Eye on Extremism
July 12, 2019
The
Washington Post: Judge Oks Phone Seizures In New York City Bike Path
Attack
“Prosecutors can show jurors at a terrorism trial the contents of
two phones found in a truck used to kill eight people on a New York
City bike path, a judge ruled Thursday. U.S. District Judge Vernon S.
Broderick rejected efforts by lawyers for Sayfullo Saipov to toss out
the evidence, saying a search warrant used to learn the contents of
the phones was supported by probable cause. Saipov, 31, is scheduled
to stand trial next March in the Oct. 31, 2017, attack. He has pleaded
not guilty and could face the death penalty, if convicted. Authorities
say Saipov was arrested after emerging from the truck carrying a
pellet gun and a paintball gun and shouting an Arabic phrase, “Allahu
Akbar,” meaning “God is Great.” He was shot by a police officer and
arrested at the scene. In his ruling, Broderick noted one of the
phones was ringing when it was recovered from the truck.”
Arab
News: Deadly Clashes, Car Blast In Northwest Syria Leave 84
Dead
“Regime forces and allied Syrian fighters were locked in clashes on
Thursday on the edge of an opposition bastion in northwest Syria after
an opposition-led advance that killed 71 fighters overnight, a monitor
said. Russian and regime aircraft have ramped up their deadly
bombardment of the Idlib region — administered by Syria’s former
Al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) — since late April,
despite a months-old international truce deal. Clashes have also raged
on the edges of the region, including in the north of Hama province.
Late Wednesday, HTS and allied opposition fighters took control of
Hamameyat village and hilltop, in clashes that killed 41 regime troops
and 30 opposition fighters, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights
said. “The fighting is ongoing as regime planes and artillery pound
the area,” the head of the Britain-based monitor Rami Abdel Rahman
said on Thursday morning.”
Fox
News: Indiana Brothers Accused Of Trying To Support
ISIS
“A federal grand jury on Thursday indicted two Indiana brothers for
allegedly attempting to provide firearms and other support to
the Islamic State (ISIS). Moyad Dannon, 21, and Mahde Dannon, 20, both
of Fishers, appeared in U.S. District Court in Indianapolis, where
they face various firearms-related charges and one count of attempting
to provide material support and resources, including firearms, to the
terrorist group. The younger Dannon was already awaiting trial on
felony theft charges when he introduced his brother to a person
working for the FBI in a scheme to provide firearms to the informant,
the Justice Department said. Federal prosecutors said the pair sold
illegally obtained firearms to the informant between July and December
2018. They began to make “ghost guns,” weapons that can't be traced,
by purchasing firearms parts without serial numbers online and making
.223-caliber semi-automatic rifles. Those rifles were sold to an
undercover FBI agent introduced to the pair by the informant,
according to prosecutors. In February, Moyad Dannon traveled with the
undercover agent to the U.S.-Mexico border to sell rifles to a
potential buyer who said the weapons were going to be shipped to the
Middle East for ISIS.”
The
Jerusalem Post: Argentina To Designate Hezbollah As Terror Group -
Report
“Argentina's government is planning on designating the
Lebanese-based Hezbollah group as a terror organization for its role
in the terror attacks against the Israeli embassy and the AMIA Jewish
community center in Buenos Aires, Argentinian newspaper La
Nacion reported on Tuesday. “We are evaluating different
possibilities. One of them is to pass a decree,” sources in the
Ministry of Security and the Financial Intelligence Unit told the
newspaper. The two entities have been tasked by President Mauricio
Macri to find the “most rapid” solution to achieve the goal of
including the Iranian-backed group in the list of terror
organizations. “We do not have a majority in Parliament, and it would
take too long to pass a law there,” highly-placed sources in the
Argentinian government explained to La Nacion. July 18, 2019, will
mark the 25th anniversary of the bombing of the Argentine Israelite
Mutual Association in the country's capital. The attack left 85 people
killed and 300 injured. The report added that on that day Macri would
pay tribute to the victims with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who
is scheduled to visit the country next week. Pompeo will participate
in the Western Hemisphere Ministerial anti-terrorism summit that the
government of Argentina will host commemorating the bombing on July
19.”
The
National: America Faces A New Counter-Terrorism Problem It Is
Completely Unprepared For
“Now and over the coming five years, prison time for a deluge of
extremists is coming to an end. Unlike other countries, "the United
States has neither established a formal rehabilitation and re-entry
programme for convicted terrorists nor developed infrastructures to
support individuals upon their release", reports a recent study by the
Counter Extremism Project, an international policy organisation.”
Motherboard:
The Nazi-Free Alternative To Twitter Is Now Home To The Biggest Far
Right Social Network
“Mastodon was launched as a decentralized, social justice friendly
Twitter alternative that was free of Nazis and harassment. But two
years later, the biggest Mastodon instance is now Gab, a far-right
social media network known widely as a gathering space for white
supremacists. “Gab has always been attractive to fascist and neo-Nazi
groups that advocate violence,” Joshua Fisher-Birch of the Counter
Extremism Project said. “In the past, Gab has actively promoted itself
as a social media alternative when Twitter has banned extreme right
groups and individuals.”
