CEP Mentions
Medium: Resurgence Of Islamic State In Syria Raises Alarms: Growing Threat And Urgent Action Needed
“... regaining strength in Syria, posing a significant threat to stability in the region. Data from U.S. Central Command indicates a troubling increase in the number of IS fighters in Syria and Iraq, now estimated at about 2,500, more than double previous estimates from late January. This resurgence is further highlighted by a surge in IS attacks, particularly in central Syria, as noted by the Counter Extremism Project (CEP). Their report revealed at least 69 confirmed attacks by IS in central Syria last month, resulting in numerous casualties among Syrian soldiers and civilians. The situation is exacerbated by the group’s persistent activity in areas nominally controlled by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), as highlighted by the Rojava Information Center (RIC). RIC’s monthly report documented a concerning pattern of IS attacks targeting SDF troops and locations. This trend underscores the urgent need for enhanced security measures and international cooperation to counter the growing threat posed by IS operatives in Syria.”
The Guardian: Rise In Activity From Rightwing Extremists Who Want To Trigger ‘Race War’ In Australia, Asio Warns
“... The global anti-terror group Counter Extremism Project last week warned the Senate committee about Australian neo-Nazis creating crowdfunding campaigns and “active clubs” to train members in combat. Asio’s submission raised examples of accelerationist groups endorsing attacks against critical infrastructure such as power grids, electrical substations and railways. The agency said its biggest concern remained “lone wolf” attacks that come together with little warning, saying the most likely attacks would be “low-cost, using readily available weapons, and simple tactics” such as knives, vehicles, explosives or firearms. Asio said while the “most likely” location for terrorist attacks would be crowded city locations like shopping centres or transport hubs, it also said some specific ideologies “may lead the attacker to choose a symbolic location such as a government building or place of worship”. “Asio will continue to monitor developments in the threat environment and will respond appropriately to protect Australia and Australians from threats to security,” its submission concluded.”
United States
The Washington Post: Teen Arrested Day Before He Planned To Attack Churches In Name Of ISIS, Feds Say
“After months of planning, federal officials say, 18-year-old Alexander Scott Mercurio was just a few days away from executing an attack on American soil in the name of the Islamic State militant group. Mercurio detailed his plot to a man in a hotel, according to court documents: The Idaho teen said he would walk to a church from his home in Coeur d’Alene, kneecap churchgoers with a metal pipe, kill them with a knife, set off fires using small butane canisters and then try to wrestle a gun away from an officer once police arrived. He said he was committed to slaying as many people as he could before dying through suicide or an encounter with law enforcement. What he didn’t know is that the person he was talking to was an FBI informant. Mercurio was arrested Saturday and charged in District of Idaho federal court with providing support to a terrorist organization. No attorney was listed for him in the federal courts system. He remained in the Kootenai County jail in Coeur d’Alene as of Tuesday afternoon, according to records.”
Voice Of America: US Destroys Anti-Ship Missile Fired By Houthis
“The U.S. military said late Monday it destroyed an anti-ship ballistic missile fired by Houthi militants in Yemen toward ships in the Gulf of Aden. U.S. Central Command said in a statement that the missile was likely targeting the U.S.-flagged, U.S.-owned container ship MV Yorktown, which was being escorted by a U.S. Navy destroyer. “It was determined the ABSM presented an imminent threat to U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels in the region,” CENTCOM said. The United States is leading a coalition effort to help protect the key shipping route through the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea from attacks by the Yemen-based, Iran-backed Houthis. The Houthis, designated by the U.S. as a terror group, have said their campaign targeting ships is in solidarity with the Palestinians amid the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.”
ABC: Foreign Terrorists Targeting US 'Increasingly Concerning': FBI Director
“Foreign adversaries and terrorist groups are sharpening their aim at the United States -- targeting cyber operations, security and "mafia-like" tactics in an "increasingly concerning" way, FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a speech on Tuesday. At the American Bar Association luncheon in Washington, D.C., Wray said the agency is working to prevent a coordinated attack from terrorist groups such as ISIS-K, an affiliate of ISIS. "Foreign terrorists, including ISIS, al-Qaida and their adherents, have renewed calls for attacks against Jewish communities here in the United States and across the West in statements and propaganda," Wray said. "The foreign terrorist threat and the potential for a coordinated attack here in the homeland, like the ISIS-K attack we saw at the Russia Concert Hall a couple weeks ago, is now increasingly concerning. Oct. 7 and the conflict that's followed will feed a pipeline of radicalization and mobilization for years to come." The warning comes as experts predict ISIS will try to carry out an attack on the United States.”
