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Eye on Extremism
December 28, 2020
CNN: Boko Haram Kills At Least Seven In Christmas Eve Attack In Nigeria, Local Official Says
“At least seven people were killed in a Boko Haram attack on the majority-Christian village of Pemi in Nigeria's Borno state on Christmas Eve, a local official said. “Boko Haram attacked Pemi village, killed seven people and abducted another seven, including a pastor,” Kachallah Usman, secretary of the Chibok local government area, told CNN on Friday. “They also burned down a church, a dispensary and several houses,” he added. Pemi is located approximately 20 kilometers from Chibok, where Boko Haram kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls six years ago. Along with your genetic health assessment, AncestryHealth® gives you your ethnic origins and genetically influenced personal traits. A man purporting to be Abubakar Shekau, a leader of one of Boko Haram's factions, also said the group was responsible for the kidnapping of more than 300 schoolboys in the country's northwest earlier this month, though governor Aminu Bello Masari refuted this claim, saying that “local bandits” were responsible. Audu Chiwar, a former secretary of the Chibok community in Abuja, told CNN he received a call on Thursday from a local resident reporting that gunmen had opened fire in the village. The witness told Chiwar that several houses in the area had been burned down, as well as the Evangelical Church of the Brethren in the village of Pemi.”
CNN: Seven Killed In Knife Attack In Northeast China
“At least seven people were killed Sunday morning by a knife-wielding attacker in northeast China, according to state media. Seven other people were also injured in the attack in the city of Kaiyuan, in Liaoning province, state broadcaster CCTV reported. A single suspect surnamed Yang has been arrested and police are investigating the case, the Kaiyuan municipal public security bureau said in a statement. The police did not mention the motive of the attack, or details on the suspect or the casualties. CCTV reported that a police officer who helped subdue the suspect was among the injured. A video posted by the state-run Beijing News on Chinese social media showed two police officers -- one of them wielding a broom -- confronting the suspect and tackling him to the ground. Knife attacks in public are not uncommon in China. In June, 37 children and two adults were injured by a knife attacker at an elementary school in the southwestern Guangxi region. In October 2018, a woman wielding a kitchen knife slashed at least 14 children at a kindergarten in the central city of Chongqing. Nine students were killed at a middle school in Shaanxi province in April 2018 by a 28-year-old man who was later sentenced to death.”
United States
The New York Times: A Warning, Then A Blast: Nashville Explosion Was Deliberate, Police Say
“First came the warning, then came the blast, shattering the Christmas morning silence in the heart of the city’s tourist district. Before dawn on Friday, Nashville police officers rushed to calls of gunfire on Second Avenue, a strip of honky tonks, restaurants and boot shops. Instead of gunfire, they found an R.V., blaring a strange and unsettling message: There was a bomb. It would detonate in 15 minutes. When the R.V. did explode, it sent plumes of smoke billowing above the city, blew out windows in shops and offices for several blocks, left three people hospitalized — and Nashville shaken. Police said the explosion was deliberate. It was also deeply unsettling, coming in an area that draws thousands of people nightly. But who set it off and why remained unknown as officials began to make sense of the blast. “The whole neighborhood shook,” said Lily Hansen, who was sitting on her couch in her second-floor apartment in a loft building a few blocks away. She looked outside. “I just can’t get the image out of my head.” The police released a photo of the R.V. on Friday afternoon and said the vehicle had arrived on Second Avenue North at 1:22 a.m. The R.V. was parked outside an AT&T transmission building, a separate building from the landmark 33 story AT&T office tower less than half a mile away.”
“Federal and local authorities were investigating a fiery oil car train derailment north of Seattle near where two people were arrested last month and accused of attempting a terrorist attack on train tracks to disrupt plans for a natural gas pipeline. Seven train cars carrying crude oil derailed and five caught fire Tuesday, sending a large plume of black smoke into the sky close to the Canadian border. There were no injuries in the derailment about 100 miles north of Seattle. Officials were asked about recent attempts to sabotage oil trains, but they said the investigation was just beginning. “We’ve not been able to get close enough to the site to make an evaluation,” Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo said late Tuesday. Officials with the National Transportation Safety Board along with the FBI and other federal, state and local agencies were on the scene. Last month federal authorities in Seattle charged two people with a terrorist attack on train tracks, saying they placed “shunts” on Burlington Northern Santa Fe tracks. Shunts consist of a wire strung across the tracks, mimicking the electrical signal of a train. The devices can cause trains to automatically brake and can disable railroad crossing guards. Authorities said the pair were opposed to the construction of a natural gas pipeline across British Columbia when they interfered with the operation of a railroad in Washington state.”
