Eye on Extremism
September 24, 2019
The
New York Post: ‘Radical’ US Army Private Wanted To Attack News
Networks, Join Terror Groups: FBI
“A US Army private sought to join radical paramilitary groups,
distributed instructions on how to build bombs and discussed targeting
CNN, the feds charged Monday. He also talked about targeting
Democratic presidential hopeful Beto O’Rourke, according to a
complaint filed in Kansas federal court. Jarrett William Smith, 24,
told the FBI after his arrest that he wanted to cause “chaos,” the
complaint says. The FBI began monitoring Smith in March, after a
series of Facebook chatroom exchanges on bombmaking and fighting
overseas with radical groups caught the agency’s attention, according
to the complaint. Smith, who had been stationed at Fort Riley, Kan.,
chatted about joining paramilitary armies in the Ukraine, and at one
point connected with an alleged former member of one of the groups,
the FBI claims. “No former military experience, but if I cannot find a
slot in Ukraine by October, I’ll be going into the Army,” Smith
allegedly told the man, identified as Carl Lang, in a 2016 exchange.
“To fight is what I want to do,” Smith wrote. “I’m willing to listen,
learn and train. But to work on firearms is fine by me too.”
Fox
News: US, Afghan Forces Kill Over 20 Al Qaeda Fighters In Southern
Afghanistan Raid, Officials Say
“U.S. special operations forces, including an American gunship,
backed Afghan commandos in a predawn raid on a building filled with
dozens of Al Qaeda fighters in southern Afghanistan, killing over 20
of the militants, officials said Monday. Afghan security officials
tweeted that a "target" of the operation was Asim Umar, the leader of
Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), who was "in the compound."
They did not elaborate on Umar's status but said his courier, who was
tasked with delivering messages to Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri,
was killed, along with multiple Taliban leaders and deputies. A U.S.
Air Force AC-130 gunship leveled the building in the volatile Helmand
Province after a suicide bomber detonated his vest during the joint
operation, according to a U.S. official. Helmand police chief Col.
Ehsamudin Helmandi said Afghan special forces killed 22 Taliban
militants in addition to the Al Qaeda fighters. At least 14 other
militants were wounded and some were taken prisoner as a result of the
operations.”
The
Wall Street Journal: European Leaders Join U.S. In Blaming Iran For
Saudi Oil Attacks, Urge New Deal
“The leaders of Britain, France and Germany joined the U.S. in
blaming Iran for this month’s attacks on Saudi Arabia and said the
time had come for Tehran to start talks on a new, long-term agreement
dealing with its nuclear, regional and missile activities. In a joint
statement on Monday, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, along with
President Emmanuel Macron of France and Chancellor Angela Merkel of
Germany, said they continue to support the 2015 nuclear deal but said
the time has come for Iran to start talks on a longer-term, more
comprehensive agreement, as Washington has urged. While the statement
marks a significant shift on Iran by Europe’s powers, those nations
are still far from endorsing all of Washington's demands for a new
agreement. The statement also didn’t suggest that Europe is prepared
to follow Washington in tightening economic pressure on Iran.”
The
New York Times: Coalition Forces In Iraq Say Attacks 'Will Not Be
Tolerated'
“U.S.-led coalition forces in Baghdad say that attacks on coalition
personnel and facilities "will not be tolerated," adding that
coalition forces retain the right to self-defense. A statement Tuesday
said that no coalition or U.S.-occupied facility was struck in Monday
night's attack in which two rockets were fired into the heavily
fortified Green Zone, landing around one kilometer (a half-mile) from
the U.S. Embassy compound. The coalition statement said it takes "this
incident seriously as do our Iraqi security forces partners." No side
has claimed responsibility for the attack. Similar attacks in the past
have sometimes been blamed by Iraqi forces on Iranian-backed militias
in Baghdad.”
VOA:
US Official Meets In Lebanon Over Anti-Hezbollah
Sanctions
“A senior United States Treasury official was visiting Beirut on
Monday, where he's explaining the motives behind recent U.S. sanctions
targeting Lebanon's Iranian-backed Hezbollah group, Lebanon's central
bank governor said. Treasury Department Assistant Secretary Marshall
Billingslea met with the prime minister and the speaker of parliament,
as well as officials from the Association of Banks in Lebanon and the
central bank governor. Hezbollah holds three cabinet seats, and along
with its allies has more power than ever in the parliament and
government. It is also among the most effective armed groups in the
region, extending Iran's influence to Israel's doorstep. Domestically,
the group's power exceeds that of the Lebanese armed forces. Lebanon's
Central Bank chief Riad Salameh played down reports in local media
that the U.S. will impose further sanctions on the country's
dollar-strapped banking system. He said Billingslea "is not coming
here to squeeze Lebanon.''
