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Eye on Extremism
January 28, 2021
The Wall Street Journal: DHS Issues Its First National Terrorism Bulletin For Domestic Extremists
“The Department of Homeland Security issued its first-ever national terrorism bulletin about violent domestic extremists, warning they could attack in the coming weeks, emboldened by the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. DHS, in an advisory Wednesday, said violent extremists opposed to the government and the presidential transition “could continue to mobilize to incite or commit violence,” though the department said it doesn’t have evidence of a specific plot. The bulletin said that violent extremists have been “motivated by a range of issues, including anger over Covid-19 restrictions, the 2020 election results, and police use of force” as well as “long-standing racial and ethnic tension, including opposition to immigration.” DHS has commonly issued terrorism bulletins, though those warnings usually focus on foreign-inspired threats. While this advisory mentions terrorists inspired by foreign ideologies, it is notable for its focus on domestic violent extremists—the first such bulletin ever published, according to a DHS spokesman. The most recent DHS bulletin—a warning that Iran had the potential to carry out cyberattacks—came a year ago. DHS didn’t issue a bulletin ahead of the planned Jan. 6 rally in Washington, D.C. that devolved into a mob attack at the Capitol, despite public chatter online about the extremists’ plans.”
Reuters: Killings Of Civilians Rise As Afghan Violence Threatens Peace Moves
“Killings of civilians in Afghanistan's conflict rose to more than 2,900 last year, the country's human rights commission said on Wednesday, despite stepped up diplomacy to end the war including peace talks taking place in Qatar. The deaths are part of a wider increase in violence that threatens a delicate peace process, undermining international calls for a ceasefire as the Afghan government takes part in peace negotiations with the insurgent Taliban. There were 8,500 civilian casualties in 2020, according to the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission's (AIHRC) annual report, including 2,958 deaths. That was an increase from the 2,817 civilians killed in 2019, though overall casualties had dropped from more than 10,000 the previous year with fewer civilians injured. A series of assassinations of human rights officials, mid-level government employees and journalists began last year as well as attacks on civilians that shocked the country, including a massacre of new mothers and newborn babies at a maternity ward in May. The AIHRC expressed “grave concern” over the findings, adding just over half of the casualties were caused by the Taliban, 15% by government forces and its international partners and the remainder from groups like the Islamic State and from unknown actors.”
United States
The New York Times: Member Of Extremist Group Pleads Guilty In Michigan Governor Kidnapping Plot
“One member of an antigovernment group accused of plotting to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan last fall pleaded guilty on Wednesday in federal court, with documents revealing new details about the group’s plans to storm the Michigan Capitol and commit other violence. Ty G. Garbin, a 25-year-old airplane mechanic, agreed to testify against the other five defendants charged in federal court in Western Michigan, according to the plea agreement filed by prosecutors. Eight other men have been accused in state court of cooperating with the violent plans, and Mr. Garbin will serve as a witness against them, too, it said. Under questioning by Judge Robert J. Jonker in court, Mr. Garbin said he realized that his testimony might end up hurting people he knows. His sentencing was scheduled for July 8. The defendants, arrested in October, were accused of planning to kidnap Ms. Whitmer around the time of the Nov. 3 election and to either abandon her in a boat in the middle of Lake Michigan or take her to another state, possibly Wisconsin, and put her on trial. They accused Ms. Whitmer of acting like a “tyrant” for restrictions the state had put in place to combat the spread of the coronavirus. The plot came amid heightened political tensions surrounding the presidential election, tensions that had been building all year in Michigan with protests against lockdowns that armed groups helped to organize starting in April.”
“A California man charged with possessing five pipe bombs talked about targeting Democrats and the social media giants Twitter and Facebook, as part of a discussion about going “to war” to ensure former President Donald Trump remained in the White House. “I want to blow up a democratic building so bad,” the man, Ian Benjamin Rogers of Napa County, wrote in a text message detailed in a criminal complaint filed in federal court for the Northern District of California. The complaint described a large array of firearms, ammunition, bomb-making equipment and warfare manuals found in his possession. “The democrats need to pay,” wrote Rogers, a married father of two, who owns British Auto Repair of the Napa Valley. In another text message, Rogers said he was “thinking sac office first target,” which an FBI agent said is suspected of being the Sacramento office of California Gov. Gavin Newsom. “Then maybe bird and face offices,” the 44-year-old wrote, according to the complaint. “Sad it’s come to this but I’m not going down without a fight ... These commies need to be told what’s up.” The agent said the text appeared to reference Twitter, whose logo is a blue bird, and Facebook, “because both social media platforms had locked Trump’s accounts to prevent him from sending messages on those platforms” on the heels of the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol by a mob of his supporters.”
