Three United Nations peacekeepers were killed and six wounded in central Mali
on Wednesday after a convoy struck an explosive device and came under

 

 


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Eye on Extremism


January 14, 2021

 

Reuters: Four U.N. Peacekeepers Killed, Six Wounded In Mali Attack
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“Three United Nations peacekeepers were killed and six wounded in central Mali
on Wednesday after a convoy struck an explosive device and came under fire, the
U.N. said in a statement. It was not clear who carried out the attack about 20
kilometres (12 miles) north of the town of Bambara-Maoudé in the Timbuktu
region. Islamist groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State operate in the
region and have made much of the West African country ungovernable. The dead
peacekeepers were from Ivory Coast, the country’s defence ministry said in a
statement. The U.N. mission in Mali, known as MINUSMA, has over 13,000 troops
to contain violence caused by various armed groups in the north and centre of
the country. The mission has recorded about 230 fatalities since then, making
it the deadliest of the U.N.’s more than dozen peacekeeping missions.”

 

Voice Of America: US Warns Iran Fueling Potential Al-Qaida Resurgence
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“Far from potentially fading into obscurity, one of the world’s most feared
jihadist terrorist organizations may be poised for a potential resurgence
thanks to an unlikely ally. Almost two decades after the United States first
targeted al-Qaida’s leadership in Afghanistan for carrying out the September
11, 2001 attacks on New York’s World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the terror
group has established a new home, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned
Tuesday, one he suggested was somewhat sheltered from U.S. military might.
“Al-Qaida has a new home base. It is the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Pompeo said
during a speech at the National Press Club in Washington. “Tehran has allowed
al-Qaida to fundraise, to freely communicate with al-Qaida members around the
world, and to perform many other functions that were previously directed from
Afghanistan or Pakistan,” Pompeo said. “As a result of this assistance,
al-Qaida has centralized its leadership inside of Tehran,” he added, describing
Iran as the terror group’s new “operational headquarters.” The warning from the
United States’ top diplomat, in the waning days of U.S. President Donald
Trump’s presidency, returns the administration’s focus to Iran, which it
criticized early and often following Trump’s inauguration.”

 

United States

 

The New York Times: F.B.I. Urges Police Chiefs Across U.S. To Be On High Alert
For Threats
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“The F.B.I. on Wednesday urged police chiefs across the country to be on high
alert for extremist activity and to share intelligence on any threats they
encounter, as the U.S. government issued a dire intelligence bulletin warning
of potential violence ahead of the inauguration. In the call with police
chiefs, Christopher Wray, the F.B.I. director, and Kenneth Cuccinelli, the
acting deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, warned about
potential attacks on state capitols, federal buildings, the homes of
congressional members and businesses, according to one of the chiefs on the
call. The officials failed to identify any specific threats, participants said,
but called on law enforcement officers across the country to watch for signs of
trouble, no matter how small. “They don’t want to be dismissive of anything,”
Chief Jorge Colina of the Miami Police Department, one of thousands of
officials participating in the call, said in an interview. “So even if it
sounds aspirational, even if it’s just like, ‘Yeah, it’d be great if the whole
place is burned down,’ they don’t want us to think, ‘Ah, that’s just some
knucklehead, pinhead,’ and be dismissive.”

 

Associated Press: Minnesota Man Who Trained With Islamic State Pleads Guilty
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“A Minnesota man who traveled to Syria and Iraq where prosecutors say he
became a soldier for the Islamic State group pleaded guilty on Wednesday to a
terrorism count. Abdelhamid Al-Madioum, 24, pleaded guilty in U.S. District
Court of Minnesota to one count of providing and attempting to provide material
support to a foreign terrorist organization. According to his plea agreement
and court documents, Al-Madioum left his family while they were visiting
extended relatives in Morocco in 2015 and went to Istanbul, Turkey, where
members of the Islamic State group helped him cross into Syria. Once in Syria,
he joined other members of IS, who brought him to Mosul, Iraq, where he
enrolled as a member of the group and began receiving military training.
Al-Madioum admitted in his guilty plea that he was assigned to a battalion that
was responsible for training and preparing foreign fighters to carry out
suicide attacks in Europe. He admitted he was a soldier until he was injured
while conducting military activities for the group. After his injury, he
continued to receive payments from IS; he surrendered to Syrian Democratic
Forces in March 2019, according to the plea agreement.”