VICE:
Facebook Wants You To Know It’s Doing Something About Domestic
Terrorism, Sort Of
“Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg came to the U.N. Monday to tout what
her company has done to curb terrorism since the Christchurch, New
Zealand attacks in March. She made sure to tamp down expectations in
the next breath. “We’ve invested hugely in people, hugely in AI, but
we know that whatever we’ve done today will never be enough,” she told
reporters Monday evening. In response to global outcry over the
Christchurch attacks, where a far-right extremist used Facebook Live
to broadcast his murder of 51 people at two mosques, the social media
giant says it’s sharpened its policies and automated detection tools
to zero in on white supremacist terrorism. On Monday, Facebook and
other tech companies announced the creation of an independent,
industry-backed organization to study and fight online extremism.
Microsoft, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter previously formed the Global
Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism in 2017 to share data on
propaganda and best practices for finding it. With Facebook chairing
the group this year, Sandberg told leaders at the U.N. General
Assembly Monday that it will soon break off as a standalone group,
with a dedicated staff, funded by tech firms.”
United States
U.S.
News & World Report: Missouri Man Pleads Guilty In Terrorist
Attack Plot
“A 28-year-old Missouri man charged with plotting a terrorist
attack on buses, trains and a train station in Kansas City has pleaded
guilty to one count. KRCG reports Robert Lorenzo Hester, of Columbia,
entered his plea Monday to providing material support or resources to
terrorists. Federal prosecutors charged Hester in February 2017 after
a monthslong FBI investigation. An affidavit released at the time said
undercover agents posing as Islamic State sympathizers met with Hester
several times. At their request, he provided materials such as nails
and duct tape that he believed would be used to create bombs. An FBI
employee told Hester the attacks were planned for Presidents Day in
Kansas City. Hester received an honorable discharge from the U.S. Army
in mid-2013 after serving for less than a year.”
The
Hill: Combating Domestic Terrorism Needs More Than A New
Statute
“Two terrorist attacks shock the nation. The American people demand
Congress do something. After much debate, Congress overwhelmingly
passes a sweeping new law to fight terrorism. But the executive branch
doesn’t adapt to meet the challenge and we all eventually learn that a
new law wasn’t nearly enough. This was our legislative response to the
1993 World Trade Center bombing and the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing:
the 1996 passage of the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act.
Five years later, however, federal law enforcement was
still structurally incapable of preventing al Qaeda from launching the
9/11 terrorist attacks. Now, in the wake of terrorist attacks in
Dayton and El Paso and the growth of violent white supremacism,
Congress is again considering whether new laws are needed, and
specifically whether domestic terrorism should be explicitly made a
federal crime. This relatively modest step is long overdue,
since federal law currently treats “domestic terrorism” as a
definition, not a crime. But if the debate ends with this one change,
we risk repeating our mistake. Instead, Congress should give equal
attention to how domestic counterterrorism efforts are resourced and
organized to stop what FBI Director Christopher Wray says is
a significant and pervasive threat to the American people.”
ABC
News: FBI Arrests Army Soldier Who Allegedly Discussed Plans To Bomb
Major American News Network
“The FBI has arrested a U.S. soldier who allegedly discussed plans
to bomb a major American news network, planned to travel to Ukraine to
fight with violent far-right group Azov Battalion and allegedly
distributed information online on how to build bombs. He also
allegedly suggested targeting Democratic presidential candidate Beto
O'Rourke. According to charging documents in the case, Jarrett William
Smith, who transferred to Fort Riley, Kansas, in July, joined the U.S.
military only after first expressing his desire to fight in Ukraine.
On Aug. 19, 2019, Smith allegedly spoke with an FBI informant in an
online chat group and discussed a plan for an attack inside the U.S.,
his search for more "radicals" like himself and the possibility of
killing members of the group Antifa. In suggesting that the
headquarters of the major news network could be a target, Smith
allegedly said: "A large vehicle bomb. Fill a vehicle full of
[explosives] then fill a ping pong ball with [commonly available
chemical] via drilling then injection. Put the ball in the tank of the
vehicle and leave. 30 minutes later, BOOM."
The
Jerusalem Post: As UN GA Kicks Off, AJC Launches 'EU Recognize
Hezbollah As Terror Org'
“As world leaders gather in New York this week to participate in
the UN General Assembly, the American Jewish Committee (AJC) is
launching a TV ad campaign on major US cable networks, calling on the
European Union to recognize Hezbollah as a terror organization. In
addition, AJC bought a full-page ad in Tuesday's New York Times, which
criticizes the EU's distinction between the terror group's military
branch and the other parts of the organization. "Hezbollah is a global
terrorist organization, armed and supported by Iran," the ad reads.
