw: Three Suspected ISIS Members Arrested In Iraq
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“Iraqi intelligence forces on Wednesday announced they had arrested three
suspected Islamic State (ISIS) members in separate operations in Nineveh and
Anbar provinces as operations against the terror group rise. Iraqi security
forces set up ambush points in the districts of Fallujah and Rutba in Anbar
province and Tal Afar in Nineveh to successfully arrest three alleged ISIS
members, the country’s intelligence directorate said in a statement. The
arrests come as Iraq ramps up its efforts to pursue ISIS remnants in the
country in response to escalating militant activities, particularly in areas
disputed between the Iraqi federal government and the Kurdistan Regional
Government (KRG). ISIS seized control of swathes of Iraqi land in 2014 but it
was declared territorially defeated in 2017 when Kurdish and Iraqi fighters
supported by the US-led coalition drove them out of the stretches of land they
seized years prior in a brazen offensive.”
Turkey
Daily Sabah: More PKK Terrorists Surrender To Türkiye In Iraq
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“Four PKK terrorists have surrendered to Turkish security forces as the
dissolution of the terrorist group continues as a result of Türkiye’s intense
counterterrorism operations. The terrorists laid down their arms at the Turkish
border post in Habur after fleeing the group’s shelters in northern Iraq,
Türkiye’s National Defense Ministry said Wednesday. “The only way out for
terrorists is to surrender to Turkish justice,” it added. With the latest
additions, the number of terrorists who laid down their arms through persuasion
efforts over the past 90 days reached 38, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya
confirmed Thursday.”
Pakistan
Tribune India: 6 Associates Of Pakistan-Based Terrorist Harwinder Rinda
Arrested
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“Six associates of Pakistan-based terrorist Harwinder Singh Rinda who were
planning to commit "sensational crimes" in Punjab have been arrested, police
said on Thursday. The arrests were made by the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF)
and the Mohali police, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said in a post
on X. Arms and ammunition were also recovered from the arrested accused,
according to police.”
Middle East
Israel National News: Terrorist Who Murdered 1 In Ramming Attack Neutralized
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“Footage posted to social media shows the moments security forces neutralized
the terrorist who murdered one person and injured five in a ramming attack near
Modi'in Thursday morning. In the video, which was taken from a passing vehicle,
the security forces can be seen advancing on the terrorist and a gunshot can be
heard. The attacker was driving a commercial truck at the time of the ramming.
He was located and neutralized near the Hashmonaim checkpoint. The terrorist
was identified as a 41-year-old Palestinian Authority citizen who held a work
permit to enter Israel.”
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