The British government has transferred evidence to the United States against
two notorious Islamic State detainees from Britain accused of playing a

 

 


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Eye on Extremism


September 23, 2020

 

The New York Times: British Give U.S. Evidence Against ISIS ‘Beatles,’
Clearing Way For Trial
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“The British government has transferred evidence to the United States against
two notorious Islamic State detainees from Britain accused of playing a role in
the torture and beheadings of Western hostages, apparently clearing the way for
putting them on trial. The transfer followed a ruling by the United Kingdom
High Court on Tuesday rejecting a new legal challenge to the British government
cooperating with the United States, which one detainee’s mother had filed. “We
are pleased with the U.K. High Court’s decision and we are grateful that the
British government has passed its evidence to us and confirmed its commitment
to cooperate with our efforts to investigate and prosecute the two ISIS
terrorists currently being held in U.S. military custody,” said Marc Raimondi,
a Justice Department spokesman. He added, “We remain committed to holding these
defendants accountable and obtaining justice for the victims of their terrorist
activity.” The two men, El Shafee Elsheikh and Alexanda Kotey, were captured by
a Kurdish-led militia in early 2018. Last October, amid swelling chaos in
northern Syria after President Trump’s endorsement of a Turkish operation to
attack the militia, the Syrian Democratic Forces, American troops took custody
of the men and brought them to a military base in Iraq.”

 

The Guardian: Asio Reveals Up To 40% Of Its Counter-Terrorism Cases Involve
Far-Right Violent Extremism
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“Far-right violent extremism constitutes up to 40% of the Australian domestic
spy agency’s counter-terrorism caseload, up from 10-15% before 2016, a senior
official has said. The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation’s
extraordinary increase in focus on the far right in Australia was revealed by
its deputy director general of intelligence service delivery, Heather Cook, at
a parliamentary inquiry on Tuesday. Cook also warned the Covid-19 pandemic had
created both a greater opportunity for far-right extremists to recruit online
and a powerful anti-government message for those that resent lockdowns to
combat the pandemic. In the wake of the Christchurch massacre, Asio has been
blunt about the risk from far-right terrorism, labelling it an “enduring
threat” that is “real and growing”. Asio’s quantification of its concern at a
parliamentary joint committee on intelligence and security will play into
Labor’s critique that the government has not done enough to combat the threat,
failing to proscribe any rightwing extremist groups. Cook told the committee
she would not give “specific numbers” of people under investigation but said
“rightwing violent extremism … occupies approximately between 30 and 40% of
Asio’s current caseload in counter-terrorism work … an increase from 10 to 15%
prior to 2016.”

 

United States

 

ABC San Antonio: FBI: Man Arrested In San Antonio For Providing Support To
ISIS, Discussing Possible Terror Attacks On U.S. Soil
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“A Gonzales County man arrested by the FBI in San Antonio this week is accused
of providing support to ISIS and discussed carrying out attacks in the United
States and overseas on behalf of the terrorist group, federal court records
reveal. Jaylyn Molina, who also refers to himself as “Abdur Rahim,” faces a
charge of conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign
terrorist organization, according to an unsealed criminal complaint filed in
San Antonio. Molina was taken into custody Monday and is scheduled to make an
appearance in federal court in San Antonio early next week, records show. A
co-defendant, Kristopher Matthews, was taken into custody in Tennessee,
including a motion to unseal records in the case filed Monday. A 14-page
criminal complaint states that Matthews, a resident of Elgin, South Carolina,
who refers to himself as “Ali Jibreel,” used an encrypted messaging application
last year to find an ISIS facilitator outside the U.S. to help him travel to
Syria and recruit additional members who support ISIS ideology. FBI officials
became aware that Molina joined the same encrypted chat around April, and
within weeks, he was using it to post manuals on how to train with an AK-47,
records show.”