United States
The
New York Post: Alleged ‘Bike Path Terrorist’ Can’t Keep Cellphones Out
Of Case: Judge
“A judge has denied a bid by the alleged ”bike path terrorist”
accused of killing eight people in a Halloween 2017 truck attack to
exclude evidence gathered from two cell phones he had on him during
the attack — one of which was ringing after police shot him and took
him into custody. Seyfullo Saipov is accused of acting on behalf of
the Islamic State when he allegedly drove a flatbed truck onto the
cycling and pedestrian path on the west side of Lower Manhattan and
the authorities say his phones contain thousands of images of ISIS
propaganda. Saipov could face the death penalty if convicted. It was
revealed in March that investigators had Saipov, who was born in
Uzbekistan, in their sights for yearsbefore the attacks. As for the
incoming call, District Judge Vernon Broderick of the Manhattan
federal court said in his ruling to deny Saipov’s motion to suppress
information found on the phones that it may have been a co-conspirator
calling to discuss the alleged attacks. Saipov, who has pleaded not
guilty to the attacks and is scheduled to go to trial next March, had
argued that the authorities did not have probable cause to get a
search warrant for his phones, which were two of only a few items that
Saipov had with him in the Home Depot truck that he allegedly used to
carry out the attacks on the West Side Highway bike path.”
The
Jerusalem Post: The Us And Hezbollah
“The US took the brave and important step on Tuesday of
blacklisting three Hezbollah operatives, including two sitting members
of Lebanon’s parliament. Former chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot called on
the US to condition its support for the Lebanese Armed Forces on it
intercepting the flow of weapons to Hezbollah, and stopping
Hezbollah’s increasing presence in southern Lebanon. The US move comes
more than a decade after UN Resolution 1701 was supposed to end
Hezbollah’s military and terrorist role in southern Lebanon, and the
weapons trade between Iran and Hezbollah. The resolution called for no
foreign forces in Lebanon without the consent of the government, and
no sales or supply of arms and related material to Lebanon except as
authorized by its government. Nevertheless, Hezbollah has built up an
arsenal of around 150,000 missiles, and has warned that they can
strike everywhere in Israel.”
The
National: Beyond The Headlines: The Minnesota Model For Fighting ISIS
In The US
“Despite waging the war on terror for nearly two decades, America
has never attempted to win the battle of ideas at home. The country
has no federal level counter-extremism programmes and no national
model other than jail time for handling American citizens at home who
support the views of radical groups around the world. With roughly 80
people convicted of supporting terror groups set for release between
now and 2024, there is no national system to reintegrate them into
society or ensure they no longer harbour dreams of joining militant
groups. In Minnesota, many young people in the 100,000 strong
Somali-American population of Minneapolis have been targeted by online
recruiters from groups like ISIS and Al Shabab. Dozens have been
arrested for supporting or trying to join the militants. Even though
ISIS has been defeated on the battlefields of Iraq and Syria, the draw
of the ideology still holds. Now in Minnesota, a small programme is
trying to work with young people drawn to extremism to guide them away
from dangerous groups and reintegrate them into society. This week, we
hear from The National's reporter Stephen Star who spoke with those
running the programme about what they are trying to do and why.”
Syria
The
Defense Post: Syria: Bomb Explodes Outside Church In Qamishli
Christian Neighborhood
“A car bomb that blew up outside a church in a Christian area of
the city of Qamishli in northeast Syria injured nearly a dozen people,
security services in northeast Syria said. Islamic State said it
carried out the bombing, which Syrian state television said wounded 11
people and damaged several cars. Security services have said eight
people were injured, mostly lightly, the Rojava Information Center
told The Defense Post. The bomb exploded just as people were leaving a
Church service around 5:45 p.m. local time (1445 GMT). The bomb went
off at the Virgin Mary church in the majority Christian district of
al-Wasta, which is held by Syrian government forces. ISIS continues to
claim deadly attacks in Syria despite the loss of its last stronghold
of Baghuzin March. Qamishli, which Kurds who make up the majority in
the city call Qamishlo, is the capital of the self declared autonomous
region of North and East Syria. Most of the city is under control of
the Syrian Democratic Forces, a mixed Kurdish-Arab militia that is
supported by the U.S.-led Coalition in the fight against ISIS,
although parts of the city are also under the control of the Syrian
government.”
