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Eye on Extremism
December 3, 2020
Al Monitor: Islamic State Increases Attacks In Iraq’s Sunni Areas
“The Islamic State (IS) has in recent days claimed responsibility for a rocket attack on the Siniya oil refinery in Iraq’s northern Salahuddin province and for the killing of soldiers, policemen, local officials and others in neighboring Anbar. In Shirqat, also in northern Salahuddin province, the bodies of two villagers were found beheaded on Nov. 28. The attacks in Anbar occurred a few days after a border crossing with Saudi Arabia reopened following a 30-year closure. Though far from holding any major territory, the transnational group — which Iraq announced the defeat of within its borders three years ago — continues to operate in areas that insurgents have used as hideouts for decades, such as the Hamrin Mountains and desert areas. Some major figures seem to be able to elude capture for significant periods. Recent arrests in Iraq’s largest cities have included that of IS’s “administrative chief” — a man known as Abu Naba — who had reportedly been responsible for getting funding for the group and relaying messages between members. Naba was arrested at the Baghdad airport in October. Also, a woman was arrested Nov. 27 in Mosul; she had reportedly been working with IS when it was in control of the city.”
The Guardian: CIA Officer Killed In Somali Raid On Suspected Al-Shabaab Bomb-Maker
“A CIA officer died during a raid in Somalia last month targeting a key extremist thought to be responsible for an attack that killed an American soldier in Kenya last year, local intelligence officials have told the Guardian. The officer was deployed alongside Somali and US special forces during the operation at Gendershe, a coastal village about 30 miles south-west of Mogadishu, and died when fighters from the al-Shabaab extremist movement detonated a car bomb minutes after the raid began on 6 November, the official said. A Somali intelligence officer who works with the US-trained Somali “Danab” special forces unit in Lower Shabelle said: “Our officers were supported by the US officers. We flew at 2am that night. The soldiers disembarked from the chopper and went on foot in the bush before a huge explosion went off and killed the American friend and four of our [Somali] officers.” Somali officials said the operation was launched following information that three senior al-Shabaab commanders would be in Gendershe that night. Among them was Abdullahi Osman Mohamed, an expert bomb-maker believed to be responsible for many of the powerful devices that have killed hundreds of civilians in Somalia in recent years.”
United States
The New York Times: 2 Women Charged With Train Terror Near Canadian Border
“Two Washington State women have been charged with terror attacks after they were captured on camera tampering with train tracks in such a way as to risk a derailment, the federal authorities announced this week. The authorities, who have been investigating dozens of similar cases this year, believe the actions are intended to express solidarity with Indigenous people in Canada who oppose the construction of an oil pipeline, according to the criminal complaint. The women, Ellen Brennan Reiche, 23, and Samantha Frances Brooks, 27, were arrested on Saturday in Bellingham, Wash., and charged with one count of terrorist attacks and violence against railroad carriers, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington said in a statement. They appeared in the Federal District Court in Seattle on Monday and were released until their next court appearance, on Dec. 14, the office said. The F.B.I.’s Joint Terrorism Task Force has been investigating the placement of shunts — devices consisting of wires and magnets that interfere with the signals indicating the presence of a train — on tracks in the region since Jan. 19, the complaint said. Some shunts were hidden under rocks, it said.”
Associated Press: Terror, Hate-Crime Counts Mulled In Las Vegas After Rampage In Nevada, Arizona
“A prosecutor in Nevada said Tuesday that three people from Texas could face terrorism and hate-crime charges following several Thanksgiving day shootings in suburban Las Vegas, including one that killed a man at a convenience store, and more shootings before their arrests in rural Arizona. Michael Schwartzer, a chief deputy Clark County district attorney, said that Shawn McDonnell, Christopher McDonnell and Kayleigh Lewis could face the death penalty in Las Vegas stemming from the 11-hour two-state rampage, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. Kevin Mendiola Jr., 22, of North Las Vegas, was killed and three other people were wounded in one shooting at a Henderson convenience store. Schwartzer said other people including motorists reported being targeted on southern Nevada freeways and roads before 1 a.m. Nov. 26. “Once we get our arms around this, it's going to be quite a case,” Schwartzer said. “We're still trying to find out what happened.” The McDonnells are brothers and Lewis is married to Christopher McDonnell, Schwartzer said. Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson has said the three were from Tyler, Texas. Their prosecution in Las Vegas could include crimes in Nevada and Arizona under a court doctrine of “long-arm jurisdiction.”
“An attorney for one of two brothers, twins, accused of aiding a terrorist plot and surveillance of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s vacation home says the two never even went there, a point the Michigan Attorney General’s Office quickly countered Wednesday. Michael and William Null, 38, of Plainwell and Shelbyville, respectively, had their $250,000 cash bonds changed to allow for release from jail upon the posting of 10% of the bond, cash or surety, when they appeared Wednesday in Antrim County’s 86th District Court. The twins, who did not appear Wednesday by stipulation of the lawyers, are among 14 charged in connection with a plot to kidnap the governor after anger arose over her novel coronavirus executive orders. Officials have said some of the 14 are associated with the Wolverine Watchmen, an anti-government group. The court hearing Wednesday was a fairly straightforward bond motion matter, with the men’s lawyers asking for lower dollar amounts until District Judge Michael Stepka started to explain his thoughts ahead of his ruling. That’s when Thomas Siver, the attorney for Michael Null, cut in with multiple concerns and requests.”
