CEP Mentions
DW: Germany's Middle East Diplomacy Reaches Limits
“... Hans-Jakob Schindler, Middle East expert and Senior Director of the transatlantic think tank Counter Extremism Project, said that the global economy would face a grave problem if the situation continues. We cannot do without the Suez Canal for a year," Schindler told DW. Germany is likely to soon become involved in the US-led mission in the Red Sea to ward off Houthi attacks. Baerbock has also indicated that Berlin would no longer oppose the export of UK Eurofighter jets to Saudi Arabia. Germany has also authorized the export of IRIS-T guided missiles to the Gulf state. The German foreign minister is sticking with her earlier position on the core conflict between Israel and the Hamas militant group. The group is classified as a terrorist organization by a range of countries and organizations including the US, EU and Germany. Baerbock told Israel (on Sunday) that it could firmly count on Germany's solidarity in the fight against "the blind terror that wants to wipe Israel from the map.”
TalkTV: “Politicisation Of Terrorism” | King’s College London Slammed For Terming Hamas ‘Freedom Fighters’
“A former civil servant, Anna Stanley she found attending KCL’s anti-terrorism course a deeply, existentially depressing experience. She argues that ‘prestigious’ educational institutions are delivering ‘politically biased, anti-government training’, leading to indoctrination and that extremism and terrorism are misunderstood by civil servants to the point of being a national security risk.”
DW: US, UK Strike Houthi Targets
“Houthi rebels have promised to retaliate for airstrikes carried out by the US and UK in Yemen. Washington and London say they hit the targets to protect international shipping from Houthis attacks. Counter extremism expert Hans-Jakob Schindler says there is no alternative to using force to keep traffic flowing in the Red Sea.”
DW: Houthis Vow Retaliation For US, UK Attacks
“The US has carried out a second day of military strikes on Houthi rebel targets in Yemen. US officials say the new targets posed a threat to shipping in the Red Sea, which has been disrupted by Houthi attacks in recent weeks. Houthi leaders have vowed to retaliate following the attacks.”
Agence-France Presse: IS Under Pressure After Hamas Attack On Israel
“... Militants also took around 250 hostages, 132 of whom Israel says remain in Gaza, including at least 25 believed to have been killed. The war has put the spotlight on Hamas. "Without the Gaza war, IS would get the headlines," said Hans-Jakob Schindler, director of the Counter Extremism Project think tank. "It puts considerable pressure on IS to remain relevant."
TalkTV: “Houthis Are A Militia That Illegally Controls Parts Of Yemen” Says Former UK Ambassador To Yemen
“The US and UK have carried out airstrikes on more than a dozen sites used by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen. This response comes as a significant move against the Houthis, who have been launching drone and missile attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea, especially after the conflict in Gaza involving Israel. The Houthis are a Yemeni militia group named after their founder, Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi. They represent the Zaidi branch of Shia Islam and emerged in the 1980s in opposition to Saudi Arabia's religious influence in Yemen. With an estimated 20,000 fighters, their official name is Ansar Allah. The group controls most of the west of Yemen and oversees the Red Sea coastline. Vanessa Feltz speaks with the former UK ambassador to Yemen, Edmund Brown and lecturer in political science Arash Azizi.”
United States
Reuters: Biden Says Yemen's Houthis Are A 'Terrorist' Group
“U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday called Yemen's Houthi forces a "terrorist" group, after American and British warplanes, ships and submarines launched dozens of air strikes across Yemen overnight. Biden said Washington will respond to the Houthis if they continued behavior that he called "outrageous." London and Washington say their strikes in Yemen were in retaliation for months of attacks by the movement on Red Sea shipping that the Iran-backed fighters cast as a response to the ongoing war in Gaza. The strikes represent one of the most dramatic demonstrations to date of the widening of the Gaza conflict. "I think they are," Biden told reporters on Friday when he was asked if he was willing to call the Houthis a "terrorist" group. "We will make sure that we respond to the Houthis if they continue this outrageous behavior along with our allies," he added. The White House said earlier on Friday the United States does not want war with Yemen but will not hesitate to take further action.”