Voice
Of America: Women In Syria's Raqqa Enjoy Newfound Freedoms After
Islamic State
“Women in the Syrian city of Raqqa say their lifestyle drastically
changed after U.S.-backed forces freed their city from the Islamic
State terror group. The Syrian Democratic Forces liberated the city in
October 2017. Since then, Raqqa residents have been determined to
bring a sense of normalcy back to their city, which was once the de
facto capital of IS's self-proclaimed caliphate. Throughout the
partially restored market in downtown Raqqa, shops selling women's
clothing and cosmetics now openly showcase their merchandise,
something unthinkable during IS rule. “Now, I can exhibit anything I
want in front of my store,” said a 37-year-old man who owns a women's
boutique. “When Daesh was here, we had to hide things like revealing
clothes and lingerie in the back of the store. Men couldn't sell these
things to women, so we had to hire women to sell to other women,” he
told VOA, using the Arabic acronym for Islamic State. Under IS rule,
strict social codes were imposed on the local population. Men and
women who were not related weren't allowed to interact. Women, in
particular, were required to wear black dresses covering their entire
bodies and faces. Those who disobeyed received harsh punishments,
including imprisonment and flogging.”
Iran
The
Hill: It's Time To Hold Iran Accountable For Terrorism In
Argentina
“Twenty five years ago this month, the world watched in horror as
rescuers in Buenos Aires picked through the rubble of a Jewish
community center, searching for survivors of a suicide bombing that
leveled the building, killing 85 people, including a five-year-old
boy, and wounding 300 more. Every year since, the international
community has mourned the loss of life, holding rituals of remembrance
and issuing demands for accountability for the Iranian and
Hezbollah terrorists who organized the massacre. But for a quarter
of a century, the alleged bombers of the Argentine Jewish Mutual Aid
Association, known as the AMIA, have lived freely in
Iran. Ali Fallahian, one of the suspects, served on Iran’s
influential Assembly of Experts until 2016. Mohsen Rezai,
another suspect, is a senior adviser to Iran’s supreme leader. A
third, Ahmad Vahidi, served as Iran’s defense minister until 2013
and today is president of Iran’s Supreme National Defense University.
They have also traveled widely, in the Middle East, Asia and Latin
America, including as representatives of the Iranian regime.
This flagrant impunity is not for lack of effort by Argentina. In
2004, Argentina appointed a hard-charging special prosecutor, Alberto
Nisman, to investigate Iran’s role in the AMIA bombing.”
Reuters:
Iran Cleric Says U.K. Will Be 'Slapped In The Face' For Seizure Of Its
Tanker: TV
“Britain will soon be "slapped in the face" for the capture of an
Iranian supertanker last week, Iranian state TV quoted a cleric as
saying on Friday, amid heightened tension between Iran and the West in
the Gulf. "Iran's strong establishment will soon slap Britain in the
face for daring to seize the Iranian oil tanker," cleric Kazem Sedighi
told worshippers during Tehran's Friday prayer sermon, TV reported.
Earlier Iran called on Britain to immediately release the oil tanker
that British Royal Marines seized last week on suspicion it was
breaking European sanctions by taking oil to Syria.”
The
Guardian: Iran Warns Western Powers To 'Leave Region' Amid Gulf
Crisis
“Iran has called on the UK to release the oil tanker seized last
week and warned foreign powers to “leave the region because Iran and
other regional countries are capable of securing the regional
security”. Royal Marines seized the supertanker Grace 1 on suspicion
it was breaking European sanctions by taking oil to Syria. Iran’s
foreign ministry spokesman, Abbas Mousavi, told the IRNA news agency:
“This is a dangerous game and has consequences ... The legal pretexts
for the capture are not valid ... The release of the tanker is in all
countries’ interests.” Iran has said it would take reciprocal measures
if its tanker is not released. Britain said on Thursday that three
Iranian vessels tried to block the British-owned commercial vessel
British Heritage from passing through the strait of Hormuz, which
controls the flow of Middle East oil to the rest of the world, but
backed off when confronted by a Royal Navy warship. Iran has denied
the allegations.”
Iraq
Voice
Of America: Islamic State Remains Unpredictable As It
Regroups
“The Islamic State terror group is adapting to the loss of its
self-declared territorial caliphate by returning to its origins and
becoming once again a more local, Iraq-focused insurgency, and is
recruiting in remote border areas in Iraq’s western desert. But it
still harbors ambitions to strike in the West, warn European officials
and analysts. Britain’s Security Minister Ben Wallace on Thursday
warned that Islamic State and rival jihadists in al-Qaida remain a
serious threat to the West. Exploiting the internet and social media
platforms, IS can still recruit Westerners, and if not organize
attacks itself at least inspire adherents to strike, he said. “That
means that everyone has potentially an ISIS problem in every country
around the world,” he told Britain’s Sky News. “It is a different type
of threat because at the moment it's manifesting itself in lone
actors.” For security services the threat is unpredictable “because
they have to watch one person who may be just literally talking to
themselves on one day and the next day they'll go and grab a knife or
a truck.” But IS has not lost the ambition to plot and organize terror
attacks in the West itself. In the current top IS leadership, two out
of 12 members of al-Lajna al-Mufawada, the group’s Cabinet, are tasked
with overseeing operations abroad.”
