Eye on Extremism

December 17, 2020

 

The Wall Street Journal: Fourteen People Convicted In Charlie Hebdo Terrorist Attack Trial

 

“A French court convicted 14 people Wednesday of helping carry out the 2015 terrorist attacks on satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo and a kosher grocery store, as France sought to close one of the more painful chapters in its modern history. The three-day shooting spree that killed 17 people in January 2015 marked the beginning of a string of terrorist attacks that would leave hundreds dead in the years to come and reshape everyday life in France. All three of the gunmen who mounted the attack on Charlie Hebdo and the grocer died in standoffs with police at the time. On Wednesday, judges in Paris handed down prison sentences to a network of people charged with assisting the men. Three people were convicted in absentia, including Hayat Boumeddiene, who married one of the gunmen in a religious ceremony before the attacks. She received a sentence of 30 years in prison for belonging to a terrorist organization and financing terrorism. Ms. Boumeddiene, whom prosecutors described in court as an “Islamic State princess,” fled to Syria days before the attacks. She is on the run from an international arrest warrant.”

 

Voice Of America: Suspected Al-Shabab Operative Brought To US To Face Terror Charges

 

“An al-Shabab terror group operative accused of conspiring to carry out a 9/11-style attack in the United States has been brought to New York to face terrorism charges, the Justice Department announced on Wednesday. Kenyan national Cholo Abdi Abdullah was transferred on Tuesday from the Philippines where he had been in local custody since his arrest in July 2019. The Philippines handed him over to U.S. authorities on Tuesday.   Abdullah is accused of conspiring to hijack a commercial airliner and crash it into a building in the United States. As part of the plot directed by senior al-Shabab leaders, Abdullah allegedly obtained pilot training in the Philippines. He was charged in a six-count indictment unsealed on Wednesday and expected to be presented to a federal magistrate judge in New York. The charges against him include providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, conspiracy to murder U.S. citizens and conspiracy to hijack and destroy an aircraft. “This case, which involved a plot to use an aircraft to kill innocent victims, reminds us of the deadly threat that radical Islamic terrorists continue to pose to our nation,” assistant attorney general John Demers said in a statement.”

 

United States

 

Minneapolis Star Tribune: Boogaloo Bois Member Pleads Guilty To Trying To Sell Weapons To Hamas

 

“A member of the anti-government Boogaloo Bois pleaded guilty Wednesday to attempting to provide weapons to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization, in the days and weeks following protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Benjamin Ryan Teeter, 22, could face up to 20 years in prison for the federal felony. His sentencing has not been scheduled. Appearing via video and wearing orange jail garb, Teeter told U.S. District Judge Michael Davis that he came to Minneapolis from North Carolina after Floyd's death. He and Michael Robert Solomon, 30, another Boogaloo Bois member who's charged with the same crimes, met several times with two men they believed represented Hamas, but who were actually working covertly for the federal government. Teeter and Solomon negotiated selling gun suppressors and a “drop in auto sear” — a device that converts semi-automatic weapons into illegal machine guns, according to charges. Teeter acknowledged in court he believed the materials would be used by the militant wing of Hamas. “I mean, why would someone buy suppressors if they weren't going to deliver them to a militant wing?” he said. Teeter said they hoped Hamas would help them “to exit the country and open a training facility” for Boogaloo Bois, a loose-knit, far-right group bent on starting the next American civil war.”

 

New York Post: New Suspect In 1988 Lockerbie Pan Am Terror Bombing To Be Charged

 

“Federal prosecutors are expected to unseal new charges against a bomb-maker linked to the 1988 attack on Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, according to a report. Abu Agila Mohammad Masud, a top bomb-maker for the late Libyan dictator Moammar Khadafy, is accused of constructing the explosive that downed the airliner and killed 270 people on board, the Wall Street Journal said. Masud is being held by Libyan authorities. However, the Justice Department said it will seek to have him extradited to the US over the next few days to stand trial. Among the victims of the terror attack were 190 Americans. The London-to-New York bout Boeing 747 was flying over the Scottish town on Dec. 21, 1988, when a bomb detonated on board, killing all 259 onboard and 11 others on the ground.  Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, a former Libyan intelligence officer, is the only person ever convicted in the terror attack. Al-Megrahi was convicted in 2001 and released from prison in 2009 after being diagnosed with cancer. He died in Libya in 2012. An appeal filed by his family posthumously to overturn the conviction and clear al-Megrahi’s name was denied by a Scottish appeals court in 2015. However, earlier this year another court in Scotland approved a request to have an appeal move forward, and those proceedings are pending, according to a report by EuroNews.”

