The Manchester bomber’s brother said they launched the terror attack in support
of Isis, an inquiry has heard. Hashem Abedi denied involvement in

 

 


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Eye on Extremism


December 10, 2020

 

The Independent: Manchester Arena Bomber’s Brother ‘Admits Terror Attack Was
For Isis’
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“The Manchester bomber’s brother said they launched the terror attack in
support of Isis, an inquiry has heard. Hashem Abedi denied involvement in the
plot until October this year, after he was jailed for life for his part in the
murders of the 22 victims. Further details from his admissions, which came in
an interview inside prison with the public inquiry’s legal team, were revealed
on Wednesday. Paul Greaney QC, counsel to the inquiry, said: “Hashem Abedi said
he was a supporter of violent jihad in the sense he supported the institution
of sharia law through violence and he considered violence was justified in
order to bring about change in society.” He said Hashem’s position was “exposed
starkly” when he was asked what action he had taken to support Isis and
replied: “The Manchester attack.”  Isis claimed responsibility for the bombing,
which was the second and deadliest terror attack in Britain in 2017, following
the Westminster Bridge attack in March. “To put it in simple terms, it
represents pro-Islamic State [Isis] propaganda,” he added. Det Ch Supt Simon
Barraclough, who led the investigation into the bombing, agreed that publishing
Hashem’s written statement or footage of his interview would amount to
disseminating Isis propaganda that may encourage further attacks.”

 

Reuters: 2 Small Iraqi Oil Wells Set Ablaze In 'Terrorist Attack,' Ministry
Says
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“Two wells in a small oilfield in northern Iraq were set ablaze by explosives
in a "terrorist attack" on Wednesday but overall production from the field was
not affected, the Oil Ministry and officials said Wednesday. The Oil Ministry
gave no further details about the assailants behind the explosive devices that
targeted the wells in Khabbaz oilfield, 20 km (12 miles) southwest of Kirkuk.
Technical teams isolated the two burning oil wells and there was no impact on
output, two sources from the state-run North Oil Company (NOC), who spoke on
condition of anonymity, said. The field produces about 25,000 barrels per day,
oil officials said. The ministry said production from the two wells that were
targeted did not exceed 2,000 bpd. The ministry statement said a fire erupted
at the two oil wells after explosive devices were set off half an hour apart,
with one going off at 1:30 a.m. (1030 GMT) and the second at 2:00 a.m (1100
GMT).”

 

United States

 

NPR: Militia Group Leader Guilty Of Minnesota Mosque Pipe Bomb Attack
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“The leader of an anti-government white supremacist militia group and former
sheriff's deputy has been convicted of hate crime charges after a pipe bomb
attack on a Minnesota mosque in 2017. Jurors found Michael Hari guilty on five
counts, including damaging property because of its religious character,
forcibly obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs, conspiracy to
commit felonies with fire and explosives, using a destructive device in a crime
of violence, and possessing an unregistered destructive device. Hari and two
other men — Joe Morris and Michael McWhorter — carried out an attack on the Dar
al-Farooq Islamic Center in Bloomington, Minn., on Aug. 5, 2017, as several men
gathered for morning prayer. According to Morris and McWhorter, who pleaded
guilty to their roles in the bombing and testified against the 49-year-old,
Hari was the mastermind behind the plot. "Michael Hari's goal in bombing the
Dar al-Farooq Islamic Center was to spread hatred, instill fear, and threaten
the constitutionally protected right to freedom of religion. This act of
violence, driven by hatred and ignorance, shook our community," U.S. Attorney
Erica H. MacDonald said in a statement.”

 

Penn Live: Inmate Suspected Of Stabbing Pa. Prison Guard Serving 40 Years On
Terrorism Charges
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“The inmate suspected of stabbing an Allenwood Federal Penitentiary
corrections officer in the eye is serving a 40-year sentence on terrorism
charges. A U.S. Bureau of Prisons spokesperson would not identify the inmate
because he has not been charged but said he is a 22-year-old U.S. citizen. He
arrived at the penitentiary on Nov. 2 but has been in the federal prison system
since 2016, she said. He was convicted in New York City of charges of
conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, to commit acts of terrorism
transcending national boundaries and to bomb a place of public use. Corrections
officer Dale Fanquet Jr., 51, of Middleburg, was stabbed about 6:15 a.m. Monday
when he went into the inmate’s cell. A second officer, who has not been
identified, was injured when he attempted to assist Franquet. He was treated at
a hospital and released. Franquet was admitted to Geisinger Medical Center near
Danville where he underwent surgery in an attempt to save his right eye. The
attempt was unsuccessful and he will lose the eye, according to his father,
Dale Franquet Sr., of Orwigsburg. A Geisinger spokesman Wednesday said Franquet
remains in critical condition. Since he tested positive for COVID-19 he is in a
coronavirus isolation unit, his father said.”