Iraq
Associated Press: How Could US Drawdown In Iraq Aid IS, Iran?
“In a quest to root out Islamic State group hideouts over the summer, Iraqi forces on the ground cleared nearly 90 villages across a notoriously unruly northern province. But the much-touted operation still relied heavily on U.S. intelligence, coalition flights and planning assistance. While the planned U.S. troop drawdown in Iraq from 3,000 to 2,500 by mid-January is unlikely to have an immediate impact on the campaign against IS remnants, there are concerns that further withdrawals could set the stage for another resurgence of the extremist group. Although Iraqi forces have become more independent in combat missions, the country is reeling from ongoing anti-government protests, rampant corruption and political divisions that reach into the security apparatus. All of that means foreign support is still crucial. There are already signs of a possible Islamic State comeback as the group exploits security gaps widened by a year of protests and the pandemic. It’s a worrying trend for Iraq’s security forces, whose collapse in 2014 allowed IS to seize a third of the country and sent American troops rushing back less than three years after they had withdrawn. So how could the American drawdown help IS and Iran? Here are three key ways.”
Agence France-Presse: In Iraq, Virus Revives Traumas Of IS Survivors
“For half a decade, Zedan suffered recurring nightmares about jihadists overrunning his hometown in northern Iraq. The 21-year-old Yazidi was just starting to recover when Covid-19 revived his trauma. Zedan had lost several relatives when the Islamic State group stormed into Sinjar, the rugged heartland of the Yazidi religious minority in Iraq's northwest. The jihadists killed Yazidi men, took the boys as child soldiers and forced the women into sexual slavery. Zedan and the surviving members of his family fled, finding refuge in the Bajet Kandala camp near the Syrian border where they still live today. “We used to be farmers living a good life. Then IS came,” he said, wringing his hands. In a pre-fabricated building hosting the camp's mental health clinic, Zedan shared his traumas with Bayda Othman, a psychologist for international NGO Premiere Urgence. Zedan refers to the violence of 2014 vaguely as “the events”. The United Nations says they may constitute something much more serious: genocide. “I started having nightmares every night. I would see men in black coming to kill us,” Zedan said, telling Othman that he had attempted suicide several times. He has been seeing her for years, learning how to cope with his Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) through breathing exercises that she taught him.”
Turkey
Middle East Monitor: Turkey Arrests 20 Iraqis For 'Working With Daesh'
“Some 20 Iraqi citizens have been arrested in the Turkish capital Ankara for allegedly "working with Daesh", Anadolu Agency reported yesterday. Local sources said that the country's anti-terrorism police and intelligence services had arrested 18 Iraqis on suspicion of "having links with Daesh", adding the local police were "on the lookout for two other suspects". Last month, Turkish security services arrested 294 suspects on suspicion of collusion with Daesh and thwarted a series of terrorist plots in a number of the country's major cities including Istanbul, Ankara and Adana. Authorities in the country conduct frequent security operations to search for Daesh collaborators.”
Afghanistan
Associated Press: US Envoy: Afghan, Taliban Team Ready To Set Talks Agenda
“The U.S. envoy who brokered the ongoing peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban said Wednesday the two sides have overcome a three-month impasse and agreed on rules and procedures for the negotiations. The development is significant as it means the warring sides are getting closer to actually starting to negotiate the issues that could end decades of fighting in Afghanistan and determine the country’s post-war future. But first they must decide on the agenda for the negotiations, which is the next step. In a series of tweets, U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad said there was a signed document and urged both the Taliban and the government to get down to the business of negotiating a “political roadmap and a cease-fire.” The three-page document lays out the rules and procedures for the negotiations, which are taking place in Qatar where the Taliban have long maintained a political office. Afghans “now expect rapid progress on a political roadmap and a ceasefire. We understand their desire and we support them,” Khalilzad tweeted. A cease-fire, rights of women and minorities, and constitutional amendments are expected to top the agenda. But the list is likely to be long and contentious, with issues such as safety guarantees for thousands of Taliban fighters who disarm, as well as for disbanding the heavily armed militias loyal to Kabul warlords, many of them allied either with the government or opposition politicians.”
Pakistan
Al Jazeera: Pakistan Sentences Three Top Jud Leaders For ‘Terror Financing’
“A Pakistani anti-terrorism court has convicted three top Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) leaders on terrorism-financing charges, a senior prosecutor says, as the country continues to crack down on armed groups operating on its soil. Jamaat-ud-Dawa, a humanitarian relief and religious education organisation operating across the country has been designated a front for the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) armed group by Pakistan’s government and the United Nations and has come under increasing scrutiny in Pakistan since 2018. The three leaders, including deputy JuD chief Abdul Rehman Makki, head of fundraising Zafar Iqbal and media chief Yahya Mujahid, were convicted by a court in the eastern city of Lahore on Wednesday, prosecutor Abdul Rauf Wattoo told Al Jazeera. “They have all three been convicted, all on charges of terrorism financing,” he said. Iqbal and Mujahid were given prison terms of 15 and a half years each, while Makki was sentenced to six months in prison. All three remain in custody, with several other terrorism-funding cases pending against them, Wattoo said. LeT is believed to have carried out the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which killed more than 160 people in coordinated gun and bomb attacks singling out hotels and public places in the Indian commercial capital."