Voice Of America: Biden Calls Netanyahu’s Approach To Hamas War ‘A Mistake’
“U.S. President Joe Biden said in an interview aired late Tuesday that he does not agree with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s approach to Israel’s war against the Hamas militant group, and that Israel should call for a halt in fighting to facilitate humanitarian aid deliveries. The Spanish-language network Univision interviewed Biden on April 3, two days after an Israeli attack killed seven staff members from the aid group World Central Kitchen in Gaza. Biden said there is no excuse for not providing food and medical aid to the people of Gaza, and that those efforts “should be done now.” “What I'm calling for is for the Israelis to just call for a cease-fire, allow for the next six, eight weeks total access to all food and medicine going into the country,” Biden said. “I've spoken with everyone from the Saudis to the Jordanians to the Egyptians. They're prepared to move in. They're prepared to move this food in.” The White House said last week that Biden made similar points when he spoke with Netanyahu in a phone call, emphasizing that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is “unacceptable.””
Syria
Iran: Iran’s Better, Stealthier Drones Are Remaking Global Warfare
“In January, rebels fighting the Sudanese army shot down a drone near Khartoum. As jubilant gunmen posted video of the wreckage on social media, they offered a fresh data point on how Iranian technology is remaking the global weapons trade. The drone in the video, which is clearly modeled after Iran’s Ababil model — the workhorse of paramilitaries across the Middle East since it was developed in the 1990s — reflected a design tweak: Its two front tires, instead of the usual one, provided actual battlefield evidence that Sudan is modifying the Iranian drone into its own weapon, which it calls the Zagel-3. That revelation follows the emergence in the last two years of ramped-up Iranian drone production in at least five other countries, from South America to Central Asia. Most recently, Russia has started making Iranian drones for its war in Ukraine, bringing the number of countries using Iranian technology, assistance, or parts to at least a dozen.”
Reuters: Khamenei Says Israel 'Must Be Punished' For Syria Embassy Attack
“Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said on Wednesday that Israel "must be punished and it shall be" for attacking the Iranian embassy compound in Syria. In a major escalation of Israel's war with regional adversaries, suspected Israeli warplanes bombed Iran's consulate in the Syrian capital on April 1 in a strike that Iran said killed seven military advisers. "When they attack the consulate, it is as if they have attacked our soil," Khamenei said in a speech marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. "The evil regime made a mistake and must be punished and it shall be," he added. In an apparent response to Khamenei, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that Israel will respond if Iran attacks Israel from its own soil. "If Iran attacks from its own territory, Israel will respond and attack in Iran," Katz said in post on the social media platform X. Iran backs groups that have entered the fray across the region since Israel launched its invasion of Gaza following the Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel by Hamas. Some 33,360 Palestinians have been killed in six months of Israeli bombardment of Gaza. Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies.”
Associated Press: Gunmen Kill 6 Policemen In An Ambush In Southeastern Iran, Media Reports Say
“Gunmen ambushed a police convoy in Iran’s restive southeast on Tuesday, killing six policemen, media reports said. The attack on a road in Sistan and Baluchistan province also left two other policemen wounded, according to yjc.ir, a website affiliated with the state broadcasting company. The report said the Jaish al-Adl militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack. The report could not be independently verified. The militants have allegedly been fighting for greater rights for the ethnic Baluch minority in the region. Iran and some other nations consider it to be a terrorist group. The attack was the second in as many weeks targeting security forces, indicating deterioration of the security situation in the region. Last week’s clashes in three separate areas of the province left 10 Iranian troops and 18 militants killed during the fighting and six more members of the security forces died later in the hospital.”
Turkey
Associated Press: Turkey And Israel Announce Trade Barriers On Each Other As Relations Deteriorate Over Gaza
“Turkey and Israel announced trade barriers on each other Tuesday as relations deteriorated further amid the war in Gaza. Turkey, a staunch critic of Israel’s military actions in the territory, announced that it was restricting exports of 54 types of products to Israel with immediate effect. They include aluminum, steel, construction products, jet fuel and chemical fertilizers. In response, Israel said it was preparing a ban on products from Turkey. The announcements came a day after Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Israel had barred Turkish military cargo planes from joining an operation to airdrop humanitarian aid to Gaza and vowed to respond with a series of measures against Israel until it declares a cease-fire and allows aid to flow in without interruptions. “There is no excuse for Israel to block our attempt to deliver aid by air to starving people of Gaza,” Fidan said.”