 

Syria

 

Euractiv: Foreign IS Fighters In Northeast Syrian Camps – A ‘Ticking Time
Bomb’ For Europe
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“Hundreds of women and children, many of them relatives of foreign fighters,
are interned in the al-Hawl camp in Northeast Syria and have created “a
miniature version of the Islamic State (IS)”, which risks becoming a breeding
ground and risk for Europe’s security. When Turkey launched its ‘Operation
Peace Spring’ offensive against the Kurdish self-government zone in northeast
Syria in autumn 2019, many feared that in the chaos of the fighting, IS foreign
fighters imprisoned in the Kurdish areas could escape and make their way to
Europe. Turkey said the offensive was aimed at removing Kurdish fighters,
considered terrorists by Ankara, from the border region and establishing a
“safe zone” to resettle some of the refugees in the country. Turkish President
Tayyip Erdoğan and US President Donald Trump discussed Turkey’s plans to
establish a “safe zone” east of the Euphrates River in Syria in a phone call on
Sunday (6 October), but the White House said US forces would not be involved.
While the operation received harsh international criticism from Turkey’s NATO
allies, a mass exodus from the camps could be prevented.”

 

Iran

 

Arab News: Trump Determined To Designate Pro-Iran Groups As Terrorist
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“President Donald Trump wants his years in the White House to be remembered as
the most anti-Iranian in the recent history of the US. He does not want to
launch a war against Tehran, but he wants to make tough statements that include
practical actions to contain Iran. In this regard, there are serious attempts
now being pushed forward in Washington to classify both the pro-Iranian Houthis
in Yemen and the Badr militia in Iraq as terrorist groups. There are many
important implications for such a strategy. It is also critical to mention that
there are those who oppose the Trump administration designating these two
groups as terror organizations. This move faces many difficulties. In Yemen,
the UN, a number of European countries, such as Germany and Sweden, and some
refugee and relief organizations doing humanitarian work are against labeling
the Houthis as terrorists. They fear that such a categorization would make
humanitarian work more dangerous and lead to a hardening of the Houthis’
position in the negotiations currently being conducted. Ultimately, they fear
this could intensify the civil war in Yemen. In Iraq, the Badr Organization is
very powerful and has strong ties with the government."

 

Middle East

 

The Jerusalem Post: Amid Terror Finance Allegations, Qatar Lobbies For US F-35
Fighter Jets
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“Qatar’s regime, whose monarchy is already reeling from allegations that it
finances Islamic terrorist movements, faced new criticism on Wednesday for its
lobbying efforts in the US to purchase the F-35 fighter jets. “Given Qatar’s
track record of financing and helping terrorists – and given Qatar’s
extraordinary links with Iran – giving Qatar F-35s will undermine the advantage
of the US, Israel and their regional allies,” Ghanem Nuseibeh, founder of the 
London-based Cornerstone Global Associates, told The Jerusalem Post. He said
that “Selling F-35s to Qatar would be a strategic mistake that will have
long-term consequences on the national security of the West. Qatar does not
have the manpower to use the F-35sת and the US and its regional allies should
ask why Qatar wants them.” Cornerstone’s risk reports on Qatar’s regime have
been cited in the British media, including by BBC. Nuseibeh’s comment on
Qatar’s lobbying in the US was in response to a blockbuster Tuesday report on
the website of ForeignLobby.com.”

 

Africa

 

Reuters: Families Suing S.Africa's MTN For Allegedly Aiding Militants Want
Case Heard In U.S.
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“Families of hundreds of U.S. soldiers who are suing South African telecoms
firm MTN for allegedly aiding militant groups in Afghanistan have filed papers
challenging the firm’s argument that the case should not be heard in the United
States. The original suit, filed in December 2019 in the United States District
Court in the District of Columbia, alleges that MTN violated the U.S.
Anti-Terrorism Act by paying protection money to al-Qaeda and the Taliban. MTN,
Africa’s largest mobile operator by subscribers, has denied the allegations,
and reiterated on Wednesday it would “defend its position accordingly.” In new
court papers, filed on Tuesday by Washington-based law firms, the families’
argue that MTN must be held accountable in a U.S. court for the alleged
offence. “The Court should recognise and reject MTN’s argument for what it is:
an attempt to enshrine a rule that a foreign company can obtain U.S. financing,
use the financing to support terrorist attacks on Americans, and face no
accountability for doing so,” the papers read. The case centres around
allegations that MTN paid more than $100 million to al-Qaeda and the Taliban so
its cellular towers would not be targeted for destruction.”