 

Business Insider: Fueled By The US Capitol Siege, Violent Extremists With
'Political Grievances' Will Likely Pose The 'Greatest Domestic Terrorism
Threats In 2021,' Intelligence Report Says
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“In a report released in the wake of the violent siege on the US Capitol, US
intelligence agencies warned that violent extremists with “political
grievances” are likely to pose the “greatest domestic terrorism threats in
2021.” The Joint Intelligence Bulletin, which was obtained by Yahoo News, was
produced by the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and the National
Counterterrorism Center. The report says the violent breach of the Capitol
“very likely will serve as a significant driver of violence” for “domestic
violent extremists.” “In 2021, threats and plotting of illegal activity,
including the destruction of property and violence targeting officials at all
levels of the government, law enforcement, journalists, and infrastructure” are
very likely to increase, the report says. It also names “racially or ethnically
motivated violent extremists,” “militia violent extremists,” and extremists who
follow QAnon conspiracy theories as likely threats. The report is dated January
13, one week after pro-Trump rioters stormed the Capitol building in an attempt
to contest the results of the election, causing lawmakers to evacuate and
resulting in five deaths.”

 

M Live: Judge Denies Bond For Alleged Leader In Whitmer Kidnapping Plot,
Described As ‘Violent Extremist’
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“A Delaware man described by prosecutors as “probably the most committed
violent extremist” of those accused in the Whitmer kidnapping plot has been
denied bond. U.S. District Court Judge Sally Berens on Wednesday, Jan. 13 ruled
that giving 45-year-old Barry Croft Jr. bond would be too much of a risk to the
community, particularly given his anti-police statements and apparent ability
to construct improvised explosives. After a lengthy delay because of
coronavirus-related issues, Croft appeared in a Grand Rapids courtroom for his
first Michigan hearing since being arrested Oct. 8. He is one of six men facing
federal charges in an alleged plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer over
coronavirus lockdowns and other issues. Berens listened to more than an hour of
testimony from FBI special agent Richard Trask II before ruling on bond. Among
the evidence was undercover recordings of Croft speaking to others about his
violent intentions. “This is probably the most committed violent extremist of
the entire group,” said U.S. Assistant Prosecutor Nils Kessler. “In the
recordings, he said that he wanted to kill people and he would do it if
necessary.”

 

Syria

 

France 24: France Repatriates Seven Children From Jihadist Camp In Syria
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“France said on Wednesday it had brought home seven children of French
jihadists from northeast Syria, continuing a highly sensitive repatriation
process begun after the toppling of the Islamic State (IS) group's
self-proclaimed caliphate. The children, aged between two and 11 and
“particularly vulnerable”, were handed over to judicial authorities and taken
into care by social services, the foreign ministry said. They had been living
in the Kurdish-run al-Roj and al-Hol camps, where thousands of relatives of IS
group fighters and sympathisers have been held since the 2019 defeat of IS in
Syria, a Kurdish source in the region told AFP. France has so far repatriated
35 children, many of them orphans. Rights groups have been pressing European
governments to allow children to return from the crowded camps to live with
relatives. Kurdish officials have also been pressing countries to take back
their citizens, warning that they do not have the resources to guard prisoners
indefinitely. According to the CAT terrorism analysis centre, 13 French
jihadists including Hayat Boumedienne, the partner of one of the three men who
carried out deadly terror attacks in Paris in January 2015, have escaped
custody in Syria.”

 

Asharq Al-Awsat: ISIS Wives At Syria’s Al-Hol-Camp Complain About Struggles Of
Living In ‘Isolated State’
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“With their husbands having been dealt a blowing defeat by the US-led
International Coalition and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), dozens of ISIS
wives now face the challenges of living in Syrian refugee camps. Al-Hol camp,
located in northeastern Syria near borders with Iraq, hosts crowds of women and
children who traveled thousands of miles away from home to be with their
husbands, brothers and fathers who had joined the ranks of the terrorist
organization in the Levantine country. Today, ISIS wives and children face the
tough reality of their husbands and fathers having been killed or locked away
for trial at a time most Western and Arab countries are refusing to repatriate
nationals who had joined the terror group in Syria. Jawaher, a 45-year-old
Syrian national from the central Hama city, is an ISIS wife currently staying
at al-Hol. She, like many of her fellow women at the camp, is refusing to leave
before knowing the fate of her husband, who has been arrested by SDF
authorities. “My husband, an ISIS employee, voluntarily surrendered to the SDF
during the battle of Baghouz. It’s been over 22 months since I last heard any
news of him. I requested visitation rights yet with no avail,” Jawaher dressed
in a black niqab told Asharq Al-Awsat.”