"Its deadly reach extends to Europe, North and South America, Africa
and Asia, and across the Middle East. Yet, defying all logic, the
European Union insists there are actually two Hezbollahs—one
"political," and the other "military," banning only the latter in
2013. This is self-delusion at its worst and most dangerous, allowing
Hezbollah to operate its "political" wing in Europe by recruiting
members and raising funds. As Hezbollah leaders themselves declare
repeatedly, it is one indivisible organization."
The
New York Times: Rethinking Counterterrorism
“Kevin McAleenan, the acting secretary of homeland security, has a
cold. “I won’t shake your hand,” he said, palms upward. He is in the
prevention business. Mr. McAleenan wears two black bands on his right
wrist. The first commemorates the lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001, the
second the victims of the mass shooting in an El Paso Walmart this
summer. We met inside One World Trade Center earlier this month, on
the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, to talk about a broadening of
the Department of Homeland Security’s mission, to include preventing
domestic terrorism — in addition to thwarting international terrorists
— and what Mr. McAleenan calls “targeted violence,” meaning attacks
against places like schools, movie theaters and houses of worship.
“There’s a moral clarity that comes with articulating what the mission
is,” he told me. That’s important, particularly at a time when the
public’s image of the department is wrapped up in the conduct of the
Trump administration’s harsh immigration crackdown.”
Syria
NPR:
Survivor Of Torture In Syria's Prisons Is Telling His
Story
“A Syrian survivor of the country's prisons has found a home in
Sweden, where he's gathering evidence that could be used to bring his
torturers to justice.”
Iran
The
Hill: Trump Is Right To Counter Iran's Terror — Combat Vets Have Seen
Its Effects
“From Lebanon to Iraq, and from Argentina to the high seas, the
mullahs of Iran long have spread and sponsored terror in an attempt to
exert their will on the rest of the world. They’re at it again in
Saudi Arabia, propping up Houthi Shiite rebels and reportedly
sponsoring attacks on that nation’s oil infrastructure. As Iran’s
leaders feel the squeeze of the Trump administration’s decision to
reinforce economic sanctions, they predictably are acting out to try
to extort a better outcome for themselves. Along with other veterans
of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, I’ve seen firsthand the effects
of Iran’s state-sponsored terror. In 2008 and 2009, I led a
counter-improvised explosive device (IED) team in Afghanistan and we
found an explosively formed penetrator (EFP), a type of IED that was
most certainly of Iranian origin. During the Iraq and Afghanistan
wars, the U.S. Department of Defense estimates that at least 608 (and
likely more) Americans were killed by Iranian EFPs and other Iranian
methods. The EFP is one of the few devices that has the capacity to
consistently pierce the armor of American mine-resistant vehicles and
to kill those inside; hence, the reason that Iran seeded the
battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan with these devices.”
The
New York Times: Trump Out To Square America First With United Front On
Iran
“President Donald Trump goes before the U.N. General Assembly on
Tuesday to try to square his "America First" approach to foreign
policy with his administration's hope for a multinational response to
Iran's escalating aggression. While Trump wants allies to join the
U.S. in further isolating Iran, he also seems to be holding to his
go-it-alone strategy of using economic sanctions to pressure Tehran to
give up its nuclear program and stop attacks that are rattling the
Middle East. On Monday, the Republican president praised British Prime
Minister Boris Johnson's call for a new deal to replace the 2015 Iran
nuclear pact from which Trump walked away last year. The president
also said he appreciated the efforts of French President Emmanuel
Macron, who has been trying to get Trump back in the deal and has
suggested the American president meet with Iranian President Hassan
Rouhani while both are in New York this week.”
Bloomberg:
Iran, Bank Melli Will Face Suit Over Terrorist Attacks In
Iraq
“Iran and Bank Melli must face a suit brought under the Foreign
Sovereign Immunities Act by victims of terrorism, a federal district
court in Washington said Sept. 23. The plaintiffs showed that the bank
is an agency or instrumentality of Iran and that it was properly
served according to the FSIA, Judge Randolph D. Moss of the U.S.
District Court for the District of Columbia said. The plaintiffs were
either injured or represent those killed in 43 separate terrorist
attacks in Iraq between 2007 and 2009.”
Foreign
Policy: Iran Is Already Losing
“Earlier this month, the heart of Saudi Arabia’s oil infrastructure
was attacked, forcing the world’s top oil exporter to shut down half
of its production—marking the single largest disruption in history.