NPR: 3 People From Extremist 'Oath Keepers' Indicted On Capitol Riot Conspiracy Charges
“Individuals tied to what the Justice Department calls a paramilitary group were indicted Wednesday on federal charges related to the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6. They face up to 20 years in prison. Jessica Marie Watkins, 38, and Donovan Ray Crowl, 50, both from Champaign County, Ohio, and Thomas Caldwell, 65, of Clarke County, Va., were arrested about two weeks after the insurrection in Washington, D.C., a Justice Department news release said. They face a slew of charges: conspiracy, obstructing an official proceeding, destruction of government property and unlawful entry on restricted building or grounds. All three have ties to the Oath Keepers, which is described by the Justice Department as “a paramilitary organization focused on recruitment of current and former military, law enforcement, and first responder personnel.” The organization encourages its members and prospective recruits to uphold their sworn oath to defend the Constitution, according to the Oath Keepers website. Watkins, Crowl and Caldwell are accused of communicating their plans long before the assault in Washington. The Justice Department said the three coordinated their attack on the Capitol. Additionally, they documented their participation in the attack on social media, investigators said. Watkins posted a video of herself inside the Capitol on Parler.”
Iraq
Asharq Al-Awsat: Iraqi President Calls For International Cooperation To Combat Terrorism
“Iraqi President Barham Salih said that the world and the region are facing challenges posed by terrorism and extremism, including recent escalation in tensions. Saleh 's remarks came during his meeting with the Pakistani Minister of Military Production, Zubaida Jalal, and her accompanying delegation at al-Salam Palace in Baghdad. The President asserted the importance of promoting bilateral cooperation between Iraq and Pakistan in the defense field. Both countries would benefit from the shared expertise of their military institutions, he said, adding that it would also help Iraq develop the capacities of its armed forces. “International cooperation was also necessary to deal with the escalation of tensions that impact international security and stability.” For her part, the Pakistani minister affirmed her country's commitment to supporting Iraq and consolidating bilateral relations and military cooperation in the field of developing and training Iraqi armed forces. Recently, the ISIS terror group increased its operations in Iraq, including an attack by two suicide bombers who blew themselves in Baghdad, killing dozens and injuring hundreds. A second attack occurred in al-Eith of Saladin governorate where ISIS terrorists killed and wounded dozens of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). In response, the Iraqi government began devising plans to confront the new challenge, prompting Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi to relocate a number of security and military units.”
Asharq Al-Awsat: Iraq Sees Sharp Decline In Power Supply Due To Terrorism, Cut In Iranian Gas
“Electricity supply has declined in all Iraqi provinces, sometimes reaching only two hours for every six hours of power cut. As people’s anger mounted against government authorities and the Ministry of Electricity in particular, the latter presented excuses and explained the obstacles hindering production. A decision by Tehran at the end of 2020 to stop gas supplies for some Iraqi production plants has caused the loss of more than a third of energy production. Moreover, the recent escalation of terrorist attacks on power transmission lines further exacerbated the problem in the country. Spokesman for the Ministry of Electricity, Ahmed Musa Al-Abadi, said that seven high-voltage transmission lines in Diyala, Nineveh, Salah al-Din and Anbar governorates were targeted with explosive devices over the last week, which caused a great loss in energy production. In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, he said: “The recent attacks on the electricity towers isolated the northern region from the central region, causing severe damage to the processing hours for the governorates of Nineveh, Salaheddine, Kirkuk and Diyala and the decline of power system capacity by 500 to 600 megawatts.”
Afghanistan
Radio Free Europe: Taliban Delegation Meets Iranian Officials Amid Stalled Afghan Peace Talks
“A Taliban delegation has held talks with high-ranking Iranian officials in Tehran amid ongoing peace talks between the Afghan government and the militant group. Taliban spokesman Mohammad Naeem tweeted that the delegation led by deputy leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar met with Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, and other officials on January 27. Naeem said the two sides discussed the Afghan peace process, border issues, and Afghan refugees. Shamkhani was quoted by Iranian state media as saying that Tehran would “never recognize a group that wants to come to power through war,” and urged the Taliban to reach a peace settlement with the internationally recognized government in Kabul. Baradar was quoted as saying that the militant group does not “trust the United States and we will fight any group that is a mercenary for the United States,” in reference to the Afghan government. The relationship between Shi’ite-majority Iran and the Taliban, a fundamentalist Sunni group, is complex. Iran officially opposes the Taliban, but a number of experts claim that Tehran provides some military support to the Taliban. The Taliban’s visit to Afghanistan's western neighbor comes as peace talks in the Gulf state of Qatar remain deadlocked.”
Middle East
The Times Of Israel: The Power Struggle Of Anti-Semitism
“As the United Nations this week marks International Holocaust Remembrance Day, anti-Semitism remains just as pervasive. True, there are no stormtroopers rounding up Jews into concentration camps today. Nor are Jews widely barred from owning land or gaining citizenship rights as they had been in the past. But there are still those who idealize those times and believe mankind remains under threat from the Jews. To them, Jews remain the shadowy puppeteers who orchestrated the Great Depression and the world wars. Radical Islamists view Jews as rejected by God. On the far left, Israel is vilified as a Nazi state and individual Jews are condemned for her actions based solely on their religious affiliation. The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) has completed a comprehensive historical overview of anti-Semitism that looks at the historical causes and evolution of anti-Semitism. CEP has concluded that, contrary to reports of a new anti-Semitism, what we see in the world today is very much the same anti-Semitism we have witnessed for thousands of years but repackaged to fit modern narratives. And at the core of that historic anti-Semitism is power —accusing Jews of having too much power and seeking to take it away.”