 

The Jerusalem Post: House Passes Bill That Requires Government Act Against
Domestic Terrorism
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“The federal government would be required to take steps to prevent domestic
terrorism under a bill passed by the US House of Representatives. The Domestic
Terrorism Prevention Act of 2020, which passed Monday by voice vote, would
authorize dedicated domestic terrorism offices in the departments of Homeland
Security and Justice, as well as the FBI, to analyze and monitor domestic
terrorist activity. Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Illinois, sponsored the legislation,
which had 179 co-sponsors. Sen. Dick Durbin, also an Illinois Democrat, has
sponsored a similar measure in the Senate. “Racially/ethnically motivated
violent extremists were the primary source of ideologically motivated lethal
incidents and violence in 2018 and 2019. From the Tree of Life synagogue to a
Walmart in El Paso, Texas, we have all tragically seen the deadly effect,”
Schneider said Monday from the House floor. “According to the Southern Poverty
Law Center, the number of white nationalist groups rose by 55% since 2017. And
last November, the FBI reported violent hate crimes reached a 16-year high in
2018. That number went up in 2019. “Groups like the Boogaloos, Rise Above
Movement and White Nationalist militias across the country are organizing. And
so must we.”

 

Syria

 

Voice Of America: Families Of Missing IS Victims Beg For Answers As New Mass
Graves Discovered In Northeast Syria
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“As local authorities in northeastern Syria announce the discovery of new mass
graves belonging to the victims of Islamic State in Raqqa, families whose loved
ones disappeared during the group’s control over the region hope they might
finally get some answers. The First Responders, a rescue and recovery team in
northeastern Syria, earlier this month announced finding a mass grave in the
western outskirt of Raqqa’s Farusiya, raising the number of discovered sites to
five this year.  Following the announcement and the recovery of 16 bodies from
the grave, the families of the victims are calling on authorities to prioritize
a speedy identification process of the remains. “The coalition and the Syrian
Democratic Forces (SDF) must support The First Responders team with technical
support so they would be able to verify the identities of the bodies found in
mass graves and under the rubble of buildings that were destroyed during the
battle to defeat IS in the city of Raqqa,” said Ensaf Nasser who has been
looking for her husband since IS kidnapped him in 2014. Nasser’s husband, Foad
Ahmed el-Mohamed, was a local journalist taking pictures of wounded civilians
at Aisha Hospital in Deir el-Zour city when IS militants broke in and took him
away.”

 

Iraq

 

Asharq Al-Awsat: Iraqi Security Forces Thwart ISIS Infiltration Attempt On
Border
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“The Iraqi National Security Forces thwarted an infiltration attempt of ISIS
terrorists on the western border with Syria, in Nineveh. The Security Media
Cell issued a statement Monday, announcing that units of the National Security
Agency received intelligence information about possible infiltrations in
various spots. The intelligence teams set several ambushes and were able to
arrest three terrorists, including a Syrian national. During interrogation,
they admitted to being members of the ISIS terrorist organization and that they
participated in most of the battles against the Iraqi forces. Based on their
confessions, the terrorists were planning to form new military detachments to
carry out terrorist operations. In addition, the intelligence agency announced
that it arrested 10 terrorists in Saladin governorate, north of Baghdad. The
agency said in a statement that through continuous monitoring, its units
arrested 10 wanted terrorists, in accordance with the provisions of Article 4
of the constitution, for their affiliation with ISIS in separate areas of the
governorate. The security units also coordinated with Sulaymaniyah security
forces and arrested two terrorists while trying to flee to one of the
neighboring countries.”

 

Turkey

 

The Jerusalem Post: Turkey’s Relationship With ISIS Proves It's Deserting Its
European Allies
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“With Turkey’s increasingly divisive and destabilizing influence in the Middle
East, the region’s biggest concern for the West yet could be President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan’s burgeoning Islamist tendencies. In order to understand the
Turkish role in the threat of ISIS, borne from the Muslim Brotherhood, it is
necessary to rewind six years. 2014 marked the year when ISIS became a very
real threat to the Middle East; within one year it had managed to take over a
third of Iraq and half of Syria, employing 200,000 fighters in its control.
ISIS quickly became successful in producing oil and selling it as an important
source of income, not to mention that it was able to ensure a constant supply
of weapons, ammunition, vehicles and advanced communication devices. The
question is, how was it possible for ISIS to become a functioning state so
quickly? With its increasing connections to Turkey over the years, whether
through its oil industry or housing wanted members of the Muslim Brotherhood,
this “neighborly” relationship is one that is repeatedly examined for
consequences and decisions that Turkey is instrumental in today.”