 

Syria

 

Al Monitor: Islamic State Continues To Pose Threat In Syrian Desert

 

“The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said in a Dec. 4 report, “Military operations are ongoing in separate axes in the Syrian desert between the [Syrian] regime forces and the militias loyal to it on the one hand, and the Islamic State (IS) on the other. The clashes between the two sides are mostly concentrated in the Aleppo-Hama-Raqqa triangle, and to a lesser extent in the deserts of Deir Ez-Zor and Homs. The group seeks to maintain its activity in the area, by continuing its attacks, ambushes, and explosions. Meanwhile, the regime forces are doing their best to limit IS’ activity, with Russian support, through intense airstrikes.” According to SOHR, since the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced their control of Baghouz village, IS’ last stronghold, on March 24, 2019, the human losses amounted to 1,020 deaths from the regime forces and the militants loyal to it of both Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities, two of whom were Russians; in addition to 140 deaths from non-Syrian pro-Iranian militias, all of whom were killed during IS attacks, bombings and ambushes in the west of the Euphrates, the desert of Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa, Homs and Suwayda. The report also mentioned 562 deaths in IS’ ranks, during the same period.”

 

Iran

 

Politico: UK Urged To Deem Iran’s Revolutionary Guard ‘Terrorist Group’

 

“The U.K. government should follow America’s lead and deem Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards a terrorist organization, a cross-party group of MPs said. A new report by the Commons foreign affairs committee calls on the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to toughen its approach over Iran’s detention of U.K. citizens. Recommendations from the group include recognizing Tehran’s “arbitrary detainment” of U.K. citizens as “state hostage taking,” and designating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a terrorist organization. That would mirror a U.S. decision taken in August 2019. “Proscribing the IRGC in its entirety is a natural next step in response to the IRGC’s bankrolling and bolstering of terrorism,” committee chairman and Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat said in a statement accompanying the report. “The group’s destructive philosophy and violence within Iran and across the region make a compelling case for it to be singled out for sanction.” The group of MPs is meanwhile urging the U.K. to use recently-passed Magnitsky sanctioning laws to target bad actors in the region. When asked what sanctioning might achieve, Tugendhat told the BBC’s Today program the IRGC was “not just an enabler of terrorism, but [it] also runs businesses within Iran and in many neighboring countries.”

 

Afghanistan

 

The New York Times: ‘Sticky Bombs’ Sow Terror And Chaos In A City On Edge

 

“As he has done most workdays, Mahbubullah Mohibi left his home on Tuesday morning in a white armored S.U.V. with government plates, bound for his office job as deputy governor for Kabul Province. His driver was wheeling through the narrow streets of Kabul’s Macroyan neighborhood when the S.U.V. was rocked by an explosion. Mr. Mohibi, 42, and his secretary were killed and two bodyguards were wounded, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry said. Someone had attached a homemade magnetic bomb to Mr. Mohibi’s vehicle, an increasingly common and lethal tactic targeting government officials and other prominent Afghans in the capital. The dull, crumpling echo of a magnetic bomb detonation has lately provided the daily soundtrack to Kabul’s busy morning commute. A so-called “sticky bomb” exploded nearly every day somewhere in Afghanistan this fall — with dozens such attacks in Kabul alone the past six months, according to New York Times tallies. A few hours after the attack on Mr. Mohibi, a magnetic bomb killed Abdul Rahman Atshan, the provincial council deputy chief of central Afghanistan’s Ghor Province, and seriously injured a council member riding with him, a provincial police spokesman said.”