Although Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for
the sophisticated strike combining Iranian-made cruise missiles and
drones, such an attack could only be conducted under the auspices of
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and likely came from
either Iran itself or neighboring Iraq. The strike’s unprecedented
scale marks a new level of escalation that seems to challenge the
United States to hit back or risk losing its status as the region’s
security provider. The IRGC’s strategy, as I explained in a previous
Foreign Policy article in June, is precisely to trap Washington into
this binary choice: “If the United States does not acknowledge Iran’s
role as one of the guarantors of maritime security through offering
incentives [to negotiate], the strikes will continue. And if they do,
the United States will be put in a position of proving that the IRGC’s
bite doesn’t match its bark by dismantling a significant portion of
the corps’ anti-access, area denial capabilities, such as the cruise
missile batteries that line Iran’s Persian Gulf coast, through the use
of military force.”
BBC:
Johnson To Urge Iran To Release Nazanin
Zaghari-Ratcliffe
“Boris Johnson is to call for the release of jailed British-Iranian
national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe when he meets Iran's president
later. The prime minister will meet Hassan Rouhani at a UN summit in
New York, hours after blaming Iran for attacks on Saudi Arabian oil
facilities. It comes amid calls for him to take a tougher line with
Tehran over its detention of dual nationals. Mrs Zhagari-Ratcliffe has
been detained in Iran since April 2016. The 40-year-old was jailed for
five years in 2016 after being convicted of spying, which she denies.
On his flight to New York on Sunday, Mr Johnson told reporters: "I
will not only be discussing Iran's actions in the region, but also the
need to release not just Nazanin but others who in our view are being
illegally and unfairly held in Tehran."
Iraq
Iraqi
News: Iraqi Court Sentences 6 IS Militants To Death Over 2013 Car Bomb
Attack
“An Iraqi court has sentenced six Islamic State terrorists to death
by hanging for their involvement in a deadly car bomb attack near the
country’s Justice Ministry in 2013, leaving scores of people dead and
wounded. According to a statement by the Iraqi Supreme Judicial
Council on Monday, the convicts confessed to carrying out the
massacre, using three booby-trapped vehicles. The verdict was issued
by the Karkh criminal court in Baghdad, added the statement. In March
2013, two car bombs exploded in the Alawi district, one of them near
the Justice Ministry building, before a suicide car bomber blew
himself up near an Interior Ministry office. A suicide bomber then
walked into the Justice Ministry and militants attacked the building,
clashing with Iraqi security forces, who eventually regained control.
Among the dead were at least 7 policemen and 15 civilians, police and
medics said. Three militants were also killed. At least 50 people were
wounded.”
Iraqi
News: Five IS Terrorists Arrested For Fight Against Security Forces In
Mosul
“Five Islamic State terrorists were arrested Monday for their
involvement in the fight against security forces in Mosul city, the
Interior Ministry spokesman said. The militants were arrested in al
Obour district in the western side of Mosul by a joint force of
Nineveh police and counter-terrorism squad, the spokesman said. Three
of them were members of the Islamic State’s Jund (soldiers) Diwan, who
took part in the fighting against security force during the liberation
of Mosul from terrorism, the spokesman added. Iraq declared the
collapse of Islamic State’s territorial influence in November 2017
with the recapture of Rawa, a city on Anbar’s western borders with
Syria, which was the group’s last bastion in Iraq. IS declared a
self-styled “caliphate” in a third of Iraq and neighboring Syria in
2014. A government campaign, backed by a U.S.-led international
coalition and paramilitary forces, was launched in 2016 to retake
IS-held regions, managing to retake all havens, most notably the city
of Mosul, the group’s previously proclaimed capital.”
Xinhua:
2 Security Members Killed, IS Hideouts Destroyed In
Iraq
“A total of two Iraqi security members were killed on Monday in
separate incidents in Iraq's eastern province of Diyala, while Iraqi
forces destroyed hideouts and vehicles of Islamic State (IS) militants
in the western province of Anbar. In Diyala, an explosive expert from
the Iraqi police was killed while he was trying to defuse a roadside
bomb in an area located near al-Abbara area in northeast of the
provincial capital Baquba, some 65 km northeast of Baghdad, Alaa
al-Tamimi from the provincial police command told Xinhua. Another
roadside bomb explosion killed a paramilitary Hashd Shaabi member in
the village of al-Aseywid, about 45 km northeast of Baquba, al-Tamimi
said, adding that the bomb was apparently planted by the extremist IS
militants. The security forces, acting on intelligence tip-off, also
launched search operations in different areas across Diyala and
destroyed an IS hideout as well as seized two caches of weapons and
ammunition, in addition to destroying an IS medical center containing
various medical supplies, al-Tamimi said.”