ABC: 3rd Victim Dies In Fiery New Year's Car Attack Near Rochester, New York, Concert Venue
“A third person has died in the fiery crash outside a concert venue in upstate New York early New Year's Day, authorities announced on Friday. Dawn Revette, 54, died on Wednesday from injuries sustained after she was struck by a vehicle while in the crosswalk outside the Kodak Center in Rochester, police said. Two people in a ride-sharing car were killed after a rented Ford Expedition driven by the suspect slammed into it and burst into flames as it sped in the direction of pedestrians in the crosswalk, police said. The suspect -- 35-year-old Michael Avery -- also died. Multiple pedestrians and first responders were injured, police said. One victim remains in an inpatient treatment facility with non-life-threatening injuries while the rest have since been released from the hospital, Rochester Police Chief David Smith said Friday. The incident occurred as concertgoers were leaving the venue. Multiple canisters full of gasoline were found in Avery's vehicle, police said. A Glock-style replica handgun and several lighters were also found, Smith said.”
ABC: It's Become More Difficult To Identify Motivations Behind Mass Casualty Attacks: DHS
“A toxic brew of ideological extremism, blended with rage, anger and violent tendencies is making it increasingly difficult for authorities to identify motivations behind mass casualty attacks in America, according to a new assessment by the Department of Homeland Security. The confidential analysis, distributed to law enforcement on Jan. 10 and obtained by ABC News, describes the growing challenge posed by perpetrators who "espoused and engaged with an array of narratives," often online, "likely fueling their mobilization to violence." Those attackers' range of beliefs made it easier to escape the longstanding templates law enforcement uses to catch would-be threats – and made it harder for police to intervene or secure potential targets, the analysis found. "Since 2018, we have observed mass casualty attacks in which the perpetrators held multiple grievances, challenging our ability to identify a primary motive," the bulletin said.”
Syria
ABC: Opening Statements In Trial Of Woman Charged With Financing Terrorist Groups In Syria Through Cryptocurrency
“Opening statements are expected Tuesday in the trial of Victoria Jacobs, an Uzbekistan native who is charged with using cryptocurrency to fund Syrian-based terrorist groups and launder supporters' contributions. It is the first-ever terrorism financing trial in the New York State court system. The six-count indictment, filed in January 2023, charged Jacobs with providing support for an act of terrorism, money laundering and other crimes. "This complex case demonstrates the depth of knowledge and resources this Office has to combat terrorism and extremism in New York and throughout the globe," Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said at the time. Jacobs, who was known as Bakhrom Talipov, provided material support to Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, a U.S. State Department-designated foreign terrorist organization, and provided more than $5,000 to the terrorist training group Malhama Tactical, which fought with and provided special tactical and military training to Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, the indictment said.”
Associated Press: Turkish Strikes On Infrastructure Facilities Wound 10 And Cut Off Power In Areas In Northeast Syria
“Turkish shelling and airstrikes have targeted dozens of infrastructure facilities in northeast Syria over the past days, wounding at least 10 people and cutting out electricity and water supplies in wide areas held by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces in the war-torn country, Kurdish-led authorities in northeast Syria said Monday. The statement by the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria said the 73 attacks by Turkey’s military over the past two days have hit oil, electricity and water facilities as well as warehouses where grain is stored. The statement added that power supplies were cut in major towns and hundreds of villages and hamlets. “The Turkish state aims to target all resources of life in the region,” said Siamand Ali, a spokesman of the Syrian Democratic Forces. He added that air strikes and artillery shelling hit northeastern towns and villages and around noon Monday, a strike hit the Internal Security Forces building in the border town of Qamishli.”