New York Post: Internal NYPD Memo Warns Of Cops Being Targets Of IED, Vehicle Attacks
“The NYPD has been on the alert for weeks for possible attacks similar to Friday’s deliberate RV explosion in Nashville, The Post has learned. An internal NYPD memo issued earlier this month warned that law enforcement were the “priority targets” for terror attacks involving homemade bombs and vehicle arson. The Dec. 14 memo, obtained by The Post, said violent extremists and “malicious criminal actors” might go after cops to exacerbate tensions, “exploit civil unrest” and incite further violence. The document referenced Al-Qaeda propaganda released on Nov. 26 that urged radical jihadists to exploit the COVID-19 pandemic to attack “priority targets.” Those targets included retired officers, business leaders, intelligence personnel and “soldiers and police of every brand.” Suggested attack methods were “stones, weights, edged weapons” — as well as improvised explosive devices and the arson of commercial buildings and vehicles. Authorities haven’t yet released a motive for the attack in Nashville and no suspects have been identified, but retired NYPD detective Bill Ryan told Fox News he wouldn’t rule out first responders and police officers as the intended targets. “You have to really wonder what the motivation of the bombers are — I don’t think this was one person; it was probably an organized group of people,” Ryan said.”
Brookings Institute: 2020 Appears To Be A Good Year For Counterterrorism
“In October, the FBI arrested over a dozen men tied to the anti-government “boogaloo” movement and a paramilitary group, the “Wolverine Watchmen.” The men allegedly plotted to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), put her on trial or treason for taking tough measures to fight covid-19, and storm the state capitol building to instigate a civil war. The alleged Whitmer plot, along with constant disinformation claiming an election coup, bizarre QAnon conspiracy theories and images of burning cities, seemed to embody the extremism that appears to permeate America today. Although many Americans are eager to put this year behind them, 2020 also had some surprising bright spots. So far, we’ve seen no foreign jihadist attacks on U.S. soil, and despite the grim headlines, the actual number of deaths from white supremacists and other domestic terrorists is small. Data from the New America Foundation shows that zero Americans died from jihadist attacks in the United States this year. For 2020 so far, New America tallies eight terrorism deaths on U.S. soil, far fewer than the 30 Americans killed in 2019. Kyle Rittenhouse was charged with killing Black Lives Matter protesters in Kenosha, Wis. Police believe a “men’s rights” activist planned to attack a New Jersey judge and killed her son when he opened the door.”
Syria
Reuters: Turkey Says It Killed 15 Kurdish Militants Preparing Attack In Northeast Syria
“Turkey said on Sunday its military killed 15 militants from the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, which it said was preparing to carry out an attack in a region of northeast Syria controlled by Turkey and its Syrian rebel allies. In an offensive last year dubbed the Peace Spring Operation, Turkey seized a 120-km (75-mile) stretch of border territory in northeast Syria from the YPG, which it considers a terrorist organisation linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militia. “Our heroic commandos dealt another heavy blow to the PKK/YPG terrorist organisation. Fifteen PKK/YPG terrorists trying to infiltrate the Peace Spring region from the south to carry out an attack were neutralised with the successful intervention of our commandos,” Turkey’s Defence Ministry said on Twitter. Turkey halted its offensive, which was widely condemned by Ankara’s Western allies as the YPG was a key U.S. ally in the fight against Islamic State, after striking deals with Russia and the United States. Moscow has said the YPG withdrew to at least 30 km (18 miles) from Turkey’s border, but Ankara has been sceptical and held out the possibility of new attacks if militants remain. U.S. support for the YPG has been among the main issues between Ankara and Washington, NATO allies.”