Turkey
The
New York Post: Turkey Is Now A Haven For Terrorists And An Enabler Of
Terrorism
“On Monday, four children of an American and his Israeli wife
killed by the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas in 2015 filed suit
against Turkey’s Kuveyt Turk Bank in a New York court. They charge
that the bank helps Hamas finance its terrorist attacks, allegations
the firm is almost certain to deny. The lawsuit against this
Shariah-compliant bank, which counts the Turkish government as a
shareholder, comes two weeks after the US Treasury sanctioned 11
Turkey-linked entities and individuals for supporting Hamas and other
jihadist outfits. The evidence keeps mounting: Turkey has become a
haven for regional baddies. Under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
Turkey has become a permissive jurisdiction for rogue regimes and
their illicit bankers. Between 2012 and 2015, Tehran relied on Turkish
banks and a dual Iranian-Turkish gold trader to circumvent US
sanctions at the height of Washington’s efforts to thwart the Islamic
Republic’s nuclear ambitions. It was the biggest sanctions-evasions
scheme in recent history. Similarly, Venezula’s Maduro regime has been
using Turkish-based companies in a money-laundering network involving
the sale of Venezuelan gold. The US government sanctioned that network
in July.”
Afghanistan
The
Washington Post: U.S., Afghan Forces Carry Out Deadly Raid On Al-Qaeda
In Southern Afghanistan
“U.S. and Afghan troops carried out a deadly raid Monday against
al-Qaeda in southern Afghanistan, detaining a number of suspected
fighters and destroying an apparent weapons cache, according to
American and Afghan officials. Following the operation, conflicting
allegations began to emerge of dozens of civilian casualties resulting
from a U.S. airstrike. The command overseeing all U.S. forces in
Afghanistan confirmed a “precision strike” in the area, and a U.S.
defense official in Kabul said the operation may have resulted in
civilian casualties. Launched late Sunday, the operation was aimed at
al-Qaeda targets in the Musa Qala district in Afghanistan’s southern
Helmand province. A fierce firefight broke out as U.S. and Afghan
ground forces surrounded a compound, according to the U.S. official in
Kabul, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not
authorized to release operational details for attribution. The
exchange of fire dragged into the early hours of Monday, and when the
ground troops were unable to move into the compound, a U.S. airstrike
was called in. The U.S. official said it was possible that civilians
were inside the compound at the time of the strike.”
The
Washington Post: Taliban Threats, Poll Closures Raise Fears For
Credibility Of Afghan Elections
“With the tense Afghan presidential election only days away amid
threats of Taliban violence, a wave of criticism has erupted over
government efforts to protect voters from harm, with complaints that
some polling centers are being left open in dangerous areas and that
others are being closed for political reasons or will be vulnerable to
fraud. The independent election commission announced last month that
about 2,000 of 7,366 potential polling centers nationwide — most of
them schools — would be closed because security forces could not
guarantee their safety. Last week, officials announced that 431 more
centers would be closed for the same reason. Government opponents,
however, charge that some of the new closures — which will bring the
number of shuttered centers to about 31 percent of the total — are the
result of political manipulation to favor President Ashraf Ghani, who
is running for reelection, rather than bona fide security concerns.
The Sept. 28 poll, which comes just weeks after the collapse of
U.S.-Taliban peace talks, will essentially be a rematch between Ghani
and his major challenger, Abdullah Abdullah, who is now the
government’s chief executive, although 15 other candidates are
officially running. Supporters of Abdullah and others charge that some
centers are belatedly being closed to benefit Ghani.”
Al
Jazeera: Dozens Of Civilians Killed In Afghan Forces' Anti-Taliban
Attack
“At least 40 civilians at a wedding party have been killed during
a raid conducted by Afghan special forces on a Taliban hideout,
officials said. Abdul Majed Akhand, deputy provincial councilman, said
the majority of the dead were women and children attending the wedding
ceremony in Musa Qala district on Sunday night. “Some 40 people were
killed and 18 others were wounded and were brought to the hospital,”
he told AFP news agency. “All the victims were civlians”. On Monday,
Omar Zwak, the provincial governor's spokesman, told Al Jazeera that
at least 14 fighters, including six foreigners, were also killed,
adding that authorities were investigating reports on civilian
casualties. “We know there have been civilian deaths in this raid but
we don't have a number yet,” he said. “However, we are investigating
to find out more.” Zwak added the civilians killed were part of the
wedding procession that came under fire during the operation targeting
a house used by the Taliban. “We have conflicting reports of just how
many civilians were involved, but what does seem to be certain is that
a number of women and children were among the casualties,” said Al
Jazeera's Rob McBride, reporting from Kabul.”