Iran
Associated Press: Iran Strikes Targets In Northern Iraq And Syria As Regional Tensions Escalate
“Iran said late Monday it had launched strikes against a “spy headquarters and gathering of anti-Iranian terrorist groups” shortly after missiles hit an upscale area near the U.S. consulate in Irbil, the seat of Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region. The security council of the Kurdish regional government said in a statement that four civilians were killed and six injured in the strikes. Peshraw Dizayi, a prominent local businessman with a portfolio that included real estate and security services companies, was killed in one of the strikes along with members of his family, according to a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, by former Iraqi member of parliament Mashan al-Jabouri, who said that one of the missiles had fallen on Dizayi’s “palace, next to my house, which is under construction on the road to the Salah al-Din resort.” Other regional political figures also confirmed Dizayi’s death.”
Iraq
Reuters: Islamic State Attack Kills Three Soldiers In West Iraq: Military Sources
“Islamic State militants killed three Iraqi soldiers and wounded one during an attack on Sunday evening on a military post in western Iraq, military sources said. Iraqi army sources said militants in two vehicles used snipers and semi-automatic guns in the attack on army soldiers stationed at a desert area near the town of Haditha, 190 km (120 miles) west of Baghdad. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but Iraqi security and military sources said it was carried out by Islamic State militants who are active in the area. Despite the defeat of the Islamic State militant group in 2017, remnants of the group switched to hit-and-run attacks against government forces in different parts of Iraq.”
Turkey
Reuters: Turkey Holds 18 People For 'Praising Terrorism' After Soldiers Killed In Iraq
“Turkish police have detained 18 people for "praising terrorism" after the killing of soldiers last week, while a high-level outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) member was "neutralised" in northern Iraq, authorities said on Monday. Nine Turkish soldiers died in clashes with the PKK in northern Iraq on Friday, prompting Ankara to conduct air strikes and operations both there and in northern Syria. The PKK, designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, took up arms in 1984 for the rights of ethnic Kurdish people. Turkish forces regularly strike PKK militants based in the mountains of northern Iraq. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on social media that police had detained 18 people for "praising a terrorist organisation", "spreading terrorism propaganda," and "spreading misleading information" over Turkey's operations in Iraq. Arrest warrants were issued for 19 others in Turkey and 133 abroad, Yerlikaya added, without giving further details.”
Reuters: Turkey Says It 'Neutralises' 45 Kurdish Militants In Northern Iraq, Syria
“Turkey said on Saturday its forces had "neutralised" 45 Kurdish militants in northern Syria and Iraq following a clash on Friday with members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in which nine Turkish soldiers were killed in northern Iraq. "Operations following the treacherous attack neutralised a total of 45 terrorists, 36 in northern Iraq and 9 in northern Syria," Turkey's Communications Directorate said in a statement after President Tayyip Erdogan chaired a security meeting. Ankara typically uses the term "neutralised" to mean killed. "Turkey will never allow the establishment of a 'terrorland' on its southern borders under any pretext and for any reason," the statement in Turkish added. Earlier on Saturday, the Defence Ministry said the military had carried out airstrikes in the Hakurk, Metina, Gara and Qandil regions of northern Iraq, destroying 29 PKK targets included caves, bunkers, shelters and oil facilities. Turkish forces have been carrying out a cross-border operation called "Claw-Lock" in Iraq as part of the country's offensive against PKK militants.”
Afghanistan
Associated Press: Senior Pakistani Politician Meets Reclusive Taliban Supreme Leader In Afghanistan
“A senior Pakistani politician met the Taliban supreme leader in Afghanistan, the politician’s office said Saturday. It’s the second publicly known meeting between a foreign official and the reclusive Hibatullah Akhundzada, who rarely appears in public and seldom leaves the southern Afghan province of Kandahar. It’s also the first known meeting between Akhundzada and a Pakistani delegation. Fazlur Rehman is the first senior Pakistani politician to visit Afghanistan since the Taliban seized power in 2021. His Jamiat Ulema Islam party is known for backing them. The Taliban have not confirmed the meeting with Akhundzada. Rehman’s party did not say if it was in Kandahar or the capital Kabul. Rehman went to Afghanistan in an effort to reduce tensions between the two countries. Pakistan last November began expelling foreigners living in the country without documents, mostly Afghans, to the fury of the Taliban. The two sides have also traded blame over an increase in militant attacks in Pakistan.”