 

Iran

 

The Jerusalem Post: UNSC Must Combat State Sponsored Iranian Terror, Erdan Says

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“The United Nations Security Council must do more to combat state sponsored
terrorism such as that executed by Tehran, Israel's Ambassador to the UN Gilad
Erdan wrote in a memo he submitted to that body. Action must be taken “against
states who arm, train and sponsor terrorists and acts of terrorism. It is not
enough to sanction merely the terrorist groups themselves,” Erdan wrote. The
Security Council has taken steps to stop the financing and material support of
terrorist groups, but “more must be done,” he stated. “The Iranian Ayatollah
regime advances its malign geopolitical goal of regional and political hegemony
by supporting its terrorist proxies, wreaking havoc and spreading violence
throughout the Middle East and beyond,” he added. Erdan's words on Iran were
part of a five-point plan to combat terrorism he submitted to the UNSC Tuesday,
which his office publicized a day later. On Tuesday, the UNSC met virtually to
mark 20 years since the passage of UNSC Resolution 1373 to combat international
terrorism in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terror attack on the twin
towers in New York. The discussion was limited to the 15-member of the UNSC.
Israel is not a member of the UNSC and therefore submitted comments on the
matter in writing.”

 

Afghanistan

 

The Washington Post: Peace Talks Are Faltering, Violence Has Surged, And U.S.
Troops Are Pulling Out. Can The Afghan Government Withstand The Pressure?
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“Growing uncertainty over peace talks with the Taliban, a drumbeat of targeted
killings and the looming withdrawal of U.S. troops have raised tension here to
a fever pitch, prompting calls for President Ashraf Ghani to step down and an
interim government to take over. Supporters of the idea say it would offer a
better chance of settling the 19-year war in Afghanistan and ending the
relentless bloodshed, given that the Taliban refuses to recognize Ghani’s
government as legitimate. Opponents call it a dangerous, irresponsible gambit
that would benefit an assortment of opportunistic politicians eager to grab a
share in power. “The only way to break the current deadlock is to form an
interim government,” said Jafar Mahdavi, a former legislator who is involved in
the peace talks process. “The Taliban won’t accept Ghani’s rule, and they won’t
join his government.” Ghani has repeatedly insisted that he will remain in
office for his full five-year term and see the peace talks to fruition. But a
new round of negotiations, which have made almost no headway since they started
in September, stalled this week, as two of the top Taliban negotiators failed
to return to the talks in Qatar after visiting Pakistan for consultations.”

 

Yemen

 

Voice Of America: UN Urges US To Reverse Houthi Terror Designation
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“The U.N.’s humanitarian chief warns that if Washington’s new terrorist
designation of Houthi rebels in Yemen is not reversed, it could drastically
impact aid imports and push the already desperate country into a large-scale
famine. “The most urgent priority in Yemen right now is to prevent a massive
famine,” Mark Lowcock will tell a meeting of the U.N. Security Council on
Thursday, according to prepared remarks made available ahead of his briefing.
U.N. data anticipates 16 million people will go hungry in the war-torn country
this year. Another 50,000 already live in famine-like conditions, while 5
million more are right behind them. “Every decision the world makes right now
must take this into account,” Lowcock will warn. Late Sunday, U.S. Secretary of
State Mike Pompeo announced that he plans to designate the Iranian-backed rebel
group a “Foreign Terrorist Organization,” or FTO, to hold it accountable for
acts such as “cross-border attacks threatening civilian populations,
infrastructure, and commercial shipping.”

 

Middle East

 

Gulf News: Jordan: 11 Jailed Up To 15 Years For Joining Daesh, Plotting Attacks

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“Eleven people, convicted of joining Daesh and planning attacks against
churches and security officials in Jordan, were jailed for between five and 15
years by a Jordanian court on Wednesday. Eight defendants, present in court,
were sentenced to between five and 15 years, while the trio who travelled to
Afghanistan in 2019 to join the Taliban in its fight against US forces, were
handed terms of nine years. The eight had been found guilty on charges
including “plotting to carry out terrorist acts” and “attempting to join armed
groups and terrorist organisations”. The trio had stayed in touch with the
other eight, who had been arrested ahead of planned attacks in Jordan under the
banner of Daesh. Their targets included security forces and churches in the
Mafraq and Zarqa provinces, according to a charge sheet. Zarqa was home to Abu
Musab Al Zarqawi, the former leader of Iraq’s Al Qaeda franchise, which was the
predecessor to Daesh. Zarqawi was killed by a US air strike in 2006. All the
defendants were suspected of supporting Daesh. The Jordanian intelligence
services discovered the militants’ plans and arrested them in 2019, according
to the charge sheet.”