Voice Of America: US-Backed SDF Targets IS Militants In Eastern Syria
“U.S.-backed forces are carrying out new raids against militants affiliated with the Islamic State (IS) terror group in eastern Syria. The new campaign led by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) targets remnants of IS in Deir al-Zour province, which borders Iraq. The SDF, a Kurdish-led military alliance, said its ongoing operations have been focused on active IS cells in the northern part of the province. “On December 26, our Special Forces and International Coalition Forces arrested a member of a terrorist cell north of Deir al-Zour, during a joint raid operation,” the SDF said in a statement Sunday. The SDF added that its forces also seized “quantities of ammunition” during the same operation. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the SDF Sunday carried out additional raids, which were supported by the U.S.-led Global Coalition to Defeat IS. The war monitor has researchers across war-torn Syria. Despite its territorial defeat in March 2019, IS continues to carry out terror attacks against civilians and SDF forces in Deir al-Zour and other parts of eastern Syria. In recent weeks, IS cells have intensified their activity in the area. According to the Syrian Observatory, an SDF fighter was killed and another wounded after an explosive device targeted their vehicle Saturday in Deir al-Zour’s al-Shuhail town.”
Turkey
Daily Sabah: Turkey Adopts Law To Prevent Terror Financing, Weapons Of Mass Destruction
“The Turkish Parliament on Sunday ratified a motion banning the commercial activities of organizations and individuals facing sanctions by the U.N. Security Council. Accordingly, collecting or providing funds to such individuals or organizations will also be banned in Turkey. Parliament also adopted a law calling for the prevention of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The provisions of the new law also deal with the funding of terrorist groups. The definition of “asset” was updated to match the internationally recognized meaning. Those who commit the crime of “funding terrorism” will be subjected to heavier fines and penalties. Also, the assets of individuals and organizations sanctioned by the Security Council for “funding terrorism” will be frozen in a swifter procedure. The law also regulates the collection of donations and funding through the internet. As such, collecting donations and funding online will be subject to permission by the Turkish Interior Ministry. By doing so, authorities aim to prevent the abuse of a sense of solidarity in the public. The law will also regulate both domestic and foreign foundations operating in Turkey. The operations of foreign foundations working in Turkey will be inspected regularly by the ministry.”
Afghanistan
The Washington Post: Targeted Killings Of Journalists Are On The Rise Across Afghanistan
“Malala Maiwand sat on a television studio couch, pen and notebook in hand, a dark red headscarf framing her face. She was hosting a morning talk show in the city of Jalalabad, in eastern Afghanistan. The topic was rising insecurity in the region, and her guest was a police spokesman. Maiwand got straight to the point. A recent killing had taken place in broad daylight and in plain sight of police, but the killer had escaped. “What is your answer to this?” she asked the man. Though just 26, Maiwand was known for holding officials to account, especially on issues of corruption, and her show on Enikass TV had become one of the most popular in the eastern part of the country. But on Dec. 10, just a few weeks after the interview aired, she was shot dead, along with her driver, when unknown gunmen fired on their vehicle as she headed to work in Jalalabad, a bustling city of some 350,000 and the capital of Nangahar province. The brazen daytime assassination was one of the latest in a string of targeted attacks on journalists in Afghanistan. The killings have highlighted the danger journalists face as they report on surging violence and tense peace talks between Afghan and Taliban representatives in Qatar that began in September.”
Associated Press: Afghan Army: 2 Officers Killed By Roadside Bomb In North
“At least two Afghan army officers including a battalion commander were killed Friday when their vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb in the northern Balkh province, the military said. Hanif Rezaie, a spokesman for the army in the country's north, said Capt. Mohammad Qasim Paikar and another officer were killed and two other soldiers were wounded in the explosion, which took place between Balkh and Char Bolak districts. The attack was the latest amid relentless violence in Afghanistan even as Taliban and Afghan government negotiators hold talks in Qatar, trying to hammer out a peace deal that could put an end to decades of war. No one immediately claimed responsibility for Friday's bombing. Rezaie blamed the Taliban, who are active in both districts and regularly launch attacks against Afghan security forces. Elsewhere, the Taliban announced the release of 30 imprisoned Afghan security personnel on Thursday in the southern Kandahar province's Panjwai district. This is the first batch of prisoners released by the Taliban since the start of direct peace talks with the Afghan government in September. Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the group, did not provide further details about the freed prisoners, but it appeared the decision was based on an order from the Taliban's leadership.”