 

Reuters: Taliban Delegation Visits Islamabad, Plans For Leadership Meeting In Pakistan

 

“A Taliban delegation will arrive in Pakistan’s capital on Wednesday for a three-day visit, according to official statements, as both sides in the Afghan peace process continue consultations during a break in negotiations. The Taliban delegation, led by the militant group’s top political leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, is set to meet Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and the foreign minister during the visit, according to a Pakistan foreign office statement. Two Taliban political sources in Doha told Reuters they would also hold a meeting in Pakistan among their leadership. The Taliban last visited Islamabad in August, just before the peace talks with the Afghan government began in Doha as the United States pushed for a political settlement while it withdraws troops from the war-torn country. After reaching an agreement on procedural ground rules this month, negotiators representing the government and the Taliban are taking a break until Jan. 5 when they will continue to work on an agenda. Diplomatic sources told Reuters that both sides will continue to consult with their leaderships and other key players over the break.”

 

Middle East

 

Al Monitor: Second US Lawsuit Hits Qatar National Bank Over Terrorist Finances

 

“Family members of American victims of terrorist attacks in Israel have filed a lawsuit against top Qatari financial institutions that they allege are headed by members of the royal family. A filing in the US District Court of Brooklyn yesterday alleged that Qatar Charity, Masraf Al Rayan Bank and Qatar National Bank knowingly facilitated financial activities of Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas between 2015-2016. The latest suit was first reported by The Washington Post. The litigants specifically accused Qatar Charity of funneling at least $28 million to the two terror groups, including payments to the families of “martyrs.” The suit also accuses Masraf Al Rayan Bank and Qatar National Bank of managing bank accounts for known terrorists, including Ahlam Aref Ahmad al-Tamimi, who facilitated the killing of 15 people in a 2001 suicide bombing at a Sbarro pizzeria in Jerusalem. Tuesday’s is the second such case brought by US citizens this year. In June, a suit filed in US Federal Court by 51 plaintiffs targeted the three institutions, citing attacks on US citizens in Israel, including a 28-year-old former US Army captain killed in a 2016 stabbing attack in Jaffa. Both cases are being filed under the US Anti-Terrorism Act, which allows US citizens to seek triple restitution from private institutions but not to sue government officials.”

 

Africa

 

Reuters: Militant Attacks Force 570,000 To Flee Homes In Northern Mozambique, President Says

 

“Militants have forced 570,000 people to flee their homes in Mozambique’s northern Cabo Delgado province, President Filipe Nyusi said on Wednesday, vowing to defeat insurgents who stepped up attacks since pledging loyalty to Islamic State last year. Fighters have been taking on the army and seizing entire towns in recent months in the province, home to gas developments worth some $60 billion. Earlier this week, the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR said at least 424,000 people had fled to neighbouring Niassa, Nampula and Pempa provinces, and warned that the crisis could spread beyond Mozambique’s borders. “Those who are terrorists must be aware that it will be the people who will win this war,” Nyusi said in a televised address to the nation. “We will keep mobilizing humanitarian aid to the victims of terrorists. These acts have forced 570,000 to flee who are now crying to get back to their destroyed homes.” Nyusi said Mozambique had received offers “from all corners of the world” to help it fight terrorism. The government “will keep training and equip our military to fight”, he added. The insurgent group, Ahlu Sunnah Wa-Jama, staged its first attack in 2017. Known at first mainly for crude beheadings, the fighters declared allegiance to Islamic State in June 2019 and since then have massively increased attacks in scale and frequency.”

 

United Kingdom

 

The Independent: Former British Army Soldier Jailed For Terror Offences And Extreme Pornography

 

“A former British soldier has been jailed for terror offences after sharing military documents that caused a “significant” national security risk. Matthew Conroy denied being a terrorist or wanting to cause harm to the state, but a court heard that the material could have given “hostile audiences” intelligence and helped them select attack targets. The 25-year-old admitted six counts of collecting or possessing information useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism. Conroy also admitted two counts of possessing extreme pornography, after videos showing the sexual abuse of animals were found on his mobile phone during the police investigation. He was jailed for three years on Wednesday, with a one-year extended licence period and 10-year notification requirement. He was given three years’ imprisonment for the most serious terror offence, two years for the remaining five, and four months each for the extreme pornography offences, all to run concurrently. Kingston Crown Court heard that Conroy emailed seven military documents to a “range of national and international organisations” on 1 May.”

