Eye on Extremism
April 23, 2020
The
National: Experts Warn That High-Profile ISIS Terror Arrest In Spain
Shows Group Is Using Virus Lockdowns To Move Around
Europe
“The terrorist cell in Germany had been raising funds for attacks
on US forces stationed there. Nikita Malik, director of the Centre on
Radicalisation and Terrorism at the Henry Jackson Society, has given a
warning that more terrorists could be using the pandemic to cross the
continent and is urging authorities to be vigilant. “If Abdel Majed
Abdel Bary has been hiding in Europe, this raises the possibility that
there could be many other ISIS suspects who are still unaccounted
for,” she said. “Covid-19 will allow suspected terrorists to hide
indoors, and to travel outside undercover. “While those monitored by
the authorities are less likely to present a threat during this
period, the police must remain vigilant to those who are off the radar
or may be using distractions to smuggle into Europe. “It is therefore
imperative that intelligence is shared between countries to ensure
that current gaps are not exploited by terrorists.” Earlier this
month, judicial agency Eurojust said the number of terrorist
investigations had risen by 14 per cent over the last year. It said it
dealt with 222 terrorism cases last year, compared with 191 in 2018.
The Counter Extremism Project says extremist groups are continuing to
plot attacks. “The arrest of an ISIS-linked cell in Germany on April
15 is a reminder of that reality," it said. "The suspects were also
reportedly involved in raising funds for their planned attacks,
demonstrating that terror financing activities remain ongoing despite
the economic slowdown.” Ms Malik has also said the terrorist plots
could target emergency workers during the Covid-19 outbreak.
“Regarding infrastructure – they will likely target hospitals or
deliberately infect police officers,” she said.”
France
24: Dozens Die In Clashes Across Afghanistan As US Struggles To Broker
Taliban Cease-Fire
“Clashes between Afghan forces and Taliban militants killed dozens
nationwide over the past 24 hours, authorities said on Wednesday, even
as the United States tries to broker peace talks between the warring
sides. Eight security force members were killed in a Taliban attack on
a checkpoint at the Mes Aynak Copper Mine in eastern Logar province on
Tuesday evening, Abdul Qadeer Mutfi, a spokesman for Afghanistan's
Mine and Petroleum Ministry, said in a tweet. The insurgent group also
attacked several checkpoints in northern Sar-e-Pul province,
provincial governor spokesman Zabihullah Amani said, killing 11 Afghan
security force members, wounding 19 and resulting in one being
captured by the Taliban. Attacks are threatening to derail a fragile
peace process, with the Taliban rejecting the Afghan government’s
repeated calls for a ceasefire as the country also attempts to deal
with a growing coronavirus outbreak and prisoner exchanges to take
place with an eye to formal peace talks. After a week-long reduction
in violence leading up to the signing of a troop withdrawal agreement
with the United States in February, the Taliban resumed attacks on
Afghan forces, though it has held back on attacking foreign
forces.”
The
Guardian: Fears Of Rise In UK Terrorist Recruits As
Anti-Radicalisation Referrals Collapse
“Counter-terrorism officials fear a rise in terrorist recruits
after a collapse in referrals to the UK’s main anti-radicalisation
scheme during the lockdown, as extremists pump out propaganda urging
British attacks. The Guardian understands referrals to Prevent are
down by more than 50% since the lockdown started on 23 March,
according to official figures yet to be made public. Counter-terrorism
officials fear a crucial defence is being weakened with young people
spending more time online alone and unsupervised since schools and
colleges closed. Ch Supt Nik Adams, the national coordinator for
Prevent, said: “What concerns me greatly is that the decline in the
number of referrals doesn’t mean that there are fewer people that need
our help, but that fewer people are able to access the support they
need. “Schools, mental health workers and other public services
provide vital support and protection to young and vulnerable people,
and the combination of those services being impacted by Covid-19 and
the fact people are spending more time online means a small number of
vulnerable people are at greater risk of being drawn towards terrorist
activity.”
Syria
The
New York Times: Warning Shots: Israel Spares Hezbollah Fighters To
Avert A War
“When the missile exploded near the black Jeep Cherokee, three
Hezbollah operatives leapt out and ran for cover. A moment later,
appearing to know they had time, they returned to get their bags, and
strolled away before a second missile obliterated the SUV. No one was
killed or wounded in the Israeli attack on the Hezbollah team in Syria
last week, but that was the point. According to several current and
former Israeli and Middle Eastern officials, Israel has adopted a
policy of warning Hezbollah operatives in Syria before bombing their
convoys to avoid killing them and risking a devastating war in
Lebanon. The attack, which was caught on closed-circuit video, exposed
a new wrinkle in the informal rules of engagement between Israel and
Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group, as both sides prepare for what
could be the next big war while trying to avoid setting it off.