Xinhua:
9 Militants Killed In Southern Afghanistan's
Airstrikes
“Nine Taliban militants were killed in airstrikes in Afghanistan's
southern Zabul province Monday, a local source said Tuesday. “Nine
Taliban militants were killed after NATO-led coalition forces' war
planes struck their positions in Omkai, a locality on the outskirts of
provincial capital Qalat city and Seyourri village of Shinkay district
on Monday,” Essa Mohammad from Afghan army Corps 205 Attal told
Xinhua. The strikes were conducted afte specific intelligence reports
were received and no civilian was hurt in the strikes, the source
added. Afghan security forces have beefed up operations against
Taliban militants recently as the country is preparing to hold the
presidential election on Sept. 28. The militants responded by armed
attacks and bombings. On Thursday, about 40 civilians were killed and
over 180 others wounded in a Taliban truck bombing in Qalat city. The
militant group has not made comments on the report so far.”
Yemen
Arab
News: World Can No Longer Turn Blind Eye To Houthi War
Crimes
“Since the war in Yemen started more than four years ago, the world
has been focusing on the human suffering caused by the coalition air
strikes, which have been carried out mainly by Saudi Arabia and the
UAE. Although the tragic human suffering unintentionally caused by the
airstrikes deserves to be given maximum attention, it is difficult to
understand how such little attention has been given to the Houthis’
enormous crimes. For more than four years, Houthi insurgents in Yemen,
who are funded, trained, armed and controlled by Iran, have been
committing atrocities and war crimes. In its 2018 report on Yemen,
Human Rights Watch stated that “Houthi forces have repeatedly fired
artillery indiscriminately into Yemeni cities and launched
indiscriminate ballistic missiles into Saudi Arabia. Some of these
attacks may amount to war crimes.” Similarly, Amnesty International
announced this year that “Houthi forces, which controlled large parts
of the country, indiscriminately shelled residential neighborhoods and
launched missiles indiscriminately into Saudi Arabia.”
Saudi Arabia
The
Jordan Times: World Cannot Stand By As Terrorists Twist Positive Power
Of Tech — King
“His Majesty King Abdullah on Monday urged vigilance in countering
the global threat of terrorism and extremism in all their forms,
noting the “tremendous complexity of the challenge”. “There is no
single enemy, no single target, and no single technology fix,” King
Abdullah said in remarks at the opening session of the Leaders
Dialogue: Strategic Responses to Terrorist and Violent Extremist
Narratives, organised by Jordan in cooperation with the UN, France,
and New Zealand, according to a Royal Court statement. “Our solutions
must protect core values, like freedom of innovation and expression,”
His Majesty added at the meeting, attended by Their Royal Highness
Crown Prince Hussein and Prince Ghazi, His Majesty’s chief adviser for
religious and cultural affairs and personal envoy, in New York.
Participants included the presidents of France, Senegal, Chile, Costa
Rica, Kenya, Slovenia and the Maldives; the German chancellor; the
vice president of Indonesia; the prime ministers of New Zealand, the
UK, Australia, India, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain,
Belgium, Iceland, Malta, and Romania; and the foreign ministers of
Argentina, Bulgaria, and Colombia; as well as the chef de Cabinet of
the Executive Office of the UN Secretary General, the secretary
general of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development,
and the UNESCO director general.”
Lebanon
The
Times Of Israel: US Official Meets With Lebanese PM Over
Anti-Hezbollah Sanctions
“A senior United States Treasury official visited Beirut on Monday
to sell Lebanon on recent US sanctions targeting Iranian-backed
Hezbollah group, Lebanon’s central bank governor said. Treasury
Department Assistant Secretary Marshall Billingslea met with the prime
minister and the speaker of parliament, as well as officials from the
Association of Banks in Lebanon and the central bank governor. Central
Bank chief Riad Salameh played down reports in local media that the US
would impose further sanctions on Lebanon’s dollar-strapped banking
system saying that Billingslea “is not coming here to squeeze
Lebanon.” A statement from the US embassy in Lebanon said Billingslea
would encourage the Lebanese government to distance itself from
Hezbollah and “other malign actors attempting to destabilize Lebanon
and its institutions.” Hezbollah, considered a terrorist organization
by Israel and the United States, is also a major political actor in
Lebanon and a key government backer in war-torn Syria. Hezbollah holds
three cabinet seats, and along with its allies has more power than
ever in the parliament and government. It is also among the most
effective armed groups in the region, extending Iran’s influence to
Israel’s doorstep.”