 

BBC News: Newcastle And London Terror Convicts' Sentences Challenged

 

“A man who incited a German terror cell to commit mass murder has had his jail term challenged by the attorney general. Lawyers for Suella Braverman told the Court of Appeal the nine-year minimum term for Fatah Abdullah, from Newcastle, was too lenient. They also challenged the 14-year minimum term given to Safiyya Shaikh, from West London, for plotting a terror attack at St Paul's Cathedral. The ruling will be given later. Abdullah, 35, was sentenced to life imprisonment in June after pleading guilty to inciting terrorism overseas and engaging in conduct in preparation to assist others to commit terrorist acts. Between 9 April and 11 December 2018, the Iranian national had encouraged Omar Babek and Ahmed Hussein to plan terror attacks in Germany, including driving a car into a crowd, attacking people with a meat cleaver and causing an explosion. Shaikh, 37, admitted preparation of terrorist acts and dissemination of terrorist publications on the internet. Representing Ms Braverman, Alison Morgan QC told the court that Abdullah, who lived in Arthur's Hill, should have been given a 12-year minimum term and Shaikh, from Hayes, a minimum term of 18 and a half years. Lawyers representing Abdullah and Shaikh disagreed and argued for Ms Braverman's challenge to be dismissed.”

 

Evening Standard: Counter Terrorism Police Will Board London Buses In New Effort To Prevent Attack

 

“Counter terrorism police will board London buses and check other vehicles in a new effort to prevent an attack in the capital. Officers will also patrol at bus stops, bus stations and transport interchanges to make it harder for would-be terrorists to move around the city. Sniffer dogs and automatic number plate recognition technology will be deployed in a further measure to detect threats, while police will monitor movements at key locations  from CCTV control rooms.  Armed officers will be available to give support when necessary. The new drive to strengthen public protection follows a warning by the country’s most senior counter terrorism officer, Met Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, that the number of investigations being carried out by his teams has reached a record high within the past two weeks.  The official threat level has also been raised to “severe” - meaning an attack is judged to be highly likely - following the recent attacks in France and Vienna. The new transport patrols, which will supplement those already carried out at railway and Tube stations and on busy shopping streets, will be carried out by a new “Project Servator” team set up by the Met’s Roads and Transport Policing Command.”

 

Germany

 

Deutsche Welle: Neo-Nazi Attack Survivors Create Tool To Track Racist Extremists

 

“On August 3, 2019, a right-wing extremist shot dead 23 people at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas. He had just posted a “manifesto” on the online forum 8chan in which he declared his hatred of immigrants and Hispanic people. On the same day, a young man in eastern Germany signed up to the online platform Twitch, a streaming service mainly used by gamers to watch each other play video games. Two months later, this young man, 27-year-old Stephan B.*, would use this service to live-stream footage from his helmet camera that showed his attempt to murder 52 Jewish people in a synagogue in the city of Halle. Like the El Paso shooter, the young German also posted a “manifesto” on an online forum moments before the attack began. The synagogue attack failed, thwarted largely because the door to the courtyard outside the synagogue was locked — a necessary precaution for many Jewish communities in Germany and around the world. In frustration, Stephan B. killed two non-Jewish Germans. The two white supremacists didn't know each other personally, and there is no evidence that they ever communicated directly. But they shared an ideology and frequented the same online forums and often unmoderated “imageboards,” where a globe-spanning network of young men regularly air racism and misogyny and feed each other's anger and resentment about society.”

 

Europe

 

Yahoo News: Austria Set To Ban 'Religious Extremism'

 

“A ban on extremist religious activities is to be added to Austria's criminal code, according to an anti-terrorism policy package presented by the government. The package was drawn up in reaction to the Islamist attack in Vienna that left four people dead and more than 20 wounded in early November. The government coalition between conservatives and Greens foresees prison sentences of up to two years for people who “continually try to replace key elements of the republic's democratic rule of law with an exclusively religious social and political order,” according to the draft bill. Social Integration Minister Susanne Raab made clear that the paragraph is meant to fight “political Islam”. The Austrian Islamic Faith Community on Wednesday criticised the government for not seeking its input when it drafted the policies and said the proposed legislation was sweepingly vague. “The fight against terrorism and extremism can only be won together,” said Umit Vural, the head of the Muslim umbrella organisation. The goals of the government in Austria are similar to those of the French government, which is working on a law to combat radical Islam and to prevent radicalisation. Austria's anti-terrorism package includes a register for former terrorism convicts as well as a register for Muslim preachers.”

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