Israel’s policy of pre-strike warnings in Syria, which has not been
previously reported, reflects its fear of engaging Hezbollah’s vast
rocket arsenal even as it tries to draw a red line to prevent
Hezbollah from acquiring and developing precision-guided missiles,
which it sees as a strategic threat.”
Al
Monitor: Turkish-Backed Rebels Fight Each Other In Ras Al-Ain,
Syria
“Turkish-backed Syrian rebel groups are fighting themselves in the
border town of Ras al-Ain, which is experiencing renewed violence
since Turkey ended its major military operations in northeast Syria in
November. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Ahrar
al-Sharqiya and the al-Mutassim Brigade began fighting with machine
guns and rocket launchers Monday. The Syrian state news agency SANA
also reported fighting between the two groups. Both the observatory
and the news agency reported casualties among the fighters. Ras al-Ain
is near the border with Turkey and has a population of Arabs and
Kurds. The Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) took the city in
2013. In 2019, Turkey and its Syrian rebel allies in the Syrian
National Army (SNA) took the city from the YPG. Turkey began its
incursion into northeast Syria in October because it considers the YPG
to be an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has
fought Ankara for decades inside Turkey. The groups in the SNA
originally fought the Syrian government in the civil war. The SNA was
formed in 2017 and since then has largely battled the YPG for
territory in northeast Syria, though it has fought the Syrian army and
the Islamic State as well.”
Afghanistan
Stars
And Stripes: Suspected Head Of ISIS Shadow Court Arrested In
Afghanistan, Officials Say
“A senior member of the Islamic State’s Afghanistan affiliate has
been arrested, the latest high-profile member of the group to be
detained this month, local officials said Wednesday. Muneeb, a fighter
with several aliases, was captured by forces from the National
Directorate of Security, the country’s main intelligence agency said
in a statement. The Pakistani national, a former al-Qaida member who
shifted allegiance to Islamic State – Khorasan Province, was a member
of ISIS-K’s central council and headed its shadow court, Afghan
officials said. In a recorded confession released by the NDS, a man
who says he’s Muneeb also admits to working to strengthen ties between
ISIS-K and other terrorist groups. NDS officials would not say exactly
when and where Muneeb was captured. The arrest comes less than three
weeks after the NDS announced it had arrested ISIS-K leader Abdullah
Orakzai and over a dozen other militants from the group. Sustained
American airstrikes, security forces operations and fighting between
ISIS-K and the Taliban led to the surrenders of roughly 300 ISIS-K
fighters in the final months of 2019. In January, the U.S. military
said in a report that the group’s stronghold in eastern Nangarhar
province was “dismantled.”
Voice
Of America: Taliban Quiet On Afghan Government Call For A Cease-Fire
During Ramadan
“The Taliban has yet to respond to an Afghan government call for a
temporary truce during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which begins
on Friday. Experts say the insurgents are likely to continue their
attacks against government forces. In a press conference on Tuesday,
Abdul Hakim Munib, the Afghan minister for hajj and religious affairs,
called for the cease-fire, which he said will also enable the
government to better respond to the “common threat” of the coronavirus
pandemic. The Taliban have rejected similar calls in the past. In
2018, the group only agreed to a cease-fire during Eid al-Fitr, the
three-day holiday that marks the end of Ramadan. “It is unlikely (the
Taliban) would offer an entire month of cease-fire,” said Andrew
Watkins, a senior Afghanistan analyst at the International Crisis
Group. Watkins said a temporary suspension of fighting could be “the
greatest leverage that the Taliban has when it comes to negotiating
with the Afghan government.” He said the group may want to delay using
the leverage for a more strategic objective. Watkins said another
reason the Taliban would refuse a truce is fear of not being able to
maintain control of its own organization during a prolonged
cease-fire.”
Pakistan
The
New York Times: India Troops Kill 4 Rebels In Kashmir Amid Virus
Lockdown
“Indian government forces killed four rebels in a gunbattle in
disputed Kashmir during a stringent lockdown to combat the
coronavirus, the Indian army said Wednesday. The fighting broke out in
a village in southern Shopian district as counterinsurgency police and
soldiers raided a house on a tip that militants were hiding there late
Tuesday night, said army spokesman Col. Rajesh Kalia. During the
gunfight, troops blew up the house with explosives, a common tactic by
security forces, residents said. India has continued its
counterinsurgency operations across Kashmir despite a coronavirus
lockdown. Militants also have not ceased their attacks on government
forces and alleged informants. On Sunday, militants attacked a
paramilitary post and killed three soldiers. The latest violence comes
amid near daily fighting between Pakistani and Indian soldiers along
the highly militarized frontier that divides Kashmir between the two
rivals. Officer Amritpal Singh said police had not yet identified the
slain militants. Residents posting on social media said they were
local rebels. Last week, police secretly buried the bodies of two
militants as “unidentified” in a faraway graveyard despite their
families seeking to claim them.”