 

Nigeria

 

Agence France-Presse: ISWAP Suicide Bomber Kills Six Nigerian Troops In Borno:
Military
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“Six Nigerian soldiers were killed when a jihadist rammed an explosives-laden
vehicle into them during a clash in northeast Nigeria’s Borno state, two
military sources said Tuesday. The suicide bombing by a member of the Islamic
State West Africa Province (ISWAP) group occurred Monday as the soldiers were
conducting a raid of the group’s stronghold in the village of Talala, the
sources told AFP. They said scores of jihadists have been killed in the
operation launched last week on ISWAP’s second largest camp. “Our men dominated
the terrorists, killing dozens, and out of frustration they sent a suicide
bomber who killed six soldiers,” one of the officers said. They said the troops
overran the Talala camp despite the bombing. On Saturday 13 soldiers were
killed in an ISWAP ambush near the town of Gujba in the neighboring state of
Yobe, according to military sources. ISWAP, which split from the mainstream
Boko Haram in 2016, has become a dominant group, focusing on military targets
and high-profile attacks, including against aid workers. The jihadist group has
in recent times stepped up attacks on troops and frequently abduct travelers at
bogus checkpoints along the highway linking the Borno capital Maiduguri and
Damaturu, the capital of Yobe.”

 

Africa

 

Reuters: Bullets And Panic: Rebels Attack Central African Republic Capital
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“Rebels in Central African Republic attacked the capital early on Wednesday,
but were repelled by President Faustin-Archange Touadera’s security forces and
United Nations peacekeepers, authorities said, in an escalation of an election
conflict. Helped by newly-arrived troops from Russia and Rwanda, the CAR army
has been battling groups seeking to overturn a Dec. 27 vote in which Touadera
was declared victor despite fraud claims. “The attackers who came in large
numbers to take Bangui have been vigorously pushed back,” Prime Minister Firmin
Ngrebada said in a post on Facebook. A Reuters witness heard explosions and
later saw helicopters circling, after the rebels attacked on various outskirts,
including the north of the city. In one place, the body of a man in rebel
fatigues lay in a garden, while streets were scattered with bullet casings. The
United Nations’ 10,000-strong peacekeeping mission said one of their soldiers
was also killed. However, the city appeared calm after 0800 GMT, with security
forces patrolling and manning checkpoints. A U.N. source said around 200 rebels
had participated in the attack and remained close to the city. They had
previously attacked towns nearby in the former French colony.”

 

The National Interest: ISIS, Reborn: The Islamic State’s African Revival Is A
Lethal Blind Spot
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“Before 9/11, many forget that Osama Bin Laden largely made a name for himself
in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Sudan, he conceived his Islamic Army Shura, laying
“the groundwork for a true global terrorist network” known as Al Qaeda. There,
Bin Laden largely began to call for jihad against Western forces and gained the
prowess to export terrorism against American targets, hence Al Qaeda's attacks
on U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, just two years after his expulsion.
History might just be repeating itself as the West forgets its lessons and
again neglects Sub-Sahara’s intensifying terrorism. The consequences could be
grave. Just cue 2019, when a Kenyan Al Qaeda affiliate plotted to hijack a
plane and execute a 9/11-style attack. While the attack was foiled, its scare
overshadows a troubled decade, in which Sub-Saharan Africa witnessed an
unprecedented resurgence in Islamist groups, with Islamic State (ISIS)
affiliates displacing millions while seeking to establish bases in six African
countries, and at times, hosting territory the size of Belgium. Raising further
alarm, experts have described 2020 as a breakout year for ISIS affiliates, an
unsurprising reality given the attacks that recently claimed fifty in
Mozambique and 100 in Niger.”

 

The Nation: Kenya: Suspected Al-Shabaab Militants Bomb Telco Mast
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“Suspected al-Shabaab militants have bombed a telecommunications mast in
Banisa Sub-County, Mandera County three days after they attacked a bus and a
private vehicle in the same area. Local residents who spoke to the Nation said
the militants used explosives to destroy the mast at Darkale center on Tuesday
night. “We are in distress and we don't know who will save us. The militants
are here creating havoc and fear. They bombed the Safaricom mast at night and
that has weakened the communication network,” said Hassan Ahmed. He said the
destroyed mast had been serving about ten other sub-stations. On Monday, a
roadside planted the suspected al-Shabaab militants exploded, partially
damaging a private vehicle transporting examination material to Mandera. Three
of the vehicle's occupants are yet to be found. A few hours later, a bus
heading to Nairobi was shot at by the same group but the driver sped off and
the police on escort engaged the group in a shootout. On Tuesday, Edward
Ibwaka, the Banisa sub-county police commander, said air and foot patrols had
been launched in search of the missing three. “We were told police and the
military were combing our area for the militants but it is surprising that in
less than a day, a mast has been damaged,” said Mr Ahmed. Security agencies in
Banisa could not be reached for comment.”