Voice Of America: Sticky Bomb Attacks Send Wave Of Fear Through Kabul
“An apparent rise in “sticky bomb” attacks against Afghan officials and other high-profile targets has some dreading car journeys in Kabul, with some activists saying the violence, conducted through fixing magnetic explosives to vehicles, is the latest tactic by militant groups to further destabilize the country. At least one police officer was killed and two more were wounded Wednesday in an explosion caused by a bomb attached to their vehicle. A day earlier, a magnetic or sticky bomb explosion killed at least five people, including four doctors. “Every time that I go out, I am worried that something might happen to me,” said Subhan Mesbah, the deputy head of the Lawyers Association of Afghanistan. “I have the fear that someone might attach a sticky bomb to my car or shoot me.” The bombing in recent weeks has targeted politicians, security officials, human rights activists and journalists. Some officials say the tactic helps the attackers hurt high-profile Afghans without drawing much attention. Mesbah, who regularly appears on media outlets as a political analyst, said he now takes precautionary measures such as inspecting his car before driving because he might be a target of violence for his public appearances.”
Pakistan
Reuters: Seven Pakistani Soldiers Killed In Attack In Southwest
“Seven Pakistani soldiers were killed late on Saturday in an attack in the southwestern province of Balochistan, the military said on Sunday. Security sources told Reuters the attack occurred in the district of Harnai. Militants from nearby hilltops opened fire on a military checkpost using rockets and then automatic gunfire. “[The area] has been cordoned off; escape routes have been blocked,” the military said in a statement.The resource-rich province of Balochistan is home to some of Pakistan’s largest coal and natural gas reserves, including some being backed by China. But Balochistan has largely remained undeveloped, and several armed groups have waged a decades-old insurgency in the region that has targeted the military as well as coal and gas projects backed by foreign investors. Islamabad has said the insurgency is backed by rival India, and is part of an attempt to thwart foreign investment in the country. “Our nation stands with our courageous soldiers who face attacks from Indian-backed terrorists,” Prime Minister Imran Khan wrote on Twitter after the attack. Ten militants and one soldier were killed on Dec. 20 in the Awaran district of Balochistan, according to the military, which described the clash as part of an “intelligence-based” raid on an insurgent location.”
Voice Of America: Videos Show Taliban Leaders In Pakistan With Followers, Fighters
“Afghanistan's foreign ministry issued a statement Friday expressing regret and concern about videos showing senior Taliban leaders meeting their followers and Taliban fighters in Pakistan. In cell phone video that surfaced on social media in the last few days, the head of the Taliban’s political office, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, seems to be briefing a Taliban cadre on the ongoing peace negotiations in Doha and acknowledging the presence of the Taliban’s top leadership in Pakistan. In another video, a member of the Taliban’s political team is seen meeting men wearing uniforms used by Taliban fighters. Although the clothing of Taliban fighters in the video suggests it could be older. None of the fighters are wearing a sweater or a jacket as they stand in line outside, and some of the fighters are bare foot, indicating the weather to be warmer rather than the current harsh winter months. “It is with deepest regret and concern that some Taliban leaders were seen in the videos visiting training camps,” the Afghan statement said, decrying the “overt presence and activities” of Taliban fighters and leadership in Pakistan. “We urge the Pakistani government not to allow its territory to be used by insurgents and elements who insist on continuing the war and bloodshed,” the Afghan foreign ministry said.”
Lebanon
Associated Press: Hezbollah Doubled Its Precision-Guided Missiles In A Year
“The leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah said Sunday his group now has twice as many precision-guided missiles as it had a year ago, saying Israel's efforts to prevent it from acquiring them has failed. Hassan Nasrallah, in an end-of-year interview with the Beirut-based Arabic Al-Mayadeen TV, said his group has the capability to strike anywhere in Israel and occupied Palestinian territories. Nasrallah said that when Israel threatened through a U.S. official to target a Hezbollah facility in the eastern Bekaa region, his group warned it would retaliate to any such attack. Israel has in recent months expressed concern that Hezbollah is trying to establish production facilities to make precision guided missiles. During the four-hour interview, Nasrallah said there are many matters related to his group that Israel has no knowledge of because those are kept in a “very tight circle.” Nasrallah also said that the last few weeks of the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump are critical and must be treated with care. He called Trump “angry” and “crazy.” Hezbollah is one of Iran’s main allies in the region and is a sworn enemy of Israel, with which it has had a series of confrontations, lastly in 2006. Nasrallah repeated vows that Iran and its allies will avenge the U.S. killing of the commander of the elite Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Qassim Soleimani, in a drone attack a year ago in Iraq.”