Asharq
Al-Awsat: Iraqi Army Concludes ‘Will Of Victory’ Operation Against
ISIS
“The Iraqi Army has concluded the operation dubbed as the ‘Will of
Victory’, which was launched starting this week by Iraqi Prime
Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi against ISIS in three provinces. This
operation coincided with the 3rd anniversary of liberating Mosul on
July 10 in 2017, which represented the key to military elimination of
the group at the end of this year. In this context, Iraq's National
Wisdom Movement Leader Ammar al-Hakim has called for putting a
comprehensive political, security and community strategy to maintain
the victory. In a statement issued Thursday, Hakim stressed that this
historic achievement should be retained via setting a comprehensive
strategy, especially in the liberated regions. He called on the Iraqi
government and the parliament to exploit this occasion to reconstruct
liberated cities and march towards development. The Joint Operations
Command announced Thursday that the first phase of the ‘Will of
Victory’ has been completed. Deputy of Army Chief of Staff for
Operations Abdul Amir Rasheed Yarallah revealed in a statement that
the military sectors participating in the operation managed to achieve
the determined goals. During a press conference on Thursday, Member of
Iraq's parliamentary Security and Defense Committee Nayef al-Shammari
said that the committee held a meeting with the Iraqi PM.”
Turkey
Ahval
News: ISIS Threatens Erdoğan In Newly Released
Video
“The Islamic State (ISIS) on Wednesday released a video in Turkish
threatening Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, German news
agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) reported. ISIS is thought to be
responsible for a series of attacks in Turkey that killed hundreds of
people from 2015 until its latest attack on the morning of January 1,
2017 at an Istanbul night club. “Hey, Erdoğan, the arrogant tyrant of
Turkey, do not think the swords of the caliphate's soldiers are far
away from you,” dpa quoted one of the Turkish-speaking ISIS members in
the video as saying. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the self-declared caliph of
ISIS, appeared in a video on Apr. 29, saying that ISIS will eventually
win in a war of attrition against the “Crusaders”. At some point in
the video, he was given a folder titled Wilayat Turkey, Province of
Turkey in Arabic. Wednesday's video was also given the same title.
Following his conversation with Erdoğan last November about the
withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syria, U.S. President Donald
Trump said the Turkish President would “eradicate whatever is left” of
ISIS in Syria. “Know that standing among the ranks of the Crusaders
will not help you against the soldiers of the caliphate,” dpa quoted
the militant as saying.”
The
Defense Post: Islamic State Turkey Province Video Claims New Wilayah
In Old Turf
“ISIS released a propaganda video from ‘Wilayah Turkey,’ showing a
small group of militants pledging bayah, or allegiance to ISIS leader
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The eighth in the “And the best outcome is for
the righteous” series, the video is the first from this new province,
but ISIS already has a complex presence in Turkey. The five-minute
long video released on July 10 is typical of earlier bayah videos. It
features three militants sitting in front of what appears to be a
handmade, large black standard commonly used by ISIS. They are joined
by two more when making the pledge of allegiance while a sixth
presumably operates the shaking camera. The speaker is identified as
Abu Qatada at-Turki, and he reaffirms the militants’ allegiance to
Baghdadi while also threatening Turkey and America. A weapons
researcher known as Calibre Obscura noted that the militants appear
well-armed in comparison to fighters seen in other videos in this
series. A Draganov sniper rifle, a PKM machine gun, an RPG-7
rocket-propelled grenade launcher, two AKMS assault rifles, a Glock
pistol, and some grenades appear throughout.”
The
New York Times: Turkey Gets First Shipment Of Russian Missile System,
Defying U.S.
“The first shipment of a sophisticated Russian surface-to-air
missile system arrived in Turkey on Friday, the Turkish Defense
Ministry announced, a process that is expected to incur United States
sanctions and will test the NATO alliance. President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan of Turkey has been insistent in his determination to purchase
the S-400 system, Russia’s most advanced antiaircraft weaponry,
despite warnings from the United States. Washington has cautioned that
the deal will lead to economic penalties against Turkey, a fellow NATO
member, and cancellation of Turkey’s purchase of American F-35 fighter
jets. The United States has been unyielding in its opposition to
Turkey’s acquisition of the S-400. American officials have argued that
the missile system is incompatible with NATO equipment, and that
having Turkey operating both the Russian weapons and the F-35 could
give Russia access to the American jets’ secret stealth
technology.”
Afghanistan
The
New York Times: General Calls Rushed Troop Withdrawal From Afghanistan
A ‘Strategic Mistake’
“Withdrawing American troops from Afghanistan too soon would be a
“strategic mistake,” President Trump’s nominee for Joint Chiefs of
Staff chairman said Thursday, clearly outlining the Pentagon’s
position as the White House wrestles with whether to pull military
forces and end the 18-year war. “I think it is slow, it’s painful,
it’s hard — I spent a lot of my life in Afghanistan — but I also think
it’s necessary,” Gen. Mark A. Milley, the nominee, said about the
American military’s continuing mission at his confirmation hearing
before the Senate Armed Services Committee. General Milley’s tough
line on the war comes as the United States and the Taliban navigate
their seventh round of peace negotiations. Earlier peace dialogues
have focused on two main planks: the withdrawal of Western troops and
the Taliban’s pledge to deny any safe haven to terrorist groups in
Afghanistan. On Thursday, Zalmay Khalilzad, the veteran American
diplomat leading the negotiations with the Taliban, sought to make
clear that the United States was not just looking for an exit ramp
from the war. “We’re not cutting and running,” Mr. Khalilzad said in a
taped video statement to a Georgetown University forum on ensuring
that women and civil society are included in the peace talks.”