Pakistan
Financial Times: Key Operative Of Pakistan-Based Terrorist Harvinder Rinda Arrested From Rajasthan Village
“A key operative of Pakistan-based terrorist Harvinder Rinda, who was supplying weapons to the associates of a terror outfit to carry out "sensational crimes" in Punjab, has been arrested, Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said on Friday. A Chinese-made pistol and eight live cartridges were seized following the accused's arrest from Lohawat village in Rajasthan's Phalodi, the DGP said. "In a major breakthrough, #AGTF (anti-gangster task force), Punjab in a joint operation with the central agencies has arrested Kailash Khichan, a key operative of #Pak based terrorist Harvinder Singh @ Rinda and #USA based Harpreet Singh @ Happy Passia," Yadav posted on X. Later, in a statement, the DGP said Khichan was wanted in a case lodged under the provisions of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in Fazilka in September 2023. Besides, the accused has a criminal history, with a number of cases pertaining to extortion, the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and Arms Act registered against him in Punjab and Rajasthan, the officer added.”
Associated Press: Pakistan Effectively Shuts The Key Crossing Into Afghanistan To Truck Drivers
“Pakistan effectively closed a key northwestern border crossing with Afghanistan to truck drivers on Saturday, Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban said. Noor Mohammad Hanif, director of Information and Culture department in Afghanistan’s eastern Nangarhar province said that officials at the Torkham began asking for passports and visas from Afghan drivers. Truckers have for years been able to pass the border without documents so they generally do not have them. Hanif said that, in response, Afghanistan is now asking Pakistani drivers for passports and visas. In a separate statement, the Nangarhar governor’s office said that officials from both sides are in talks to solve the problem, and a “decision will be made soon,” it added. The Torkham border crossing has been closed a number of times in recent months, including in September when it was shut for nine days due to clashes between border forces. On Saturday, dozens of trucks carrying perishable items, including vegetables and fruits, waited on each side of the border for the reopening of the crossing, which is a vital commercial artery and a trade route to Central Asian countries for Pakistan.”
Yemen
Reuters: Yemen's Houthis Hit US-Owned Dry Bulk Ship, No Injuries - US Centcom
“Houthi forces in Yemen struck the U.S.-owned and operated dry bulk ship Gibraltar Eagle with an anti-ship ballistic missile, U.S Central Command said on Monday, although there were no reports of injuries or significant damage. The vessel's U.S.-based operator Eagle Bulk Shipping said that it was hit by an "unidentified projectile" while sailing 100 miles off the Gulf of Aden and suffered limited damage to its cargo hold, and no seafarers were injured. "As a result of the impact, the vessel suffered limited damage to a cargo hold but is stable and is heading out of the area," Eagle Bulk said in a statement, adding that it was carrying a cargo of steel products. The Iran-backed Houthis who control most of Yemen's Red Sea coast have been attacking commercial ships in the area they say are linked to Israel or bound for Israeli ports, in action they claim is aimed at supporting the Palestinians in the war and Hamas in Gaza. U.S. and British forces responded last week by carrying out dozens of air and sea strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.”
Lebanon
Reuters: Israeli Soldiers Kill 4 Militants Infiltrating From Lebanon, Military Says
“Israeli soldiers exchanged fire with militants attempting to cross from Lebanon into Israel and killed four of them, the Israeli military said on Sunday. The soldiers were on patrol in Har Dov around the disputed Shebaa Farms area, according to the military's statement, when they spotted the four who opened fire at the force. "During the exchanges of fire, IDF (Israel Defence Forces) forces conducted artillery and mortar fire toward the area," the military said.”