 

Axios: Frustrations In Sudan Over U.S. Delays On Terror List Deal
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“Most Sudanese thought until recently that getting off the U.S. state sponsors
of terrorism list was a done deal. Now they realize it's more complicated. Why
it matters: One crucial element of the trilateral deal between the U.S., Israel
and Sudan was the restoration of Sudan's sovereign immunity, which would
protect the country from future terror-related lawsuits. While Sudan will soon
be officially removed from the terror list, it still needs the U.S. Congress to
pass the immunity legislation in the coming days, or else foreign investors may
steer clear of Sudan for fear of entanglement in multi-billion dollar terror
claims. Background: Prime Minister Abdulla Hamdok's government agreed to pay
compensation to resolve the existing lawsuits, which were tied to the harboring
of al-Qaeda by former dictator Omar al-Bashir. The government argued that
without the compensation payments there would be no delisting and no sovereign
immunity legislation from Congress. The other side: That decision angered many
Sudanese, who felt they should not pay for the deeds of the previous regime.
Quite to the contrary, some argued they should be rewarded for toppling Bashir.”

 

United Kingdom

 

BBC News: Terror Accused Felt 'Affiliation' With Mass Killers
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“A man accused of terrorism offences in Edinburgh felt "an affiliation" with
notorious American mass killers, a court has been told. A forensic psychiatrist
who met with Gabrielle Friel told police the accused felt jealous and rejected
and felt an affinity with Californian spree killer Elliott Rodger. Mr Friel,
22, denies charges of intending to commit acts of terrorism. He also denies
expressing a "desire to carry out a spree killing mass murder". In a statement
to the court, Dr Alexander Quinn's said: "I asked him if he shared some of the
ideals of Rodger, in particular his attitude to hating women for not being
interested in him sexually. He agreed at times he did." The High Court in
Edinburgh heard the psychiatrist met Mr Friel in August last year. The accused
was referred after being arrested by police in 2017 following an incident at
Edinburgh College when he was armed with a knife. Mr Friel said he had thought
about committing "suicide by cop" and became an inpatient at the Orchard Clinic
secure unit at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital. He was released back into the
community in June 2018.”

 

France

 

The New York Times: France Takes On Islamist Extremism With New Bill
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“The French government, determined to combat an ideology it views as “the
enemy of the Republic,” on Wednesday unveiled draft legislation to combat
radical Islamism, calling the measure “a law of freedom” essential to peaceful
coexistence in French society. The law, which has been assailed by Turkey and
other Muslim countries, and criticized as “heavy-handed” by the U.S. envoy on
international religious freedom, reflects President Emmanuel Macron’s resolve
to address a series of terror attacks that have left more than 260 people dead
in France since 2015. Three such attacks in recent months, including the
beheading of a history teacher, Samuel Paty, who had shown caricatures of the
Prophet Muhammad to his class, have hardened positions around the legislation.
“This bill is not a text aimed against religions or against the Muslim religion
in particular,” Prime Minister Jean Castex declared after the cabinet approved
the draft law. “It is the reverse — it is a law of freedom, it is a law of
protection, it is a law of emancipation against religious fundamentalism.”
Earlier, Mr. Castex told the French daily Le Monde that “The enemy of the
Republic is an ideology that calls itself radical Islamism, whose objective is
to divide French people from one another.”

 

Germany

 

Vice: Anti-Lockdown Protesters Placed Under Surveillance In Germany Over
Extremism Fears
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“Germany’s domestic intelligence agency has placed a group orchestrating
volatile anti-lockdown protests under surveillance, officials announced
Wednesday, as concerns rise over the growing radicalisation of the movement.
The Office for the Protection of the Constitution in the southwestern state of
Baden-Württemberg has officially classified the group Querdenken 711 (Lateral
Thinking 711) as an “object of observation.” “A limit is crossed when extremist
endeavours abuse constitutional freedoms in order to feed their extremist and
ideological conspiracy narratives,” the Baden-Württemberg Interior Minister
Thomas Strobl said in a statement announcing the move. "The advanced
radicalisation of Querdenken makes an observation of their organisational level
… essential.” It’s the first time a group behind the country’s
conspiracy-infused, anti-COVID lockdown protests, which have attracted growing
concern for their increasing violence and far-right involvement, has been
formally placed under surveillance.”