Al
Arabiya: Suicide Bomber Kills Five At Wedding Party In Eastern
Afghanistan
“A suicide bomber on foot targeted a wedding party in Afghanistan’s
eastern province of Nangarhar on Friday, killing at least five people
and injuring 40, local officials said. Atahullah Khogyani, a spokesman
for Nangarhar province’s governor, said a 13 year old boy set off his
explosives inside the house of a pro-government militia commander in
Pacheragam district. Khogyani said 40 wounded men and women were
rushed to hospital and local residents said 10 people were killed.
Pro-government militias often work with overstretched Afghan security
forces to prevent territories falling into the hands of the Taliban
and ISIS fighters. Last month, Taliban militants killed at least 26
members of a pro-government militia in northern Afghanistan. No group
has claimed responsibility for the wedding party attack but Islamic
State militants have carried a string of suicide bombings and attacks
on government offices, schools, and aid groups in recent years in
Jalalabad, Nangarhar’s main city.”
Yahoo
News: Afghan Women Note Taliban Shift After Doha
Talks
“An Afghan campaigner who took part in breakthrough talks with the
Taliban said Thursday that she saw subtle improvements in the attitude
towards women of the insurgents, who severely curtailed their rights
while in power. In a meeting earlier this week in Qatar, the Islamist
militants sat down with Afghan representatives and issued a joint
statement that called for assuring women's rights “within the Islamic
framework of Islamic values.” The conference, co-organized by Germany,
came as the United States negotiates with the Taliban to pull troops
from Afghanistan -- with women's rights not explicitly on the agenda.
Asila Wardak, a women's rights campaigner who works for the Afghan
foreign ministry, said she was surprised at the positive atmosphere in
Doha as women mingled directly with the Taliban over dinner and tea
breaks. “It was interesting to me as an Afghan woman as they didn't
shake hands but they warmly welcomed us,” she told a symposium at
Georgetown University on the peace process, speaking by video from
Kabul. Two Taliban delegates even showed flashes of humor, telling the
Afghan women that they heard they would be coming and saying, “Please
don't give us a hard time,'“ she said.”
Xinhua:
53 Militants Killed As Afghan Gov't Forces Step Up Operations:
Officials
“At least 53 militants have been killed over the past 24 hours as
Afghan government forces have intensified operations, security
officials said Thursday. In one crackdown on militants, government
forces struck Taliban hideouts in Jalalabad area of Argo district in
northern Badakhshan province early on Thursday and the firefight
lasted until the security forces recaptured the area and forcing
militants to flee after leaving five bodies behind and injuring 11
others, provincial administration spokesman Nik Mohammad Nazari said.
According to Nazari, no security personnel had been hurt. Separately,
government forces, according to Jilani Farhad, the spokesman for
western Herat provincial government, launched operations against
Taliban hideouts in Obe district of the province on Wednesday and so
far 15 insurgents had been killed and 10 others injured. Government
forces have also killed nine militants and injured four others in
Bilchiragh district of the northern Faryab province over the past 24
hours, provincial police spokesman Abdul Karim Yurash said. A total of
17 militants have been killed in the southern Kandahar and seven more
killed in the neighboring Helmand province since Wednesday, officials
said Thursday.”
Pakistan
Vice:
Al Qaeda Calls For ‘Unrelenting Blows’ On The Indian Army In
Kashmir
“For the first time in the history of India, terrorist outfit
Al-Qaeda has called for terror attacks in the state of Kashmir. In a
terrifying clip called ‘Don’t Forget Kashmir’ that released on July
10, the organisation’s new chief Ayman al-Zawahiri asked his forces to
inflict “unrelenting blows” on the Indian army and the government of
body in Kashmir in order to “bleed” the economy dry and make the
country suffer. The video was released by Al-Qaeda’s in-house
production channel As-Sahad. This is the first time that the
organisation, which was also responsible for the 9/11 terror attacks
in New York, has specifically instructed for action in Kashmir,
something the government officials feel is a desperate attempt to
fight back against the recently improved situation in the Kashmir
Valley. Speaking in Arabic in the video, Zawahiri made no mention of
Zakir Musa, the founder of the Indian cell of the Al-Qaeda, who was
killed by security forces in Kashmir in May. But Musa’s photo showed
up on the screen as the new chief spoke about Kashmir.”