Middle East
Reuters: Hamas Appears To Show Dead Bodies Of Two Hostages After Warning Israel
“Hamas appeared to show the dead bodies of two Israeli hostages on Monday after warning Israel they might be killed if it did not stop its bombardment of Gaza. A new video released by the Palestinian militant group purportedly showed the bodies of Yossi Sharabi, 53, and Itai Svirsky, 38, who had appeared in an initial video on Sunday. It also showed a third Israeli hostage, university student Noa Argamani, 26, seemingly reading a script in front of a blank white wall, saying the two were killed by Israeli strikes. Israel's military spokesperson said there was serious concern regarding the fate of the hostages purported to be dead in the video, while specifying that one of them, whom he identified as Svirsky, was not killed by Israeli fire. "Itai was not shot by our forces. That is a Hamas lie. The building in which they were held was not a target and it was not attacked by our forces," said military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, who did not give the name or any details about the second person as per the family's request. "We don't attack a place if we know there may be hostages inside," he said, adding that areas nearby had been targeted.”
CBS: Israel "Terrorist Ramming Attack" In Raanana Leaves 1 Dead And 2 Palestinian Suspects Detained
“Israeli police said Monday that a suspected car ramming attack carried out by two Palestinians had left at least 13 people wounded in the central city of Raanana. Meir hospital near Raanana confirmed that one woman had died of her injuries. "A wounded woman who arrived in a critical condition after having been hit by a vehicle has died of her injuries despite our efforts to save her," the hospital said in a statement. A police spokesperson later called it a "a multiple car-ramming attack" and said it involved two suspects who "stole vehicles and ran over a number of citizens in different places" in Raanana. They said officers were sweeping the impacted areas "to ensure no further threats." The national police chief of staff said on Israeli TV that two Palestinian suspects, relatives from the city of Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, had been arrested following the incident in Raanana.”
Reuters: Iran Says Revolutionary Guards Attack Israel's 'Spy HQ' In Iraq, Vow More Revenge
“Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they attacked the "spy headquarters" of Israel in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, state media reported late on Monday, while the elite force said they also struck in Syria against the Islamic State. The strikes come amid concerns about the escalation of a conflict that has spread through the Middle East since the war between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas began on Oct. 7, with Iran's allies also entering the fray from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen. "In response to the recent atrocities of the Zionist regime, causing the killing of commanders of the Guards and the Axis of Resistance ... one of the main Mossad espionage headquarters in Iraq's Kurdistan region was destroyed with ballistic missiles," the Guards said in a statement. Reuters could not independently verify the report. Israeli government officials were not reachable for immediate comment. Iran had vowed revenge for the killing of three members of the Guards in Syria last month, including a senior Guards commander, who had served as military advisers there.”
Somalia
Reuters: Four Ukrainians On UN Helicopter That Was Seized By Somali Militants
“Four Ukrainians were on a United Nations helicopter seized by al Shabaab militants in central Somalia this week, Ukraine's foreign ministry said on Friday. The U.N.-contracted chopper with nine aboard was conducting a medical evacuation when a technical problem forced it to land near Hindhere village, an area controlled by the Islamist group. "Our citizens were members of the helicopter crew of the UN Mission in Somalia ... Their identities have been established," Ukrainian spokesman Oleh Nikolenko wrote on Facebook. He said the aircraft belonged to a private Ukrainian company contracted to the United Nations, and that the government was contacting it to coordinate actions. Security sources earlier told Reuters that nationals from Egypt, Uganda and Somalia were also on board. The sources asked to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the issue. Somalia's government said on Thursday it was working to rescue hostages, but military officers said it would be difficult in an area that has been under the al Qaeda-affiliated group's control for more than a decade.”
Africa
Associated Press: Tunisia Commemorates Anniversary Of The 2011 Revolution. Opposition Decries Democratic Backsliding
“Thirteen years after they toppled the country’s longtime dictator, Tunisians are protesting President Kais Saied for ushering in what they see as democratic backsliding, blaming him for quashing the aims of the revolution that kicked off the Arab Spring in 2011. Hundreds of members of opposition parties marched through the streets of the country’s capital on Sunday, commemorating the revolution and expressing outrage at Saied’s rule. They carried Palestinian and Tunisian flags, chanting for freedom, jobs, and dignity, while mourning the state of the current political landscape in Tunisia. Though many said they were dismayed by the direction that Tunisia’s first-term president has taken the country, the protest was smaller than in years past, reflecting political apathy and an opposition struggling to remain unified as November’s presidential election approaches.”