Yemen
Yemen
Online: Clash In Yemen Leaves 8 Dead
“A local government military source said that a clash that took
place between Houthi militants and the Yemeni army in Bayda province
of Yemen on Tuesday has resulted in the death of eight. The source,
who wished to remain anonymous, said that “A soldier and seven
militiamen were killed during today's battle in al-Sawma'ah district”.
Adding that “The fighting erupted after the Houthi militia launched a
surprise attack on the troops' positions”. Yahya Sarea, Houthi
military spokesman, said that the clash started as the government
troops tried to attack the areas that Houthis control. He said in a
statement that “Our fighters managed today to repel an attempt of
advance (by the government troops) in al-Sawma'ah district of al-Bayda
province”, without providing more details.”
Middle East
The
National: Hezbollah Suffers Blow To Funding From Iran Amid
Pandemic
“Lebanese militant group Hezbollah is set to lose 40 per cent of
its income from Iran after the dramatic fall in oil prices as a result
of coronavirus, a leading expert in terrorist finance said on
Wednesday. But the group’s financing has become so sophisticated that
it can rely on significant income from activities in Europe through
fundraising that includes fake orphanages. There are now renewed calls
for more European governments to proscribe both Hezbollah’s political
and military wings as terrorist organisations to clamp down on the
funding. The blow to funding has emerged in a paper on Hezbollah's
finances by Dr Matthew Levitt, a former FBI analyst. The huge drop in
oil prices, US President Donald Trump's “maximum pressure” campaign
and sanctions on Iran has meant that funding could be cut by $280
million (Dh1.02 billion) from an estimated annual $700m. Dr Levitt,
speaking to an online seminar hosted by the Royal United Services
Institute, said that on three previous occasions Tehran has “very
suddenly cut back its financing for Hezbollah” by 40 per cent,
according to Israeli intelligence. “I should imagine it’s happening
again,” he said. Sanctions and a need to focus on internal domestic
issues, including the Covid-19 crisis that has infected 86,000
Iranians, has probably forced Iran to cut funding.”
The
Jerusalem Post: Shin Bet Arrests Hamas Operatives Planning Terror
Attacks In Jerusalem
“The Shin Bet, in cooperation with the IDF and the Israel Police,
arrested three Hamas operatives who were planning to commit several
terror attacks against security forces and Israelis in Jerusalem and
Ramallah area. 27-year-old Ahmed Sjadiyeh, 26-year-old Mohammad Hamed
and 24-year-old Omer Eid met during their studies at the Bir Zeyt
University, and were a part of Hamas' central student's union in the
West Bank. The three attempted to created home-made explosive devices
by downloading instructions from the internet and bough several
chemicals and metals to accomplish their task. Their plans included
bombing the Beitar Jerusalem soccer stadium in Jerusalem as well as
several other terror attacks against Israeli security forces in the
West Bank. To achieve this task, Eid was sent to the stadium on
December 4, during a soccer match and review the security and possible
ways to commit their act. The three were funded by Hamas through
another member of the university, who is currently imprisoned in
Israel. The funds amounted to tens of thousands of shekels.”
Africa
The
New York Times: Cameroon's President Acknowledges Army Massacre Of
Civilians
“Cameroon's President Paul Biya has acknowledged that the military
massacred innocent people, including women and children, in a
northwestern village in February after the government first denied it.
“The corpses of the three women and 10 children, whom the military
killed and tried to cover up their actions by also torching several
houses and blaming separatist fighters, will be exhumed for the state
to conduct decent burials,” a statement from Biya's office said. The
president has asked for legal action, it said. Three soldiers have
already been arrested. Innocent Laban, a spokesman for the people of
the English-speaking northwestern village of Ngarr-buh who escaped
fighting between armed separatists and the military, said he was
pleased that Biya was for once acknowledging that troops have
committed atrocities. Laban called on Biya to apologize to the rights
groups he accused of fabricating the massacre to tarnish the
military's image. “This declaration comes to confirm the fact that the
Cameroonian military is so unprofessional. A military that is killing
the people rather than protecting them,” he said. “This comes to show
us that human rights activists are doing a good job.” On the night of
Feb. 14, residents said, soldiers raided their village and killed
dozens of people.”