Qatar
The
JC: Qatar’s Record On Terrorism Is Sketchy At Best: The US Must Choose
Its Allies More Carefully
“Since taking office, the Trump administration has adopted a
zero-tolerance approach to Iran’s destructive foreign policy
objectives and has clamped down on Tehran’s army of proxy extremists
in Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, and elsewhere. In a week when the emir of
Qatar visited Washington, the White House must apply similar pressure
to disrupt the emirate’s disturbing links to terror and extremist
groups. Qatar’s record on terrorism is sketchy at best. A recent Wall
Street Journal investigation implicated several of its most prominent
citizens in assisting foreign terrorist groups. Financier Khalifa
al-Subaiy is noted for his connection to senior figures in al-Qaeda,
including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed — the architect of the September 11,
2001 attacks. The financier was first put on a United Nations terror
blacklist in 2008 for repeatedly providing financial aid to
terrorists.”
Middle East
Asharq
Al-Awsat: Israel Said It Thwarted 50 Operations By Iran, ISIS Around
The World
“Senior intelligence sources in Tel Aviv announced Wednesday that
the Mossad and the Israeli military intelligence division have
thwarted at least 50 terrorist attacks in 20 countries over the past
three years, including Turkey, France, and some Arab countries. The
sources said, according to a report broadcast by Channel 12 of Israeli
television, that some of these operations were plotted by ISIS, while
others by Iran, its militias, and various organs. Of the 50 operations
in 20 countries, 12 were foiled in Turkey alone, the report said.
Despite the strained relations between Israel and Turkish President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Israel has decided to inform the latter of these
operations. “In more than one case, he has been informed of this while
he continued his strong attacks against Israel,” according to the
sources. The report added that one of the aborted operations was a
plan to assassinate Iranian opposition figures, who participated in a
conference in France. Information reached Israel, which was quick to
inform the French intelligence. The report also noted that Israel
prevented a plot to detonate a civilian Australian aircraft.”
Metro:
Inside The Islamic State Infowar: Ex-Jihadi Reveals Secrets Of His
Battle To Wipe ISIS Off The Internet Forever
“The so-called Islamic State has been defeated on the ground – but
its ideology is very much alive online. In dark, encrypted corners of
the internet, zealots are still spreading the twisted message of
extremist Islam as well as the terror training manuals which allow
lone wolfs to launch deadly solo attacks anywhere in the world. Using
apps like Telegram which offer the ability to communicate in total
secrecy, jihadi recruiters are able to quietly build communities
dedicated to spreading their message and teaching recruits how to kill
unbelievers. Police find it difficult or even impossible to penetrate
this digital underworld, so potential terrorists feel empowered to
talk openly to each other without fear of prying eyes. But lurking
among the extremists are people who call themselves ‘hunters’ –
volunteers who have spent the past four years fighting ISIS online and
penetrating its ‘dark networks’ through subterfuge.”
Gulf
News: UAE Committed To Tackle Terrorism-Crime
Nexus
“The UAE has reaffirmed its commitment to continue implementing
best practices and the most advanced international initiatives to
combat the linkages between organised crime and international
terrorism, including combating money-laundering and strengthening
border security in the interest of maintaining international peace and
security. The commitment was made at the United Nations Security
Council Open Debate on threats to international peace and security:
linkages between international terrorism and organised crime
yesterday. In a statement at the debate, Saud Al Shamsi, Deputy
Permanent Representative and Charge d’affaires of the UAE to the UN,
stressed that the UN focuses on strengthening the capacity of
member-states to better understand and implement their obligations
when the UN Security Council adopts new resolutions on this issue, in
addition to holding member-states that finance and support terrorist
groups accountable when they violate these resolutions. He emphasised
the need to better understand the linkages between international
terrorism and organised crime, and to implement tailored programmes
that take into consideration the regional context to effectively
combat these crimes.”
Libya
Bloomberg:
Car Bombings Kill At Least Five At Eastern Libyan Army
Funeral
“Several car bombs targeting the funeral for a special forces
commander in Libya’s second-largest city killed at least five people,
the pan-Arab satellite channel Al-Hadath reported. At least another 11
people were wounded in the attack in Benghazi, Al-Hadath and SkyNews
Arabia reported. Al-Hadath said no military leaders were among the
dead. Eastern Libya is the base for strongman Khalifa Haftar, whose
Libyan National Army is waging an offensive on the capital, Tripoli,
the seat of the internationally-backed government led by Prime
Minister Fayez Al-Sarraj. There was no immediate claim of
responsibility for the attack. It comes as Islamic State is reportedly
making a comeback in Libya and has vowed to target Haftar’s forces.
The Libyan commander has cast his campaign to secure the country as a
battle against terrorists. Islamic State secured the central city of
Sirte in 2015, hoping to use it as a launchpad for attacks in Libya
and neighboring countries. The militants, however, were driven out by
forces loyal to Sarraj, with the backing of U.S. airstrikes. The group
also held Derna before being routed.”