 

Afghanistan

 

BBC News: Afghan-Taliban Peace Talks: What's Next?
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“History took a front seat at the table this month when Afghan enemies
formally sat face to face for the first time to embark on negotiations to end
what is now regarded as the world's deadliest conflict. “We'll start
introductions on the left,” suggested Masoom Stanikzai, the grey-bearded chief
negotiator of the Afghan government's chosen delegation who only just survived
a suicide attack nine years ago by bombers posing as messengers of peace. From
the other long table, on the other side of the glittering Qatari ballroom,
another Stanikzai of no relation loudly interjected with a grin. “You always do
things from the left,” chimed in the white-bearded deputy head of the Taliban
team, Abbas Stanikzai. “We mujahideen start from the right always.” In an
instant, in these very first moments, would-be peacemakers were pulled back to
days gone by when they brandished banners for communism or Islam - a violent
war of words which sparked the Soviet invasion of 1979 and a fire which kills
and maims across Afghanistan to this day. History has left its calling card in
these talks which are as emotional as they are historic. Forty-two negotiators,
one for every painful year of war, are now charged with the Herculean task of
turning this page.”

 

The National: Afghan Violence 'Too High' Says US As Kabul-Taliban Talks Falter
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“The level of violence in Afghanistan is unacceptably high and the United
States expects further setbacks during talks, the Special Representative for
Afghanistan said on Tuesday, as the Afghan government and Taliban remain far
apart on even the most basic issues 10 days into talks meant to end two decades
of war. “By any measure, current levels of violence are too high,” US Special
Envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad told a House of Representatives hearing.
“We know that reductions are possible,” Mr Khalilzad said. Despite the
difficulties, the talks are the best hope for peace in years and come as a
result of a February pact between the Taliban and the United States, allowing
US forces to withdraw in exchange for Taliban promises on terrorism. But the
militant group has refused to agree to a ceasefire and the war is grinding on.
At least 57 members of the security forces have been killed in recent days in
clashes across Afghanistan. With all foreign troops due to be gone by May 2021,
pressure is building on the US-backed government in Kabul as it grapples with
how to share power with its implacable foe or contend with a likely Taliban
push for military victory.”

 

Foreign Policy: The Taliban, At Least, Are Striking Gold In Afghanistan
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“For decades, Afghanistan’s untapped mineral wealth has been touted as the
country’s trillion-dollar El Dorado. But while the Afghan government has never
been able to monetize mountains of copper, iron ore, gold, and gemstones, the
Taliban have—and are ramping up their mining operations as just-started peace
talks aim to shape the future of a postwar Afghanistan. In recent years, the
Taliban have deliberately moved to secure control over regions of Afghanistan
rich in mineral deposits, from lapis lazuli mines in northern Badakhshan to
gold, lead, and zinc in Helmand and vast talc and marble deposits in southern
Nangarhar. The Taliban, who already control most of the country’s mineral
wealth, are banking on further developing the sector to make it the bedrock of
the country’s postwar economy—or theirs, at least.”

 

Yemen

 

Arab News: US Calls On Houthis To Halt Attacks On Saudi Arabia
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“The US on Tuesday called on Houthi militants in Yemen to stop launching
attacks on Saudi Arabia. The State Department said it was “deeply concerned” by
the Iran-backed group’s aggression, including attacks on Marib city. The
statement comes after the militants have increased drone and missile attacks on
Saudi Arabia in recent weeks and as the UN continues to push for a political
settlement to the conflict. “The United States remains deeply concerned by the
Houthis’ aggression, supported by Iranian weapons shipments in violation of UN
arms embargoes,” State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said. “We call on
the Houthis to immediately cease their cross-border attacks against Saudi
Arabia and halt their attacks on the city of Marib, where nearly a million
Yemenis have sought refuge since the beginning of the war.” The strongly-worded
warning also called on the Houthis to stop  the “disgraceful treatment of
journalists, opposition activists, and Yemeni Jews.” And it contained the
latest warning over a stricken oil tanker off Yemen’s coast which experts
increasingly fear could explode and spark an environmental disaster.”