Nigeria
Africanews: 'We Want To Kill Boko Haram': Nigerians Welcome New Army Chiefs
“Residents of an internally displaced camp in the northeastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri have welcomed President Muhammadu Buhari's decision to replace the country's top military commanders as security issues mount. “To be sincere, the outgoing service chiefs have tried their best but in some instances their best isn't enough at all, despite the fact that we are not security experts, but we know that they have failed.” said Ummate Abubakar, an internally displaced person from the village of Monguno. The Boko Haram insurgency and its deadly affiliate, the Islamic State in West Africa, has killed some 36,000 people and displaced millions since it waged its war for a caliphate in the northeast in 2009. The group controlled vast swathes of the region in 2015 but were pushed back. But Boko Haram still conducts deadly attacks and ambushes on civilians and the military. “What we want is not to repel the Boko Haram but to kill them, not to repel them but to kill them, to finish them at once, not to repel them again,” said Sunday Ishaya, an internally displaced person from the village of Monguno.”
Somalia
Shabelle Media Network: Somalia: Army Kills Militants In Operation Against Al-Shabaab
“Somali security forces on Tuesday killed seven Al-Shabaab militants and wounded several others in the country's southwestern Bay region, officials said. The forces targeted al-Shabaab positions in the town of Seydhelow and its surrounding areas and liberated the town, according to Amiin Mohamed Daruur, Bay region police commissioner. “The operation was carried out by our forces in Seydhelow where at least seven al-Shabaab terrorists were killed. The area is now under the control of the government forces,” Daruur told Somali National News Agency (SONNA). Ali Isack Hassan, a military official in Baidoa, the administrative capital of the Bay region, told Anadolu Agency by phone that no soldier was killed or wounded during the military operation. He said the operation against al-Shabaab will continue until the group is kicked out of the region. Seydhelow is a strategic town located 205 kilometers (127 miles) southwest of the Somali capital Mogadishu. The Horn of Africa country is battling al-Shabaab militants who have intensified attacks on security forces.”
Africa
Reuters: Militant Killings More Than Doubled In Congo In 2020, UN Says
“Killings by armed groups in the Democratic Repubic of Congo more than doubled last year, the United Nations said on Wednesday, underlining spiralling violence in the country’s east two years after Felix Tshisekedi became president. The U.N. Joint Human Rights Office (UNJHRO) said militias executed at least 2,487 civilians in 2020, up from 1,029 the previous year. Fighters from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a Ugandan Islamist armed group, were responsible for a third of the deaths, which included the killing of more than 200 women and 26 children in the restive provinces of North Kivu and Ituri, it said. “These attacks are part of the ADF’s strategy of sowing terror in these areas in retaliation against the operations by the (army) and to control territory in order to carry out various trafficking activities,” UNJHRO said in a statement. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for many suspected ADF attacks in the past, although U.N. experts have been unable to confirm any direct link between the two groups. Tshisekedi emerged as the victor of a disputed election in January 2019, pledging to address decades of armed conflict in the mineral-rich east.”
Germany
Associated Press: German Woman Charged With Plotting Attack On Muslims, Others
“A German woman has been charged with preparing a far-right attack and other crimes on allegations she was in the process of building a bomb to target Muslims and local politicians in Bavaria, Munich prosecutors said Wednesday. Susanne G., whose last name wasn't given in line with privacy laws, also faces charges of making threats and violations of weapons laws, among other things. She has been in custody since her arrest. Prosecutors allege that the woman started planning a firebombing attack no later than May 2020, motivated by her xenophobic and extreme-right views. She is alleged to have downloaded information on bomb building online and have gathered materials for the construction, including gasoline, fireworks and fuses, by the time of her arrest in September. Between December 2019 and March 2020 the suspect is alleged to have sent six anonymous letters, five including a live bullet, with death threats to a local politician in the Nuremberg area, a Muslim community association, and an asylum seeker aid organization. During the summer of 2020, she started focusing on local police officers and a different local politician than the one threatened by letter as other possible targets, and began scouting their homes and cars.”
Southeast Asia
Al Jazeera: Singapore Teenager Arrested For Plotting Attack On Muslims
“A teenager in Singapore has been detained under the country’s strict Internal Security Act (ISA) for plotting to kill Muslims in two mosques on the March 15 anniversary of the deadly 2019 Christchurch attacks, the government said on Wednesday. The 16-year-old student, who is a Protestant Christian of Indian ethnicity, is the youngest to be detained under such laws, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA) said in a statement, adding that the teenager, who was inspired by “far-right extremist ideology”, was detained last month. “A secondary school student at the time, he was found to have made detailed plans and preparations to conduct terrorist attacks using a machete against Muslims at two mosques in Singapore,” the ministry said. The ISA law allows for detention without trial. The teenager, who has not been identified, had mapped out his route and chosen Assyafaah Mosque and Yusof Ishak Mosque as his targets near his home in northern Singapore, the ministry said, adding that he also had the intention of live-streaming his planned attack. “He was self-radicalised, motivated by a strong antipathy towards Islam and a fascination with violence.”
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