Africa
The
Washington Post: UN Says 10 Peacekeepers Wounded By Mine In Northern
Mali
“The United Nations says 10 U.N. peacekeepers were injured, four
seriously, when a vehicle hit a mine during an operation outside Kidal
city in northern Mali. U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq says the U.N.
Mission in Mali is investigating the incident early Thursday involving
the mine-protected vehicle. He says the injured peacekeepers are
receiving medical care. Mali has been in turmoil since a 2012 uprising
prompted mutinous soldiers to overthrow the president of a decade. An
Islamic insurgency and a French-led war ousted the insurgents from
power in 2013, but extremist groups affiliated with al-Qaida and the
Islamic State organization remain a threat. The 16,000-strong U.N.
mission in Mali is one of the most dangerous for peacekeepers. More
than 100 peacekeepers have died since it was established in 2013.”
The
Independent: Hundreds Of Thousands Flee Homes In Mali Amid Deadly
Militia Attacks
“Hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes in Mali amid
deadly militia attacks on villages in the country’s central region.
Over 200,000 have fled so far this year, according to figures from the
Rapid Response Mechanism, an emergency response system designed to
help deliver aid to vulnerable people. Several massacres since the
start of 2019 have killed hundreds of civilians. Hassane Hamadou,
country director for the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) in Mali,
said: “The first victims of this cycle of violence are civilians. They
are killed, they are maimed, they are threatened; and their only
chance of survival is to flee. Today, people are caught between armed
groups, self-defence militias, and military forces.” “The protection
of civilians is a major concern, especially in places where the state
authority has been absent. Humanitarian actors should be given
unrestricted access to these people to deliver aid and ensure their
protection.” In the worst of the bloodshed, at least 160 people were
killed in the village of Ogossagou in March. The slayings marked an
escalation in violence between ethnic Dogon hunters
and Fulani herders, who have been pitted against each other in
tit-for-tat violence."
Voice
Of America: Cameroon Fights Boko Haram Recruitment With Goats,
Sheep
“The government of Cameroon this week began rolling out an unlikely
weapon in the fight against Boko Haram militants. Authorities are
distributing thousands of goats and sheep to young Cameroonians in
villages along with border with Nigeria. The program aims to providing
livestock for a basic income in order to stop the Islamist militant
group’s recruiting tactics. The hope is that the livestock will
empower thousands of vulnerable families and stop them from joining
the extremists, who promise jobs. In the village of Salak, 17-year-old
Oumar Nafisatu received four sheep. Nafisatu says she is looking
forward to having baby sheep so she can sell them to pay for her
school fees. She is the only one to take care of herself, she says,
after her father and mother passed away. Boko Haram fighters killed
Nafisatu’s parents, along with 21 others, when they attacked her
village in 2017, forcing her to flee. Just a week later, Nafisatu’s
only sister was killed in a suicide bomb attack in a mosque at
Kolofata. Boko Haram had recruited her with promises of a job as a
house cleaner, then forced her to carry out the attack. Cameroon's
government plans to distribute 60,000 goats and sheep by the end of
the year.”
Xinhua:
AU Envoy Urges Greater Involvement Of Youth In Anti-Terrorism
War
“African countries should harness the energy and creativity of the
youth to revitalize action on violent extremism that has gained
foothold amid poverty, conflicts and social exclusion, an African
Union (AU) envoy said on Thursday. Aya Chebbi, AU youth envoy said
that success of counter-terrorism initiatives in Africa depends on
robust engagement of the continent's youthful population in policy
formulation and awareness on the menace. “Our governments should
change policies that discriminates the youth in leadership and policy
formulation to ensure they play a meaningful role in peace, security
and prevention of violent extremism,” Chebbi said on the sidelines of
a Pan African counter-terrorism forum underway in Nairobi. The 31-year
old Tunisian peace activist said the African regional high-level
conference on counter-terrorism presented an opportunity to discuss
greater involvement of youth to fight a vice that is a drawback to the
continent's quest for stability, development and peace. “Senior
leadership and policymakers in this continent have a duty to engage
the youth as partners in the war against terrorism,” said Chebbi.”
Germany
Fox
News: 30 German Mosques And Cultural Centers Tied To Hezbollah: Intel
Report
“Some 30 mosques and cultural centers in Germany have ties to the
U.S.-classified terrorist organization Hezbollah, according to a
Hamburg intelligence agency report. The U.S. government and a
bipartisan group of American lawmakers have urged Berlin to outlaw the
Lebanese terrorist group in Germany. “In Germany, there are currently
about 30 known cultural and mosque associations in which a clientele
regularly meets that is close to Hezbollah or its ideology,” wrote the
intelligence agency. According to the 282-page intelligence document
and other German reports reviewed by Fox News, there are 1,050
Hezbollah supporters and members in Germany. U.S. Ambassador to
Germany, Richard Grenell told Fox News: “The danger that Hezbollah
sympathizers are raising funds in Hamburg is further evidence that
Hezbollah must be banned from Germany in its entirety. Any funds bound
for Hezbollah are used by the Iranian regime to support Assad’s
violence in Syria and sponsor terrorism around the world.” Grenell
previously worked as a Fox News contributor. Iran’s regime is a major
financial sponsor of its chief proxy Hezbollah. Both Hezbollah and the
Islamic Republic of Iran are allies of Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad.”