 

Lebanon

 

The Wall Street Journal: Explosion Rocks Hezbollah Stronghold In Southern
Lebanon
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“A large explosion shook a Hezbollah stronghold in southern Lebanon on
Tuesday, sending a thick plume of smoke over a country still reeling from the
deadly Beirut explosion last month that devastated parts of the capital. Smoke
was seen rising from the area surrounding the towns of Ain Qana and Kafarfila,
the state-run National News Agency reported, saying echoes of the blast were
heard across the regions of Nabatiyeh and Iqlim al-Tuffah. The news agency said
there had been intensive Israeli flights over the area since the morning hours,
but didn’t provide any other details. Neither the cause of the blast nor
whether there were casualties was immediately clear. It comes after security
lapses led to the Aug. 4 explosion at Beirut’s port, which killed nearly 200
people, injured more than 6,000 and left thousands of homes in ruins. Tuesday’s
explosion was in an area controlled by Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Shiite
group that in recent years has become the dominant political and military force
in Lebanon. Video footage from the scene showed residents of the village
clambering over an area near the blast site that was covered with gray ash. An
official with Hezbollah’s media unit said no casualties were recorded in the
blast.”

 

Libya

 

Reuters: Egypt's Sisi Committed To Ridding Libya Of Militia, Regional
Interference
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“Egypt is committed to helping Libyans “rid their country of armed militias
and terrorist organizations, and put an end to the blatant interference of some
regional parties,” Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi told the United
Nations General Assembly on Tuesday. Libya descended into chaos after the
NATO-backed overthrow of leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Since 2014, it has
been split, with an internationally recognized government controlling the
capital, Tripoli, and the northwest, while military leader Khalifa Haftar in
Benghazi rules the east. Haftar is supported by the United Arab Emirates, Egypt
and Russia, while the government is backed by Turkey.”

 

Somalia

 

The Washington Times: Al-Shabab Negotiations Eyed As Path To End Fighting In
Somalia
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“Unprecedented diplomacy gave the Trump administration a path out of
Afghanistan, and questions have been raised about whether a similar playbook
could work for the seemingly endless U.S. military mission in Somalia. Most
analysts and military insiders say the U.S. air campaign against the al Qaeda
affiliate al-Shabab, which has expanded steadily throughout President Trump’s
nearly four years in office, can contain the group but not fully defeat it.
With al-Shabab estimated to control as much as 25% of Somali territory, and
with a central government in Mogadishu ill-equipped to handle the resilient
terrorist group on its own, debate is growing in foreign policy circles about
whether the U.S. should shift its focus to negotiations rather than a war with
no end date and murky metrics for progress. The question has grown more urgent
with serious setbacks in recent years for al Qaeda and the Islamic State group.
Al-Shabab’s ability to hold its own in the field is proving an inspiration to
jihadi movements in Africa and around the world. The State Department stresses
that “reconciliation” among all stakeholders in Somalia is key to peace in the
historically dysfunctional country. Officials in the administration have
routinely conceded that military action alone isn’t the answer.”

 

Africa

 

Associated Press: Extremist Violence Causes Food Shortages In North Mozambique
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“The escalating extremist insurgency in northern Mozambique has displaced
310,000 people, creating an urgent humanitarian crisis, the World Food Program
said Tuesday. The rebels have recently stepped up attacks in Mozambique’s
northern Cabo Delgado province, seizing the strategic port of Mocimboa da
Praia, which they have held for six weeks. Clashes between the extremist
fighters, aligned with the Islamic State group, and government forces have
caused massive numbers of local residents to flee their homes and fields. The
conflict has killed more than 1,500 people since it began in 2017 and the
increased violence this year has caused widespread upheaval across the area.
“We are deeply concerned about the unfolding humanitarian situation in Cabo
Delgado where conflict and violence have left people without access to food and
livelihoods,” Antonella D’Aprile, the World Food Program’s representative for
Mozambique, said Tuesday. “The growing insecurity and poor infrastructure have
meant that reaching out to people in need has become harder and now with
COVID-19 the crisis becomes even more complex,” she said. The threat of hunger
has grown in Mozambique’s north as entire communities have lost access to food
and income, warns WFP.”

 



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