Nigeria
The
Punch Nigeria: Army Nabs 5 Key Boko Haram Fighters
“The Nigerian Army says the Operation Positive Identification
(OPPI) in the North East has started yielding positive results with
the arrest of five key terrorists suppliers and fighters. The Deputy
Director, Army Public Relations, Operation Lafiya Dole, Col. Ado Isa,
disclosed this on Monday. Isa said that the troops of OPLD had
intensified the search for and arresting of all suspected criminal
elements that were currently roaming parts of the North East. He said
that the Theatre Command had enjoined members of the public to always
carry valid means of identification such as National Identification
Card when moving or passing through Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.
Isa said the operation was based on credible information that some of
the fleeing criminals were hibernating in some towns and villages of
Borno and Yobe States in particular and North East in general. “Troops
are directed to strictly check legitimate means of identification such
as National Identification Card, Voters Registration Card, Drivers’
License and Passports or other valid official identification before
allowing such persons passage. “Consequently, the operation is
seriously ongoing across the region and five key terrorists’ logistics
suppliers and fighters have so far been apprehended.”
Africa
Africanews:
Ethiopian Authorities Say Al-Shabaab, Islamic State Planning Attacks
On Hotels
“Ethiopian officials have confirmed that Islamist militant members
of the Somali group al Shabaab and Islamic State were planning to
carry out attacks in the country on various targets including hotels.
The National Intelligence Security Services (NISS) issued a statement
on Saturday saying it had arrested an unspecified number of militants,
some of whom were carrying out intelligence work including
photographing potential targets. “The group was … preparing to attack
hotels, religious festivities gathering places and public areas in
Addis Ababa,” NISS said in the statement read out on state-affiliated
broadcaster Fana. Ethiopian intelligence coordinated with neighbouring
Djibouti to detain the suspects including their leader, Muhammed
Abdulahi, NISS said. Those detained, NISS said, were arrested in the
capital Addis Ababa, Oromia and Ethiopia’s Somali region. An Ethiopian
army official says members of the Islamic State extremist group have
been detained in the East African country. Berhanu Jula, deputy chief
of Ethiopia’s military, told the state-owned Ethiopian News Agency on
Wednesday that there is evidence the extremist group “has recruited,
trained and armed some Ethiopians.”
France
Asharq
Al-Awsat: ISIS Women On Trial For Attempted Attack Near Notre
Dame
“Two French women who pledged allegiance to the ISIS group went on
trial Monday for trying to blow up a car near Notre Dame Cathedral in
2016, in a case that authorities hope sheds light on the wave of
extremism that has hit France, reported The Associated Press. The
trial is also highlighting the role of women in recruiting and
violence by ISIS extremists. The Notre Dame terrorist plot fell apart
after the gas canisters doused with fuel failed to explode, and no one
was hurt. But the women had been recruited by one of France's most
notorious extremists, and prosecutors say the attempted explosion — in
September 2016, long before the fire that ravaged the medieval
cathedral this year — could have killed dozens of people in one of the
French capital's most-beloved, tourist-friendly neighborhoods. The two
main suspects, who face life in prison if convicted, were subdued as
the trial opened in a special Paris terrorism court. Six other people
are also on trial for related charges. Lawyer Thibault de Montbrial,
representing French police and a terrorism victims association,
described Monday's action in court as the first significant trial
related to the 2015-2016 attacks in France, which deeply shook the
country and hardened its security posture.”
Europe
The
Guardian: Spanish Police Arrest Catalan Separatists On Suspicion Of
Terrorism
“Nine Catalan independence activists have been arrested in
Barcelona and face charges of “rebellion, terrorism and possession of
explosives”, authorities have said. Police said they confiscated
material they alleged could be used in bomb making during raids early
on Monday morning. The raids were aimed at aborting actions that
“could have caused irreparable damages”, prosecutors said. According
to the police, those detained are associated with the Committees for
the Defence of the Republic (CDR), a network of radical groups that
advocates direct action to secure Catalan independence from Spain. The
arrests, made in a variety of locations in the Barcelona area, were
carried out by the civil guard under instruction from
an audiencia nacional (national court) judge, who deals with serious
offences such as terrorism, drug smuggling and organised crime. The
nine arrested people are said to be members of the CDR’s so-called
tactical response team. The team has previously blocked major roads
and railway lines but its principal tactic to date has been passive
resistance rather than outright confrontation.”