BBC
News: IS Wife And Her Children Must Be Repatriated, Rules German
Court
“A Berlin court has ruled that the government must repatriate the
German wife of a suspected Islamic State (IS) group fighter and her
three children. The court said the children would suffer if they
remained in the al-Hol refugee camp in Syria. The case came about
because the woman's family sued the foreign ministry after officials
had refused to help her return to Germany. It is the first such ruling
in the country. Until now Germany had been prepared to allow some of
the children to travel to Germany without their mothers, fearing that
the women might have been radicalised and could pose a danger to
German society. In this case, the court explained that "inaction"
meant the three children would be faced with "serious, unreasonable
and unavoidable disadvantages". The children are eight, seven and two
years old, reports the Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper. The mother is
from the federal state of Lower Saxony."
CBS
News: Germany Steps-Up Monitoring Of “Extreme Right” Identitarian
Movement
“The German domestic intelligence agency said Thursday it is
stepping up observation of the far-right Identitarian Movement in
Germany, a group that campaigns against immigrants and Islam. The
agency, known by its German acronym BfV, said after two years of
investigating the group it has concluded that it has “passed beyond
the stage of suspicion” and “is now classified as a verified extreme
right movement. In a statement, it said the group “ultimately aims to
exclude people of non-European origin from democratic participation
and to discriminate against them in a way that infringes their human
dignity.” The decision comes amid fresh fears about far-right
extremism in Germany following the arrest last month of a man with a
long history of neo-Nazi activity over the killing of a regional
politician from Chancellor Angela Merkel's party. The Identitarian
Movement in Germany was founded in 2012, after originating in France.
It has sister organizations in other European countries, and many of
its members are students. There is a Facebook page for the “American
Identitarian Movement,” but it has less than 100 followers. According
to the page, the “goals of the American Identitarian Movement is to
push back against 'multiculturalism' and to preserve American
culture.”
Southeast Asia
The
Jerusalem Post: IDF Troops Train Philippine Counterparts In
Counterterror Tactics
“A delegation of IDF troops trained their Philippine counterparts
in counter-terrorism methods despite ongoing concerns of human rights
abuses by the government of Rodrigo Duterte, The Jerusalem Post has
learned. The 10-man IDF delegation led by Col. Dan Goldfus, commander
of the Nahal Brigade, spent two weeks training 175 Filipino elite unit
officers at Fort Bonifacio, Taguig, north of Manila. IDF Col. Dan
Goldfus receives plaque in the Philippines. The troops trained by the
IDF delegation were in the Philippine’s special units including the
Special Forces, First Scout Rangers, and Light Reaction regiments, as
well as troops from the 2nd, 5th, 7th, and 9th Infantry Divisions.
Philippine army chief Lt.-Gen. Macairog Alberto was quoted by local
media as saying that the Counter-Terrorism Training was part of a
program to hone and improve the anti-terror skills of its troops.
Alberto was quoted by PhilipineStar news site as saying that the
collaboration with the IDF and other armies in addressing terror is
necessary after the siege of Marawi on the island of Mindanao in
2017.”
Technology
The
Wall Street Journal: Google Contractors Listen To Recordings Of People
Using Virtual Assistant
“Google said contractors are listening to customer audio recorded
by the company’s virtual assistant, a disclosure prompted by a media
report that adds to privacy concerns associated with the technology.
Belgian public broadcaster VRT NWS said in a report this week that the
Alphabet Inc. GOOG 0.33% unit employs contractors around the globe to
listen to some recordings of conversations that people have with the
Google Assistant, which is available on its Google Home speakers and
Android devices. In a blog post Thursday, Google confirmed it employs
people world-wide to listen to a small sample of recordings. The
public broadcaster’s report said the recordings potentially expose
sensitive information about users such as names and addresses. It also
said Google, in some cases, is recording voices of customers even when
they aren’t using Google Assistant. In its blog post, Google said
language experts listen to 0.2% of “audio snippets” taken from the
Google Assistant to better understand different languages, accents and
dialects. “This is a critical part of the process of building speech
technology, and is necessary to creating products like the Google
Assistant,” it said.”
Gizmodo:
The Dirty Business Of Hosting Hate Online
“The Council of Conservative Citizens site is just one of the 391
websites we ran through web-based tools to determine which tech
companies are providing services to groups like it. We reached out to
a handful of non-profit organizations that work to monitor and counter
hate—the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Anti-Defamation League, Hope
Not Hate, the Canadian Anti-Hate Network, and the Counter Extremism
Project. They each provided us a list of groups they see as being
involved in the propagation of hate.”
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