United Kingdom
Associated Press: Rishi Sunak Defends His Decision For The UK To Join The US In ‘Limited’ Strikes On Yemen’s Houthis
“Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told the U.K. Parliament on Monday that U.K. strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, conducted alongside the United States, were “limited, not escalatory” and came in response to a threat to British vessels. Sunak faced questions about why British lawmakers didn’t get a say on the military action, and he didn’t rule out joining further military action if Houthi attacks continue. Four Royal Air Force Typhoon jets took part in last week’s U.S.-led strikes on sites used by the Iran-backed rebels, who have been attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea. The U.S. says Friday’s strikes hit Houthi weapons depots, radar facilities and command centers. Sunak told lawmakers that British jets targeted launch sites for drones and ballistic missiles, and that the U.K.'s initial assessment was that all 13 planned targets had been destroyed, without civilian casualties. He said the aim was to “degrade and disrupt” the Houthis’ ability to launch attacks.”
Associated Press: UK Government Says The Islamist Group Hizb Ut-Tahrir Is Antisemitic And Moves To Ban It
“The U.K. government said Monday that the Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir is antisemitic and should be banned as a terrorist organization. Parliament will debate this week a proposal to make joining the group illegal in the U.K. under terrorism laws, the Home Office said. If approved, the ban will take effect on Friday. The group, which is based in Lebanon but operates in more than 30 countries, including the U.S. and Canada, has organized rallies in London alongside pro-Palestinian marches in recent weeks, following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war. Police said that one member was seen chanting “jihad,” or holy war, in a video from an October march, though officers reviewing the evidence decided at the time that no offenses were committed. “Hizb ut-Tahrir is an antisemitic organization that actively promotes and encourages terrorism, including praising and celebrating the appalling Oct. 7 attacks,” Home Secretary James Cleverly said. Security Minister Tom Tugendhat said the group’s celebration of Hamas’ attacks on Israel was “disgraceful.”
Europe
Associated Press: Mass Killer Who Says His Rights Are Violated Should Remain In Solitary Confinement, Norway Says
“Norway’s government insisted on Friday that Anders Behring Breivik, a right-wing extremist who killed 77 people in a bomb and gun rampage in 2011, remains dangerous and should stay in solitary confinement, rejecting his claim in a suit that his human rights are being violated. “There is a great danger of violence and that he will inspire others. That is why he has to serve his time under strict security measures,” Andreas Hjetland, a government lawyer, said on the last day of a five-day hearing. “There is simply nothing indicating that Breivik’s human rights are being violated,” the Norwegian news agency NTB quoted Hjetland as saying. Breivik, who has changed his name to Fjotolf Hansen, claims in his suit — his second against the Norwegian government — that the isolation he has been placed under since he began his prison sentence in 2012 amounts to inhumane punishment under the European Convention on Human Rights. He failed in a similar attempt in 2016-2017, when his appeal was ultimately rejected by the European Court of Justice.”
Associated Press: A Denmark Terror Case Has ‘Links’ To Hamas, A Prosecutor Tells Local Media
“A Danish prosecutor said Friday that an investigation that led to the arrests of three suspects in Denmark last month on suspicion of plotting to carry out “an act of terror” was linked to Hamas, according to a local media report. The case has been shrouded in secrecy and very few details have been revealed about it until now. ”The investigation has provided information that, according to the police, the case has links to Hamas,” prosecutor Anders Larsson said during a custody hearing before an appeals court according to broadcaster TV2. “That information is no longer necessary to keep secret.” Larsson didn’t provide any further details. On Dec. 14, Danish police said that three people were arrested across Denmark, while a fourth person was detained in the Netherlands. The case coincided with an arrest in the Netherlands and several in Germany of alleged Hamas members. The Danish and German announcements were issued separately. It was unclear how or if the arrests were connected and if they were the result of coordinated actions, or even possibly one operation spanning the continent.”
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