Middle East
Asharq Al-Awsat: Kuwait Thwarts Possible ISIS Terrorist Attack On New Year’s Eve
“Kuwait’s security services have thwarted a possible ISIS terrorist attack targeting compounds and places of worship on New Year’s Eve. The government decided to close the places of worship and ban gatherings during the celebration of religious holidays in public areas, starting Dec.24. Although it linked the decision to the preventive measures applied to limit the spread of coronavirus, it came amid news of a raised security alert after exposingthe ISIS cell. Six young Kuwaitis have been arrested for contacting the terrorist organization, sources said, adding that it recruited them through a famous online game. Al-Qabas Newspaper reported that the Ministry of Interior’s investigations with the juvenile cell revealed that its main operator was the son of a former member in the National Assembly. Apparently, he was the first to be contacted and enrolled by ISIS members, it noted. The young boy recruited the rest of his comrades in favor of the extremist organization, the newspaper noted, adding that they were asked to target compounds and mosques on New Year’s Eve. Police confiscated firearms and computers that contained chats and coordination schemes to carry out terrorist acts in the juveniles’ possession.”
Asharq Al-Awsat: Israeli Army Warns Of Jewish Terrorist Attacks Against Palestinians
“Far-right Jewish groups are planning to execute a number of terrorist attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank, according to Israeli military sources. They indicated that the so-called “Hilltop Youth” group could execute terrorist operations similar to the one they carried out against al-Dawabsheh in 2015 when the terrorist settlers burned the family's home while its members were asleep. Walla military correspondent, Amir Bohbot, reported that some Israeli military officials and other security forces believe that a number of settlers could pressure the political leadership to resume the implementation of the annexation plan of Palestinian areas and impose Israeli sovereignty over the settlements. As part of their campaign, the settlers will start with violent protests and later carry out terrorist operations that will shock the region. Last week, a “Hilltop Youth” member was killed following a car crash as he tried to flee police after throwing rocks at Palestinians in the central West Bank. Settlers took to the streets and members of the organization attacked Palestinians, threw rocks at their cars, and punctured the tires of a car that was transporting Palestinian workers in the Hebron area. A number of Palestinians filed a complaint indicating that five to seven “Hilltop Youth” terrorists threw stones and attacked a shepherd in the northern West Bank, leaving him with severe injuries.”
Egypt
Egypt Today: Egypt’s Security Forces Thwart 90 Terrorist Attacks In 2020
“Egyptian security forces have thwarted 90 terrorist attacks over 2020 through launching pre-emptive operations, according to a statement from the Egyptian Ministry of Interior on Friday. The ministry added that the banned terrorist group of the Muslim Brotherhood has received the strongest blow by arresting its acting guide Mahmoud Ezzat, continuing that such blow resulted in arresting more members of the banned group. On 29 August 2020, Mahmoud Ezzat got arrested during a security raid on an apartment in Cairo after having been on the run for seven years. Despite misleading information regarding his whereabouts, security services were able to locate Ezzat, 76, who is also the head of the Brotherhood's International Organization. On December 3, the security services arrested Al-Sweirki, for an accusation of “financing a terrorist group.” Also, former Minister of Manpower Khaled al-Azhari and former Minister of Transportation Hatem Abdel-Latif were arrested. Moreover, a total of 120 terrorists were shot dead in shoot-outs with security forces in 2020, mostly in North Sinai, according to the data of the National Security Sector. “Egypt succeeded in reducing the rates of violence and terrorist operations by 95% [in 2020] compared to 85% in the past,” the statement said.”
Nigeria
Agence France-Presse: Boko Haram Kidnaps 40 Loggers And Kills Three In North-East Nigeria
“Boko Haram jihadists have seized about 40 loggers and killed three others in north-east Nigeria near the border with Cameroon, militia sources and residents have said. The hostages were rounded up by the insurgents on Thursday in Wulgo forest near the town of Gamboru, where they went to collect firewood, the sources said. The jihadists have increasingly targeted loggers and farmers in the north-east, accusing them of passing information to the military and local militias. “A group of more than 40 loggers left Shehuri on the outskirts of Gamboru on Thursday and never returned by evening as usual,” said militia leader Umar Kachalla, who was involved in the search. “On Friday we mobilised men and went deep into the forest where we recovered three bodies identified to be among the loggers, without a trace of their colleagues.” The missing loggers were presumed kidnapped by the jihadists, who are known to maintain camps in the forest, said Kachalla, a view widely shared in the area. “We believe the men were taken by Boko Haram who have been attacking loggers in the forest,” said another militia member, Shehu Mada. “From all indication the three dead loggers were shot when they tried to escape as they all were shot from behind.”