 

United Kingdom

 

BBC News: Manchester Arena And Parsons Green Bombers Charged With Prison
Officer Attack <[link removed]>

 

“The Manchester Arena and Parsons Green bombers have been charged with
assaulting a prison officer together, the BBC has learned. Hashem Abedi, 23,
and Ahmed Hassan, 21, are accused of assaulting an officer in HMP Belmarsh,
south London, in May last year. Another man who is awaiting sentencing for
terror offences is also charged with assaulting the same person. The three men
are due to appear at Bromley Magistrates' Court on 7 April. Abedi, who was
jailed in August for murdering the 22 victims of the May 2017 Manchester Arena
attack, is also charged with assaulting a second prison officer during the same
incident on 11 May. Hassan, from London, whose Parsons Green tube bomb injured
51 people in September 2017, was jailed for attempted murder the following
year. Muhammed Saeed, 22, from Manchester, is the third person charged. Last
year, he admitted possessing terrorist documents.”

 

Latin America

 

Vice: Cubans Brace For Even Tougher Times As U.S. Returns Island To Terrorism
Sponsor List
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“The return of Cuba on Monday to the state sponsors of terrorism list by the
outgoing administration of U.S. President Donald Trump promises to hinder new,
closer relations between the island and President-elect Joe Biden’s
government.  The Trump administration moved to re-designate Cuba as a state
sponsor of terrorism, using its support for Venezuela as a reason, in a largely
symbolic move that may take months to overturn. In a letter to Secretary of
State Mike Pompeo questioning the lack of congressional oversight in the
decision, eight Democratic Senators said the act “threatens to damage future
diplomatic efforts toward Cuba and set a harmful precedent for future
designations.” The decision to return Cuba to the state sponsors of terrorism
list comes at an exceptionally difficult time for Cubans. The coronavirus
pandemic, coupled with the longstanding embargo, and the added weight of new
sanctions piled on top, has made shortages of basic goods commonplace. “Every
day it gets a little harder to find things. There’s no shampoo or deodorant,
even less than before,” Luís, who is a student at the University of Havana, and
who asked him name be changed for this story for fear of the repurcussions ,
told VICE World News. Luís has quit smoking, but not intentionally.”

 

Technology

 

The Washington Post: Facebook’s Sandberg Deflected Blame For Capitol Riot, But
New Evidence Shows How Platform Played Role
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“In the days leading up to last week’s march on the Capitol, supporters of
President Trump promoted it extensively on Facebook and Facebook-owned
Instagram and used the services to organize bus trips to Washington. More than
100,000 users posted hashtags affiliated with the movement prompted by baseless
claims of election fraud, including #StopTheSteal and #FightForTrump. The
details, emerging from researchers who have combed the service in recent days,
shed new light on how Facebook services were used to bring attention to and
boost attendance at the rally, which turned violent when a pro-Trump mob
stormed the Capitol while Congress was in session. The attack resulted in the
death of a Capitol Police officer and four other people. Facebook chief
operating officer Sheryl Sandberg has sought to deflect blame, noting the role
of smaller, right-leaning services such as Parler and Gab. “I think these
events were largely organized on platforms that don’t have our abilities to
stop hate, don’t have our standards and don’t have our transparency,” Sandberg
said in an interview Monday that was live-streamed by Reuters. QAnon reshaped
Trump’s party and radicalized believers. The Capitol siege may just be the
start.”

 

NBC News: Telegram, A Recent Haven For The Far Right, Purges Extremist Content
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“Telegram, a Dubai-based chat app that has attracted a surge of new users,
including some far-right Trump supporters fleeing purges at other sites, has
begun a rare purge of American extremist content. At least 15 extremist
Telegram channels — akin to chatrooms where the founders have moderating power
— have recently been banned, according to a tally by NBC News. Content has been
censored on several others. Some pro-Trump zealots have moved to Telegram in
recent days to plan violence on Jan. 20, the day Joe Biden is scheduled to be
inaugurated. One of the deleted channels, which proclaimed itself to be
“eco-fascist,” started in early June, hosting white supremacist content from
its beginning. In the wake of the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S.Capitol, its users
posted Army manuals with bombmaking and munitions-making information. Megan
Squire, a professor of computer science at Elon University and a senior fellow
at the Southern Poverty Law Center, which monitors extremist groups, said that
while Telegram's approach to moderating extremist content tends to be
“scattershot,” many of the recent bans are new. “A lot of these channels that
have been banned in the last day have been up for months or years,” Squire
said.”



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