Southeast Asia
South
China Morning Post: Singapore Detains Three Indonesian Domestic
Workers Over ISIS-Related Terrorism Financing
“Singapore’s authorities have for the first time detained three
domestic workers on suspicions of financing terror activities, the
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in a Monday statement. The three
Indonesian women – Anindia Afiyantari, 33; Retno Hernayani, 36; and
Turmini, 31 – had worked in the city state for between six and 13
years.They had become radicalised in 2018 after viewing materials
about Islamic State on the internet, as well as online sermons by
Indonesian radical preachers. A fourth Indonesian domestic worker –
not radicalised, but “aware of others’ radicalisation” – was arrested,
investigated and then repatriated to Indonesia, the MHA said. The
ministry said it had deported 16 other radicalised foreign domestic
workers since 2015 but had not issued detainment orders in those
cases. Investigations into the trio’s terrorism-financing activities
are being carried out by the MHA, which said while none of the 19
foreign domestic workers had planned to carry out any acts of
violence, “their radicalisation and association with terrorists
overseas had rendered them a security threat to Singapore.” “The
government takes a serious view of any form of support for terrorism
in Singapore – whether by Singaporeans or foreigners,” it said.”
ABC
News: Indonesian Police Arrest 9 Accused Of Planning
Attack
“Indonesia's counterterrorism squad on Monday arrested nine
suspected militants accused of plotting a suicide bomb attack on
police using high-explosive materials, police said. Six people were
arrested in Jakarta's satellite city of Bekasi, two others in northern
Jakarta and another in western Jakarta, said National Police spokesman
Dedi Prasetyo. He said the group of nine, aged between 18 and 28 and
led by a militant cell leader, Abu Zee Ghurobah, are believed to be
linked to Jemaah Anshorut Daulah, a local militant network affiliated
with the Islamic State group. “They have been preparing themselves to
attack police with military-style training in several places,”
Prasetyo said. He said authorities defused a powerful bomb from one of
the suspects, Muhammad Arshad, when they raided his house in northern
Jakarta. Separately, the North Jakarta police chief, Budhi Herdi
Susianto, said they also found a goodbye letter written by Arshad, who
allegedly planned an imminent suicide attack using the explosive at a
police station. Susianto said police seized a rifle, a gun, two
knives, military-style uniforms, jihadi books and bomb devices from
the suspects.”
Technology
Reuters:
Tech Companies Back Independent Watchdog To Tackle Online
Extremism
“A global working group set up by Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and
Microsoft to remove extremist content will become an independent
watchdog working “to respond quicker and work more collaboratively to
prevent” attacks like Christchurch, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda
Ardern said on Monday. Ardern has pushed for stronger action since
New Zealand’s worst peacetime mass shooting in March, when a gunman
attacked Muslims attending Friday prayers in Christchurch. He killed
51 people and broadcast the attack live on Facebook. “In the same way
that we respond to natural emergencies like fires and floods, we need
to be prepared and ready to respond to a crisis like the one we
experienced,” Ardern told reporters on the sidelines of the annual
United Nations gathering of world leaders. The Global Internet Forum
to Counter Terrorism was created in 2017 under pressure from U.S. and
European governments after a spate of deadly attacks. It will now
become an independent organization led by an executive director,
funded by Facebook Inc, Google’s YouTube, Twitter Inc and Microsoft
Corp.”
The
New York Times: Europe’s Top Court Limits ‘Right To Be Forgotten’
Privacy Rule
“Europe’s highest court limited the reach of the landmark online
privacy law known as “right to be forgotten” on Tuesday, restricting
people’s ability to control what information is available about them
on the internet. In a decision with broad implications for the
regulation of the internet, the European Court of Justice ruled that
the privacy rule cannot be applied outside the European Union. French
authorities had sought to force Google and other search engines to
remove links to users globally. The decision more carefully defines
the scope of the right to be forgotten, which is a centerpiece of the
European Union’s internet privacy laws. The standard, which was
established in 2014, can be used to force Google and other search
engines to delete links to websites, news articles and databases that
include personal information considered old, no longer relevant or not
in the public interest.”
BuzzFeed
News: Burt's Bush And XXXTentacion's Death: Why Facebook Moderators
Fail
“When actor Burt Reynolds died last September, fans across
Instagram and Facebook paid tribute to him by posting his 1972
Cosmopolitan magazine centerfold. In the photo, a nude Reynolds
reclines on a bearskin rug, his left arm strategically covering his
crotch. While an iconic celebrity photo, the image violated Facebook's
moderation rules. For one, it featured visible pubic hair (a no-no),
and while Reynolds' penis was obscured by his arm, Facebook only
allows nonhuman objects covering genitals. So Facebook's third-party
moderators followed the rules: Burt’s bush had to go. Fans noticed
their tributes being deleted, and they complained on Twitter, which
led to media outlets reporting on the debacle. By the next day,
Facebook had told the media that the photo was incorrectly removed by
automatic nudity detection and that the photos would be restored.”
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