Afghanistan
Voice Of America: Taliban's Plans To Curtail Access To Facebook In Afghanistan Alarm Critics
“Media freedom advocates are expressing alarm over the Taliban's proposal to restrict or completely ban access to Facebook in Afghanistan and have urged the fundamentalist rulers to reconsider the move. Najibullah Haqqani, minister of telecommunications and Information, announced last week on a local TV news channel that he has finalized a proposal to limit access to the social media platform, pending approval by the Taliban. The Committee to Protect Journalists, or CPJ, has urged the Taliban not to move ahead on a measure that it said would “further impede the free flow of information in Afghanistan.” In a statement issued on Monday, the U.S.-based advocate of media freedom highlighted Facebook's widespread use by Afghan news outlets to disseminate news and information in the country. “Social media platforms, including Facebook, have helped to fill a void left by the decline of the Afghan media industry since the Taliban’s August 2021 takeover and the ensuing crackdown on press freedom,” said Beh Lih Yi, CPJ’s Asia program coordinator.”
Pakistan
Associated Press: Pakistan Deploys More Than 100,000 Police And Paramilitary Forces Ahead Of Eid Al-Fitr
“Pakistani authorities have deployed more than 100,000 police and paramilitary forces at mosques and marketplaces across the country ahead of the massive Eid al-Fitr holiday, officials said Tuesday. Eid al-Fitr, which means feast, will be celebrated in Pakistan on Wednesday, subject to sighting of the moon. The three-day holiday marks the end of Ramadan, Islam’s holy month of fasting. Though attacks during Eid are rare in Pakistan, Intelligence agencies alerted the Interior Ministry that militants could use the holiday to target civilians, government and military buildings, and compounds housing police, officials said. The country has witnessed a surge in militant attacks in recent years, mostly claimed by Pakistani Taliban and separatists who mainly operate from the southwestern Baluchistan province. Security was also being beefed up at places where high-profile personalities are expected to say their Eid prayers. Taliban spokesperson for the Interior Ministry Abdul Mateen Qani said forces were fully alert to ensure security during Eid al-Fitr in Afghanistan. He said security forces will be deployed in all crowded areas, including mosques.”
Lebanon
Associated Press: Lebanon Official Urges Restrictions On Syrian Refugees After Slaying Blamed On Syrian Gang
“Lebanon’s caretaker interior minister said Tuesday that this week’s slaying of a local politician by what authorities say was a gang of Syrian nationals signals the need to restrict the number of refugees entering the country from neighboring Syria. Bassam Mawlawi also urged Lebanese to show restraint amid flaring tensions over the slaying of Pascale Suleiman of the Christian nationalist Lebanese Forces party, which has prompted anti-Syrian violence and worsened political tensions among deeply divided Lebanese. Lebanese military officials have said the slaying in northern Lebanon was part of a robbery, but Suleiman’s party suspects political motives. The tiny Mediterranean country of over 6 million people, including refugees, hosts what the U.N. refugee agency says are nearly 785,000 U.N.-registered Syrian refugees, of which 90% rely on aid to survive. Lebanese officials estimate the actual number could be as high as 1.5 or 2 million. “We are seeing more crimes committed by Syrians,” Mawlawi said at a news conference following a meeting with security and military officials, adding that some 35% of detainees in Lebanon’s prisons are Syrian nationals.”
Qatar
The Guardian: Qatar Airways Avoids Lawsuit Over Treatment Of Australian Women At Doha Airport
“Qatar Airways has successfully dodged an Australian lawsuit over an incident at Doha airport in which women were forcibly removed from planes by armed guards and some intimately examined. However, while the federal court dismissed the case against the airline, justice John Halley determined the five Australian women bringing the case could instead refile their claims for damages against Matar, a Qatar Airways-owned subsidiary engaged by the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) to run Doha airport. The five women initiated legal action against the airline in 2022, later adding the QCAA and Matar to the case over the October 2020 incident, seeking damages over alleged “unlawful physical contact”, false imprisonment and mental health impacts, including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. They were among more than a dozen passengers who were escorted off the Sydney-bound Qatar Airways plane by armed guards as authorities searched for the mother of a newborn baby found abandoned in a plastic bag at Hamad international airport. The infant survived.”
The Times Of Israel: GOP Senators Introduce Bill Aimed At Downgrading Qatar Ties If It Doesn’t Pressure Hamas
A group of Republican senators has introduced legislation that aims to strip Qatar of its status as a major non-NATO ally (MNNA) of the US if Doha doesn’t exert all leverage it has over Hamas to secure the release of the American hostages in Gaza, in addition to expelling all members of the terror group currently residing in the Gulf state. The bill co-sponsored by Senators Ted Budd, Rick Scott and Joni Ernst would require US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to certify that it is in the national interest of the US for Qatar to maintain its designation as a major non-NATO ally; that Qatar does not directly or indirectly provide aid to Hamas; that it is sufficiently pressuring Hamas to release the hostages; and that it has expelled Hamas members along with all others involved in the October 7 attack on Israel. “If the secretary of state cannot make this certification in good faith, then the president is required to immediately terminate the designation of the State of Qatar as a major non-NATO ally,” says the legislation.”
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