Nigeria
Reuters: Pope Condemns “Terroristic Massacre” Of Nigerian Farmers
“Pope Francis condemned on Wednesday the killing of scores of farmers and villagers in northeast Nigeria by suspected Islamist militants as a “terroristic massacre” that offended the name of God. Francis spoke of Saturday’s attack during his weekly general audience, held virtually from his library in the Vatican because of the coronavirus pandemic. “I want to assure my prayers for Nigeria, which unfortunately once again has been bloodied by a terroristic massacre,” the pope said. Around 30 of the men were beheaded in the attack, which began on Saturday morning in the village of Zabarmari, and the U.N. estimated that at least 110 people were killed across the Jere local government area of Borno state. “May God welcome them into his peace and comfort their families, and may he convert the hearts of those who commit such horrors, which gravely offend His name,” Francis said. There was no claim of responsibility for the attack. Such massacres have been carried out in the past by Boko Haram or the Islamic State West Africa Province which are both active in the area, where Islamic militants have killed at least 30,000 people.”
Somalia
The Nation: Kenya: Al-Shabaab Militants Attack Police Patrol Base In Garissa
“Suspected Al-Shabaab militants Wednesday attacked a police base in Garissa, destroyed an armoury and shot a police officer, wounding him seriously. Officers from Amuma Border Patrol Unit responded swiftly and engaged the attackers in a shootout that lasted for about 15 minutes. “We received information from our officers based at Amuma BPU camp that, while in their camp, they heard gunshots coming from direction of Amuma police patrol base which is about 100 metres from their camp,” says a report from Hagadera Police Station. During the attack at Amuma police base, the suspected terrorists are said to have fired a rocket propelled grenade (RPG) at the police armoury, partly destroying it. Police Constable Jarso Golo was shot at three times by the militants as Constable Fredrick Okwiri went missing during the attack that was reported around 0130 hours. “PC Jarso was shot three times in the right elbow and in the back while PC Okwiri could not be accounted for. Plans are being made to take the injured officer to Hagadera IRC Hospital for treatment,” reads a police report seen by the Nation. A police vehicle registration number GK A931, a Toyota Land Cruiser, had its four tyres deflated during the attack.”
United Kingdom
The Guardian: Counter-Terror Police Investigate After Two Women Stabbed In Burnley M&S
“Counter-terrorism officers are leading the investigation after two women were stabbed inside a Marks and Spencer store in Burnley. The Guardian understands that police are investigating claims that anti-Jewish rhetoric was shouted at the scene, with officials in central government being kept updated. A 57-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after the stabbings, with the investigation looking for any evidence of jihadist extremism and examining a history of mental health issues. The attack is currently not being classed as a terrorist incident, but counter-terrorism officials at regional and national level are monitoring the investigation. The victims of the attack were a member of the shop’s staff, in her 40s, and a shopper in her 60s. Both were taken to hospital for injuries that are not thought to be life-threatening. The suspected attacker was initially restrained by shoppers and staff, as he shouted the comments that prompted anti-terrorist police to investigate. He was later arrested and is in custody. The decision on whether or not to declare the incident as terror-related will be made by the senior national coordinator for counter terrorism, deputy assistant commissioner Dean Haydon.”
France
Reuters: France To Inspect Close To 80 Mosques For Extremist Links
“The French government will launch a “massive and unprecedented” wave of measures to combat religious extremism, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on Wednesday, adding that one step would be to inspect 76 mosques. Darmanin said in a statement on Twitter that some of the mosques could be closed as a result. President Emmanuel Macron's government has responded to several deadly Islamist attacks in recent weeks with a promise to crack down on what some public officials have called “the enemy within.”
Europe
Arab News: Religious Leaders Denounce Extremism In Europe
“The King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz International Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID), in collaboration with the European Council of Religious Leaders, organized a virtual dialogue seminar under the theme “The Contributions of Religious Leaders in Tackling Violent Extremism and Promoting Social Cohesion in Europe: Fight and Response.” The seminar was part of a series of initiatives by KAICIID to promote social cohesion in Europe following recent terrorist attacks in France and Austria. KAICIID’s secretary-general, Faisal bin Muaammar, said that terrorists’ behavior stemmed from a false and misleading understanding of their religion. “They chose the language of violence, leaving behind all peaceful alternatives,” he said. Bin Muaammar highighted the effects social media platforms have in fueling violence and hatred after similar attacks in recent years. “The responses and counter-responses from followers of religions and cultures in Europe and the world at large fuel controversy, hate speech and crimes according to research and studies adopted in this regard,” he said. “The abuse of religion on one hand, and the targeting of societal components, religion, race and culture, on the other hand, have become an exciting feature of some societies.”
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