Human
Rights Watch: Burkina Faso: New Massacres By Islamist Armed
Groups
“Suspected Islamist armed groups in Burkina Faso killed at least 90
civilians in 3 attacks on villages in late January 2020 that forced
thousands to flee, Human Rights Watch said today. The attacks, between
January 17 and 25, accelerated government plans to create a new
militia force, raising concerns of future abuses. The killings in
Rofénèga, Nagraogo, and Silgadji villages occurred amid a surge in
armed group attacks in the center and north of the country and the
growth of Islamist armed groups linked to Al-Qaeda and to the Islamic
State in the Greater Sahel (ISGS). The violence had displaced over
775,000 people by the end of March. Human Rights Watch is also
investigating the February 16 attack on Pansi village, allegedly by
armed Islamists, which left over 20 civilians dead. “The massacre of
scores of civilians by Islamist armed groups shows their utter
disregard for human life,” said Jonathan Pedneault, crisis and
conflict researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Armed group leaders should
immediately stop and denounce such attacks against civilians.” Human
Rights Watch previously documented Islamist armed group attacks that
killed more than 250 civilians between April and December 2019, as
well as dozens of cases in which government security forces summarily
executed men in their custody for their alleged support of the groups,
most recently during an incident on April 9 in Djibo.”
United Kingdom
The
Telegraph: Coronavirus Lockdown Could Be Good News For Terrorist
Recruiters, Police Warn
“The coronavirus lockdown could prove a fertile recruiting ground
for online jihadists and other extremists, a leading Counter Terror
officer has warned. With millions of youngsters at home, unable to
attend school or other facilities, it is feared terrorists could be
exploiting the situation by seeking to groom and radicalise them.
Since the start of the lockdown last month there has been around a 50
per cent drop in the number of young people being referred to Prevent,
the government’s deradicalisation programme. But counter-terror
specialists believe that rather than going away, the problem is simply
hidden behind closed doors and could even be getting worse because of
the sense of isolation and boredom many teenagers are feeling...”
Germany
The
Jerusalem Post: German Intel Agency Probes Anti-Israel Magazine For
‘Right-Wing Extremism’
“Germany’s federal intelligence agency last month announced it
launched a probe into the magazine Compact because it allegedly
spreads xenophobia and conspiracy theories. “We have also declared
Compact-Magazin GmbH a suspected case,” Federal Office for the
Protection of the Constitution President Thomas Haldenwang said. “The
magazine uses revisionist conspiracy theory and xenophobic motives.”
The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution is roughly
equivalent to the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency). Haldenwang’s
remarks about Compact took place at a press conference on Germany’s
current “fight against right-wing extremism.” Former Iranian president
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad welcomed the editor-in-chief of Compact, Jürgen
Elsässer, during a 2012 formal state visit in Tehran. Elsässer issued
a “congratulatory” wish to Ahmadinejad on his reelection in 2009.
Iranian democrats protested the result of the election at the time
because it was reportedly marred with widespread fraud and misconduct.
That same year, Elsässer expressed support for the annual
Iranian-regime sponsored Al-Quds Day rally in Germany, which calls for
the destruction of Israel and is attended by Hezbollah activists,
supporters of Iran’s mullah regime and neo-Nazis.”
Southeast Asia
The
Straits Times: Risk Of Home-Grown Terrorism In Hong Kong, Security
Chief Says
“Hong Kong's Security Secretary John Lee yesterday said the
Chinese-ruled city was facing the risk of “home-grown terrorism” after
several police reports of finding explosive materials. It was unclear
whether any of the incidents were related to the anti-government
protests that rattled Hong Kong last year before pausing in recent
months amid curbs to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The latest
incident involved a suspected homemade explosive device mailed in an
envelope to police headquarters. Police said it could have injured
anyone within 1m. They said an explosive ordnance disposal team dealt
with it and evacuation was deemed unnecessary. In recent months, the
police have said they had discovered explosive substances and devices
across the city, including in a downtown school and on train tracks
near the mainland border. They said some homemade devices were
discovered at protest sites last year and during raids of homes where
protesters were arrested. “I want to remind people of the risk of
rising home-grown terrorism,” Mr Lee told reporters. “Some might die
because of bombs, buildings might be demolished.” “I asked police and
other law enforcement agencies to strengthen the work related to
that,” he added, saying that this could include using
terrorism-financing legislation to freeze the assets of those
involved.”
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