 

Europe

 

Associated Press: EU Wants To Boost Border Security Against Extremist Attacks
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“The European Commission wants member states to reinforce external border
controls and police cooperation to better protect the 27-nation bloc from
extremist attacks. As part of its Counter-Terrorism Agenda unveiled Wednesday,
the EU’s executive arm said an efficient detection of suspects at the bloc’s
borders is crucial to guarantee European citizens’ security. Since the deadly
Paris attacks five years ago in which fighters who had returned from Syria were
involved, the EU has been repeatedly hit by extremist actions. In 2019, seven
jihadist terrorist attacks were carried out in the EU, and twice that number of
plots were thwarted by law enforcement. “Member states should urgently complete
the modernization of our external border management within the agreed roadmaps,
with the ambition of developing the world’s most modern border management
system,” the commission said. Under the Schengen Information System regulations
implemented two years ago, national authorities are already required to create
alerts related to “terrorist offenses” and member states need to share
information with Europol.”

 

Reuters: Finnish Minister To Face No Charges Over Push To Bring Home Islamic
State Children
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“Finland’s foreign minister Pekka Haavisto should not face charges despite
breaking the law in an effort to quickly bring to Finland children of Finnish
mothers who joined Islamic State, a parliamentary committee ruled on Wednesday.
Like other European countries, Finland has struggled with the question of what
to do with its citizens who joined the violent Islamist movement that seized
swathes of Syria and Iraq, and with their children who were born or taken
there. Many Europeans and their children ended up in camps in Syria after the
group was defeated there two years ago. Fifteen children of Finnish women have
been brought to Finland so far. Parliament’s constitutional committee found
that Haavisto, who had pushed for the children to be brought to Finland quickly
last year, had broken the law by trying to replace an official who refused to
act. But it said the breach did not meet a threshold to press charges. “I want
to express a feeling of relief,” Haavisto said after the ruling. “It was clear
all the time that helping the children in distress was also our legal
responsibility.” Haavisto says he pressed for quick action last year because
winter was approaching and conditions were deteriorating at the al-Hol camp in
northeastern Syria where the children were being held with their Finnish
mothers.”

 

The Brussels Times: Hearings Over 22 March Terrorist Trial Will End Today
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“Hearings held to prepare for the mammoth trial of those accused of the March
2016 terrorist attacks are expected to end in Brussels today, earlier than
expected. The hearings have been held in the new Justitia court site at the
former Nato headquarters on the edge of the city. The main purpose was to
determine who would go to trial, what the charges would be, and what sort of
trial it will be. Those are deliberations that take place before any trial
involving charges serious enough to merit a prison sentence, and normally are
completed in a day. The 22 March trial, however, is of a complexity never seen
before in Belgium, to the extent that a new court site has had to be created to
house the parties taking part. Firstly, there are ten men accused of taking
part in the organisation of the attack, one of whom actually took part. The
other three bombers involved at Brussels Airport and at Maelbeek Metro station
died in the attacks they triggered themselves. One man, however, turned up at
the airport with his suitcase bomb but left before the attack. He was arrested
later. As well as the accused and their lawyers, there are also some 680 civil
parties – representing the people killed or injured in the two attacks. Each of
them has the right to attend the trial and speak.”

 

Technology

 

Tech Crunch: On Encryption And Counter-Terrorism, EU Lawmakers Say They’ll
Work For ‘Lawful’ Data Access
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“EU lawmakers have just unveiled a wide-ranging counter-terrorism agenda as
they set out plans to beef up regional security. The plan touches on some key
tech topics — the most keenly watched of which is encryption. Here, concerns
have been mounting that the bloc could be moving toward legislating against
end-to-end encryption — in response to pressure from some Member States over
law enforcement and security services’ access to encrypted data. At the same
time, such pressure isn’t exactly new. Albeit, the rule of crypto wars history
is the access issue must roll around afresh again and again. And last month a
draft resolution from the Council of the European Union triggered a fresh wave
of anxiety that an EU ban on e2e encryption might be in the works. Today’s
Commission agenda is unlikely to lay such fears to rest entirely. Perhaps
mostly for its tortured language — with oxymoronical talk of “‘improved access”
to encrypted information in a text that’s simultaneously peppered with caveats
about “respecting the right to privacy”. Here’s how the Commission answers its
own impossible question [emphasis its]: Encryption technology is one of the
main building blocks in setting up and maintaining the Digital Single Market
and in safeguarding fundamental rights, privacy and data protection of
citizens.”



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