Africa
Reuters: Death Toll From Attack In Western Ethiopia Reaches 222, Red Cross Says
“The death toll from a Wednesday attack in the western Benishangul-Gumuz region of Ethiopia has risen to 222 people, a volunteer from the country’s Red Cross told Reuters on Friday. “Yesterday we buried 207 people who are the victims and 15 more from the attackers,” said the volunteer, Melese Mesfin. The attack occurred in the village of Bekoji in Bulen county in the Metekel zone, and the state-appointed Ethiopian Human Rights Commission initially estimated more than 100 people had been killed. More than 40,000 people fled their homes due to the fighting, Bulen county spokesman Kassahun Addisu said. He said the county had buried 207 people. Wednesday’s attack by unidentified gunmen was the latest deadly assault in an area bedevilled by ethnic violence. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called the attack a “massacre” and deployed federal troops there the next day. The military killed 42 armed men accused of attacking the village. Ethiopia has been grappling with outbreaks of deadly violence since Abiy was appointed in 2018 and accelerated political reforms that loosened the state’s iron grip on regional rivalries. Elections due next June have further inflamed rivalries over land, power and resources.”
Africanews: Seven Troops, Four Jihadists Killed In Niger Ahead Of Sunday Vote
“Seven soldiers and four suspected jihadists were killed Monday in fighting in Niger's Tillabéri region, in a grip of recurrent jihadist attacks, less than a week before the presidential election, according to a press release from the national army. “On December 21 at around 10:00 a.m. (9:00 a.m. GMT), the Niger Armed Forces (FAN) was ambushed by heavily armed terrorist elements on motorcycles and in vehicles in the Taroun region, located 57 km north-east of Ouallam, “the statement read. “Motorcycles and weapons have been recovered. The search operations are continuing” in the area, “said the Ministry of Defense. The attack came at a time when the western African country is headed for the poll on December 27. Niger, one of the poorest countries in the world, shaken by numerous coups d'état, has never experienced a democratic succession between two presidents since independence in 1960. Niger is facing attacks in the Southeast from the Boko Haram jihadists near the border with Nigeria and southwest by extremists from neighboring Mali.”
Europe
Deutsche Welle: Russian Agents Foil 'Islamic State' Terror Attack
“Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said Saturday it had prevented an attack by a terrorist group with links to the Islamic State (IS) armed group. The FSB said it had arrested four people who were set to carry out the offensive in the troubled southern republic of Dagestan. “Members of the group planned to detonate an explosive close to an administrative building belonging to security services, followed by an armed attack against interior ministry employees in the city of Makhachkala,” the FSB said in a statement. As well as arresting four “members of the international IS terrorist group”, investigators found “firearms and bladed weapons, a large amount of ammunition and an explosive device”, the FSB statement continued. The security service also uncovered mobile phones containing “exchanges with organizers located abroad.” Earlier this month, police killed two attackers targeting security forces in the republic of Chechnya, which borders Dagestan. Six people were also killed during an October “counterterrorism” operation in Chechen capital Grozny, including two security force members. Russia's territories in the region between the Black and Caspian Seas have been disputed for centuries.”
Southeast Asia
“After 18 years on the run, an Indonesian terrorist leader who orchestrated the Bali bombings has revealed new secrets after his arrest. Charity boxes in food stalls and mini-marts have been helping to fund radical causes and police believe there could be up to 6,000 active members of Jemaah Islamiah in Indonesia. JI is the al-Qaeda-linked group which planned and orchestrated the devastating 2002 Bali nightclub bombings which killed 202 people, as well as a string of other bombings in Indonesia. Indonesian police have revealed that more than 20,000 charity boxes, placed in food stalls, have been used to fund the shady terror group's operations. The boxes have been used to collect cash in 12 regions of Indonesia, across Java and Sumatra, and the food stall owners had no idea the money was going to a terror group. The arrest in November of Aris Sumarsono, known as Zulkarnaen, has thrown a new spotlight on JI and its contemporary incarnation. In recent years, analysts had believed JI's influence and membership had waned and that it no longer remained a potent threat in the region. A biologist, Zulkarnaen had been on the run and eluded capture since 2002. He was arrested in East Lampung in Sumatra and is one of 23 JI suspects locked up in the past few weeks by Indonesian counter-terror forces.”
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